RN Update, Volume 22, Number 3, October/November 1991 Page: 3
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October/November, 1991 RN Update Volume 22, No. 3
ROLES OF STATE BOARD AND
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION
VITAL TO THE NURSING
PROFESSION
All of us are aware of the many changes taking
place in the health care system today. New legislation,
new regulations, complex medical and ethical issues
affect us both as providers and consumers of health care
services. Who do you turn to for interpretation of new
regulations and standards? How can the nurse have a
voice in the legislation that affects his or her practice?
How are we as consumers of health care services pro-
tected under the law?
Although the Board of Nurses Examiners and pro-
fessional nursing associations are both involved in the
arena of professional nursing, these organizations serve
different purposes and provide different services to the
profession and the public. The Board is a state agency
charged with regulating the practice of professionalnurs-
ing and establishing nursing education standards. A
professional nurse association is a non-profit organiza-
tion that is involved in representing its members in
legislative, political and practice matters. It provides a
central voice for its professional nurse membership.
On March28,1909, the Texas Legislature passed the
original Texas Nurse Practice Act, thus formally recog-
nizing professional nursing as a vital service to society.
The act also provided for the establishment of a Board of
Nurse Examiners empowered with the responsibility
and legal authority for ensuring society competent prac-
titioners of nursing.
The Nurse Practice Act provides that the privilege
and responsibility of practicing professional nursing be
entrusted only to those persons duly licensed, registered
and practicing under the provisions of this act. The
paramount outcome of this act is protecting the welfare
of the people of Texas.
Accordingly, "the mission of the Board is to protect
and promote the welfare of the people of Texas. This
purpose supersedes the interests of any individual, the
nursing profession, or any special interest group," as
stated in the Board's Rules and Regulations Relating to
Professional Nurse Education, Licensure and Practice.
Employees of the Board are prohibited from lobbying the
legislature. The Board fulfills its mission by carrying out
the laws enacted by the Texas Legislature.
In the Texas government, policy making duties are
divided between the legislature and the governor. The
legislature writes the laws and appropriates the funds for
state agency operations. The governor, the state's chief
executive officer, has a major voice in setting the legisla-
tive agenda and vetoing bills. However, the legislature
and the governor delegate to state agency boards, like theBoard of Nurse Examiners, the tasks of setting and ad-
ministering the operating policy for their agencies within
the framework of state law and appropriations.
The Board meets regularly to execute its responsi-
bilities for administering the law governing professional
nurse practice. The Board employs professional and
support staff to carry out the provisions of the law along
with the policies and regulations established by the
Board. The Board pursues its mission by establishing
minimum standards for educational programs in nurs-
ing, licensing qualified practitioners, educating practic-
ing RNs regarding changes in the law, investigating
violations of the act and imposing discipline on the
licenses of those determined to be in violation of the
Nurse Practice Act or the Board's rules.
A professional nursing organization can lobby the
legislature and governor for the interests of its members
and the profession of nursing. A professional nursing
organization provides a united voice which may speak
out on the issues important to the nursing profession.
In addition, a professional nursing organization
provides leadership in other areas such as improving the
quality of nursing care, working conditions and benefits
for nurses. A nursing association also may lead the way
in developing public health policies.
The Board and the professional association have
separate but equally important roles to play for the RN.
The professional nursing association represents its mem-
bers while the Board serves the people of Texas. Both
organizations are there to assist you both as nurses and as
consumers of health care services.
BOARD APPOINTMENT
ANNOUNCED
The Governor's Office has an-
nounced the appointment of Mary
V. Fenton, RN, DrPH, to the Board
of Nurse Examiners. Dr. Fenton is
Dean and Professor of the Univer-
sity of Texas Medical Branch at
Galveston,School of Nursing. She
received a Doctorate in Public
Health from The University of
Texas School of Public Health,
Houston; a Master of Science in
Medical-SurgicalNursing from the
University of Michigan and a Baccalaureate in Nursing
from the University of Texas, Galveston. She is also
recognized as an Adult Nurse Practitioner by the Board
of Nurse Examiners. Dr. Fenton will represent Baccalau-
reate degree nursing programs. She replaces Teddy L.
Langford, RN, PhD, Texas Tech University Health Sci-
ence Center, Lubbock whose term expired this year. Dr.
Fenton's term will run until 1997.+3
October/November, 1991
Volume 22, No. 3
RN Update
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Texas. Board of Nurse Examiners. RN Update, Volume 22, Number 3, October/November 1991, periodical, October 1991; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1543503/m1/3/?q=Lamar+University: accessed June 3, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.