Editing LPN Scope of Practice (section)

== What Defines Scope of Practice ==

Scope of practice is the set of activities a licensed nurse is legally authorized to perform. For the LPN it is shaped by four layers, each narrower than the one before it:

* '''The state nurse practice act.''' A statute passed by the state legislature that defines nursing, creates the board of nursing, and sets the outer legal boundary of practice.
* '''Board of nursing rules and regulations.''' Administrative rules and formal advisory opinions issued by the board that interpret the statute and give operational detail.
* '''Employer policy and job description.''' A facility may lawfully restrict practice further than the state allows. A facility may never expand practice beyond what the state allows.
* '''Individual competence.''' Even when a task is legally permitted and employer approved, the individual nurse must have the education, demonstrated skill, and current competence to perform it safely.

A useful exam heuristic: a task is appropriate for the LPN only when it passes all four layers. If any one of them says no, the answer is no.