What should a nurse do if requested to perform a duty that is beyond the scope of practice outlined in your state’s nurse practice act?

The regulation of nursing practice is delineated within each state’s nurse practice act. Nurses are responsible for knowing and understanding how their practice is regulated by the state in which they are licensed. A nurse who practices beyond their state’s legal definition of nursing is subject to disciplinary action by the regulatory agency.
Respond to the following in a minimum of 175 words:
What should a nurse do if requested to perform a duty that is beyond the scope of practice outlined in your state’s nurse practice act?
Include which state you are from.

ANSWER
If I am requested to perform a duty that is beyond the scope of practice outlined in my state’s nurse practice act, I should politely decline to perform the task and explain to the person making the request that it is outside of my scope of practice. I should also document the incident in my nursing notes, including the date, time, and who made the request.

I am from California, and the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) defines the scope of practice for registered nurses (RNs) as follows:

The practice of nursing means the performance of any act requiring substantial scientific knowledge and skill based on the principles of biological, physical, and social science and the relationships between these sciences to man, society, and environment in the promotion of health; prevention of illness; care of the sick, injured, or disabled; rehabilitation; and the teaching and application of nursing principles.

The BRN also provides a list of specific activities that are within the scope of practice for RNs, such as:

Administering medications
Performing assessments
Developing and implementing care plans
Providing education and counseling
Supervising other healthcare workers
If I am requested to perform a duty that is not listed on the BRN’s scope of practice, or if I am unsure whether or not it is within my scope of practice, I should err on the side of caution and decline to perform the task.

Here are some examples of how I might respond to a request to perform a duty that is beyond my scope of practice:

“I’m sorry, but I’m not able to perform that task. It’s outside of my scope of practice as a registered nurse.”
“I’m not comfortable performing that task without first consulting with my supervisor.”
“I’m happy to help you find a nurse or other healthcare worker who is qualified to perform that task.”
If the person making the request persists, I should explain that I am legally obligated to follow the scope of practice as defined by the BRN and that I could face disciplinary action if I perform a task that is outside of my scope of practice. I should also reiterate that I am happy to help find a qualified healthcare worker to perform the task.

Protecting the public is a nurse’s primary responsibility. By refusing to perform tasks that are beyond their scope of practice, nurses can help to ensure that patients receive safe and competent care.