Which organization provides scope and practice guidelines on the roles and responsibilities

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.

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Policy Documents on Developing APA Guidelines
Professional Practice Guidelines
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Quality Improvement Programs
APA Guidelines Development
Which organization provides scope and practice guidelines on the roles and responsibilities for nursing and nursing specialites?
Who establishes the scope and practice of nursing?
Which of the following organizations is responsible for determining the scope of practice for different levels of nurses?
What guidance does the scope of practice provide for nurses?

Scope of practice defined in nursing

The Nursing Scope and Standards of Practice describe the “who,” “what,” “where,” “when,” “why,” and “how” of nursing practice:

Who: Registered Nurses (RN) and Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRN) comprise the “who” constituency and have been educated, titled, and maintain active licensure to practice nursing.
What: Nursing is the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities; prevention of illness and injury; facilitation of healing; alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response; and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations.
Where: Wherever there is a patient in need of care.
When: Whenever there is a need for nursing knowledge, compassion, and expertise.
Why: The profession exists to achieve the most positive patient outcomes in keeping with nursing’s social contract and obligation to society.

When each of these questions is answered, the complex considerations in scope of practice become clear. In a profession as dynamic as nursing, and with evolving health care demands, changes in scope of practice and overlapping responsibilities are inevitable in our current and future health care system.

Newly-Revised: Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice, 4th Edition

This resource informs and guides nurses in their vital work providing safe, quality, and competent care.

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Nursing Specialty Recognition, Scope and Standards Review, Affirmation of Competencies

The American Nurses Association has an established review program for recognition of a nursing specialty, approval of a specialty nursing scope of practice statement, acknowledgment of specialty nursing standards of practice, and affirmation of focused practice competencies. Details about each component of this program, specialty characteristics, review criteria, and submission process are described here.

Health care licensure

Currently, all health care licensure is state-based, and there is some variability between the qualifications for licensure and re-licensure for each state.

Defining scope of practice is generally a two-step process:

Step 1: The state legislature passes a law, known as a “nurse practice act.”
Step 2: Regulatory bodies then create and implement rules and regulations, intended to protect the public.

Choice in health care providers

The American Nurses Association (ANA) believes that patients’ interests are best served by a health care system in which many different types of qualified professionals are available, accessible, and working together – collaboratively. Therefore, it is important for scope of practice to reflect a professional’s true expertise.

ANA is a founding member of the Coalition for Patient’s Rights (CPR), which was established to improve patients’ access to the health care providers of their choice, and the range of services those providers offer. The CPR consists of more than 35 organizations representing a variety of licensed health care professionals, each providing a diverse array of safe, effective, and affordable care.

Protecting and advancing scope of practice

Protecting and advancing scope of practice for nurses is a major initiative for ANA. In the fast-moving world of health care, it is vital that nurses are able to practice to the full extent of their education and abilities, in order to deliver the most efficient, quality care to patients.

There is a growing body of evidence to support the safe and cost-effective provision of care by APRNs, and a national call to remove all barriers to full practice authority. ANA remains committed to monitoring and advocating for legislative and regulatory changes relating to scope of practice, with the aim of removing practice barriers for nurses and improving access to care.

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APA Professional Practice Guidelines

APA has approved as policy a variety of professional practice guidelines and related criteria in areas such as multicultural practice; child custody evaluations; and treatment of gay, lesbian, and bisexual clients. These guidelines address psychological practice with particular populations (e.g., older adults) or in particular areas (e.g., parenting coordination) without focusing on specific disorders or treatments.

