Nursing: Professional Standards

Code of Ethics for Nurses by American Nurses Association The 2025 Code of Ethics for Nurses reaffirms and expands the ethical foundation of the nursing profession, now with ten provisions that illuminate the essential relationships central to nursing practice. Grounded in nursing's enduring commitment to health and social justice, the Code serves as a timeless yet dynamic foundation to nursing theory, practice, and praxis, expressing the values, virtues, ideals, and obligations that shape and guide the profession.

Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice by American Nurses Association Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice, 4th Edition is an essential document for every nurse. The scope of practice statement answers the who, what, when, where, how, and why questions of nursing. The standards provide authoritative statements of the actions and behaviors that all registered nurses are expected to competently perform, regardless of role, population, specialty, and setting. Each standard is accompanied by detailed competencies for the three practice levels.

Nursing's Social Policy Statement by American Nurses Association Staff

Guide to Nursing’s Social Policy Statement: Understanding the Profession From Social Contract to Social Covenant

The ICN Code of Ethics for Nurses

Outcomes and Competencies for Graduates of Practical-Vocational, Diploma, Associate Degree, Baccalaureate, Master's Practice Doctorate, and Research Doctorate Programs in Nursing by National League for Nursing Outcomes and Competencies for Graduates of Practical/Vocational, Diploma, Associate Degree, Baccalaureate, Master's. Practice Doctorate, and Research Doctorate Programs in Nursing, is a first-of-its-kind report by the NLN Education Competency Work Group, which collaborated over a two-year period to evaluate how best to prepare graduates of nursing programs across the academic spectrum to function in an evolving, dynamic health care environment. This document lays the foundation for ensuring that all United States nursing programs can expand and develop while maintaining the highest standards of quality and excellence. Nurse educators examined program outcomes and competencies across all types of programs -- rather than looking at each program type in isolation from others, as has been the case. Such a wide-ranging, inclusive approach serves to clarify concepts that cut across all program types while clarifying the unique focus of each program type in relation to each concept. The group from education and practice, therefore, reviewed existing literature, work previously completed by NLN advisory councils and task groups, and emerging national concerns and initiatives to formulate outcomes and competencies. They vetted these with the nursing education community and finalized a set of outcomes and competencies that address all program types. The result is a comprehensive document that is both contemporary and futuristic and fills a gap in the existing body of scholarly research. It helps nurse educators to build curricula, further the science of nursing education, and expore and refine teaching, learning and evaluation.