Page 15 - MMP-N-NJ CCN 21st Century School Nurse Leadership Book

Critical thinking is a dynamic, vital, and
continuing part of every step in the nursing
CRITICAL process. Critical thinking uses knowledge
THINKING and reasoning skills to make sound clinical
decisions that influence nursing practice (ANA
& NASN, 2017; Weismuller et al., 2016).

Evidence-based practice incorporates
the best available research and scientific
evidence that inform decision making and
promote best practices for optimal health
EVIDENCE-BASED outcomes (Jacobs, Jones, Gabella, Spring, &
PRACTICE Brownson, 2012). School nurses are obligated
to recognize that evidence-based practice
replaces empirical and authority-based care
(Bultas & McLaughlin, 2013) and that it is the
basis and standard of health care practice for
the 21st-century school nurse.

Position statements from the NASN are
documents that present the official position of
POSITION the NASN Board of Directors. These position
STATEMENTS statements include historical, political, and
scientific facets of topics relevant to school
nursing, school health services, and children’s
health care.

Nurse Practice Acts (NPAs) are guiding and
governing laws that determine the lawful scope
of practice of nursing. NPAs have authority to
develop rules and regulations for the practice
and licensing of nursing to protect the health
NURSE PRACTICE of society. Nurses must follow the NPAs
ACTS of their state, commonwealth, or territory
(National Council of State Boards of Nursing,
n.d.). It is NPAs and state guidelines that
determine if nursing delegation can occur, and
they greatly impact the framework’s principle
of Care Coordination.

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