APA Guidelines on Evidence-Based Psychological Practice in Health Care (PDF, 331KB)
These guidelines aim to provide guidance on psychological intervention in health care, regardless of theoretical orientation, clinical presentation, or treatment setting. They seek to clarify and extend APA’s policy on evidence-based practice in psychology (EBPP) by articulating practical considerations and providing illustrative examples. These guidelines are foundational and may inform other APA policies, including professional practice and clinical practice guidelines.
Professional Practice Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Boys and Men (PDF, 444KB)
Research shows that boys and men are at disproportionate risk for school discipline, academic challenges, health disparities and other quality of life issues. Men have higher rates of completed suicide and of cardiovascular disease and are more likely to be victims of violence. Crucially, many men do not seek mental health care when they need it. These guidelines help psychologists directly address the needs of men and boys and help them live happier, healthier lives. They include sections on culture and gender, and provide general recommendations for psychologists on the knowledge, skills and awareness needed today in psychological practice with boys and men. Read more about this guideline and its development .
Professional Practice Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Girls and Women (PDF, 497KB)
These guidelines aim to assist psychologists in the provision of gender-sensitive, culturally competent, and developmentally appropriate psychological practice with girls and women across the lifespan. These guidelines provide recommendations to raise awareness, knowledge, and skills in psychological practice with girls and women. The guidelines touch on the strengths of girls and women, their intersectional identities, and challenges and lifespan issues, as well as provide guidance relevant to research, education, training, and health care.
Professional Practice Guidelines for Occupationally Mandated Psychological Evaluations
Psychological evaluations are often relied on by employers, professional licensing boards and civil service commissions to make hiring and employment decisions affecting large numbers of applicants, workers, organizations and the public at large. To promote best practices, these professional practice guidelines were developed for use by psychologists who perform clinical evaluations of individuals for occupational purposes, regardless of whether the evaluation is intended to obtain employment, to achieve licensure/certification or to maintain either.
Professional Practice Guidelines for Integrating the Role of Work and Career Into Psychological Practice
These guidelines aim to provide a rationale and need for addressing vocational behavior and the meaning of work in professional practice, an overview of issues in understanding vocational behavior and development and the world of work, and recommendations for working effectively with work and career issues as they interface with multiple aspects of human behavior and functioning. These guidelines are written for psychologists working with clients or patients and provide guidance for clinical interventions related to work and career. They are not intended to provide directions for interventions with organizations and industries but rather focus on the clinical aspects of working with individuals.
Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Transgender and Gender Nonconforming People (PDF, 617KB)
This document lays out 16 guidelines aimed at helping professionals better understand the lifespan development, stigma, discrimination and barriers to care faced by transgender and gender nonconforming people. It is primarily intended for psychologists who provide care, conduct research, or engage in education or training focused on this population. But it may also be helpful to anyone seeking a deeper understanding of transgender and gender nonconforming people.
Guidelines for Prevention in Psychology (PDF, 142KB)
The Affordable Care Act (2010) includes preventive services as a key component of overall health care. The legislation strives to make wellness and preventive services affordable and accessible by requiring health plans to cover preventive services without copayments. These services include counseling to improve habits of lifestyle, counseling to reduce depression, and preventive services to foster healthy birth outcomes. The contributions and leadership of psychologists are critical in implementing a prevention focus in the health care system. The guidelines support prevention as an important area of practice, research and training for psychologists. The guidelines identify best practices for psychologists who engage in preventive activities relating to the interface between physical health and emotional well-being.
Guidelines for the Practice of Telepsychology
These guidelines are designed to address the developing area of psychological service provision commonly known as telepsychology. The expanding role of technology in the provision of psychological services and the continuous development of new technologies that may be useful in the practice of psychology present unique opportunities, considerations and challenges to practice. With the advancement of technology and the increased number of psychologists using technology in their practices, these guidelines have been prepared to educate and guide them. These guidelines were developed by the Joint Task Force for the Development of Telepsychology Guidelines, comprised of representatives from the American Psychological Association (APA), the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB) and the APA Insurance Trust (APAIT).
Specialty Guidelines for Forensic Psychology
The goals of these guidelines are to improve the quality of forensic psychological services; enhance the practice and facilitate the systematic development of forensic psychology; encourage a high level of quality in professional practice; and encourage forensic practitioners to acknowledge and respect the rights of those they serve. These guidelines are intended for use by psychologists when engaged in the practice of forensic psychology and may also provide guidance on professional conduct to the legal system, and other organizations and professions.
