What is the purpose of a course on nursing rules and laws? The requirement very likely comes from a desire on the part of the Florida Board of Nursing and other leaders in the nursing profession to protect patients from unsafe practices and to prevent nursing professionals from engaging in practices that affect patient safety and endanger a nurse’s livelihood.

Nurses from earlier generations fought hard to promote the profession of nursing. They oversaw the development of practice acts, codes of ethics, and other laws that regulate nursing. They established professional organizations that fought for improved education, working conditions, and pay for nurses throughout the world.

In Florida, as in other states, nurse practice acts ensure the health and safety of the people by establishing guidelines for nurses who practice in the state. All licensees is responsible for understanding the rules and laws that govern their profession. The rules and laws that govern the practice of nursing are contained in the Florida Statutes and the Florida Administrative Code. These laws and rules detail nurses’ scope of practice, their responsibilities as healthcare providers, what they can and cannot do as nurses, and what happens if they break the law or violate the tenets of the state’s practice act.

You are responsible for practicing not only according to rules and laws but also in an ethical manner. Understanding the difference between ethics and the law is an important part of nursing practice. Your ability to practice in an ethical manner and your comprehension of the laws and rules of your profession will allow you practice safely while protecting your patients and your license.