A nurse is instructing a newly licensed nurse about the scope and standards of nursing practice. Which of the following describes standards of practice?

Choice A reason: Providing competencies for the nurses to achieve before licensure is not a description of standards of practice, but rather a function of the nursing education and accreditation system. Standards of practice are authoritative statements that define the expected level of performance for nurses after they obtain their license.

Choice B reason: Establishing a protocol for care to provide for a specific health problem is not a description of standards of practice, but rather a function of the clinical practice guidelines and evidence based practice. Standards of practice are broader and more general statements that apply to all nurses regardless of their specialty or setting.

Choice C reason: Specifying that nurses provide care that reflects current and competent level of behavior when providing client care is a description of standards of practice, as it captures the essence of what standards of practice are and why they are important. Standards of practice are based on the best available evidence and professional consensus, and they guide nurses in delivering safe, quality, and ethical care to their clients.

Choice D reason: Listing a set of skills that all nurses should be competent in performing, outlining responsibilities that every nurse is expected to provide regardless of their role is not a description of standards of practice, but rather a function of the scope of practice. Scope of practice describes the services that a qualified health professional is deemed competent to perform, and permitted to undertake, in keeping with the terms of their professional license..

Choice A reason: This statement is true and should be included in the educational session. SDOH are the nonmedical factors that influence health outcomes, such as income, education, housing, food security, social inclusion, and access to health services. SDOH can affect a person's physical, mental, and social wellbeing, as well as their risk of developing certain diseases.

Choice B reason: This statement is false and should not be included in the educational session. SDOH are not determined by an individual’s ethnic background, but rather by the broader social, economic, and political context in which they live. However, ethnic background can influence how a person experiences SDOH, as some ethnic groups may face discrimination, racism, and marginalization that affect their access to resources and opportunities.

Choice C reason: This statement is false and should not be included in the educational session. Identifying SDOH does not increase disparities in health care, but rather helps to address them. Disparities in health care are the differences in the quality and accessibility of health services among different populations⁵. Identifying SDOH can help to understand the root causes of these disparities, and to design interventions that target the most vulnerable and disadvantaged groups.

Choice D reason: This statement is false and should not be included in the educational session. SDOH do not include psychological factors, but rather affect them. Psychological factors are the individual characteristics and behaviors that influence a person's mental health and wellbeing, such as personality, coping skills, self-esteem, and stress management. SDOH can influence psychological factors by creating stressful or supportive environments, and by facilitating or hindering access to mental health services.