Guidelines for the Practice of Parenting Coordination
These guidelines are designed to address an emerging area of practice known as Parenting Coordination. The complex and hybrid parenting coordination model continues to be refined in professional deliberations about the role, emerging statutes and case law, and court and local rules and regulations governing Parenting Coordination practice at the local jurisdictional level. These guidelines intend to provide a framework and direction for professional conduct and decision making. Although designed for psychologists, these guidelines may prove helpful and relevant to other professions as well.
Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Older Adults
In recent years, professional psychology practice with older adults has been increasing, due both demographic trends and changes in the marketplace and health service delivery settings. These guidelines inform psychological practice with older adults.
Multicultural Guidelines: An Ecological Approach to Context, Identity, and Intersectionality, 2017
These guidelines provide psychologists with information and strategies for multicultural psychological practice.
Guidelines for Psychological Evaluations in Child Protection Matters
As the complexity of psychological practice increases and the reciprocal involvement between psychologists and the public broadens, the need for guidelines to educate the profession, the public and the other interested parties regarding desirable professional practice in child protection matters continues to increase. Because psychologists may assume various roles and responsibilities in child protection matters, these guidelines were developed primarily for psychologists conducting psychological evaluations in such matters.
Guidelines for Psychological Practice in Health Care Delivery Systems
Psychologists practice in an increasingly diverse range of health care delivery systems. At the same time, psychologists’ roles within these settings are expanding, and multidisciplinary collaboration within health care is becoming commonplace. These guidelines are intended to assist psychologists, other health care providers, administrators in health care delivery systems, and the public to conceptualize the roles and responsibilities of psychologists in these diverse contexts.
APA Guidelines for Psychological Assessment and Evaluation (PDF, 660KB)
The purpose of the guidelines is to assist and inform psychologists of best practice when psychological instruments, including psychometric tests and collateral information, are used within the practice of psychological assessment and/or evaluation. As the discipline of psychology has expanded, the application of psychological assessment has also developed in response to new areas of practice. Integrated medical and primary care, online assessment and scoring, and global initiatives are examples of these new areas.
Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Sexual Minority Persons
Approved as APA Policy by the Council of Representatives, February 26–28, 2021
Provides psychologists with: (1) a frame of reference for affirmative psychological practice (e.g., intervention, testing, assessment, diagnosis, education, research, etc.) with sexual minority clients across the lifespan, and (2) knowledge and referenced scholarship in the areas of affirmative intervention, assessment, identity, relationships, diversity, education, training, advocacy, and research. These guidelines also recognize that some sexual minority persons possess diverse gender identities and expressions (e.g., transgender, gender nonbinary or gender fluid).
Guidelines for Assessment of and Intervention With Persons With Disabilities
The goal of these guidelines is to help psychologists conceptualize and implement more effective, fair and ethical psychological assessments and interventions with persons with disabilities. The guidelines provide suggestions on ways psychologists can make their practices more accessible and disability-sensitive, and how they might enhance their working relationships with clients with disabilities. Additionally, the guidelines provide information on how psychologists can obtain more education, training and experience with disability-related matters.
Guidelines for the Evaluation of Dementia and Age-Related Cognitive Change (PDF, 488KB)
Dementia in its many forms is a leading cause of functional limitation among older adults worldwide and will continue to ascend in global health importance as populations continue to age and effective cures remain elusive. These important guidelines were developed for psychologists who perform evaluations of dementia and age-related cognitive change.
Guidelines for Psychological Practice for People with Low-Income and Economic Marginalization
The purpose of the Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Low-Income or Economically Marginalized (LIEM) individuals is to assist psychologists in the provision of culturally competent care for those whose economic position has negatively impacted or constrained their health and well-being.

APA Clinical Practice Guidelines

APA is in the process of developing clinical practice guidelines which provide specific recommendations about treatment and clinical matters for particular disorders and conditions.

Clinical Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
The guideline recommends interventions for the treatment of adults with PTSD. Recommendations are based on a systematic review of the evidence, a weighing of the benefits and harms of interventions, consideration of what is known about patient values and preferences, and applicability.
Clinical Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Obesity and Overweight in Children and Adolescents
The guideline recommends interventions for the treatment of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents aged 2-18. Recommendations are based on a systematic review of the scientific evidence, a weighing of the benefits and harms of interventions, consideration of what is known about patient values and preferences, and applicability.
Clinical Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Depression Across Three Age Cohorts
The guideline recommends interventions for the treatment of depression in children, adolescents, adults, and older adults. Recommendations are based on a systematic review of the scientific evidence, a weighing of the benefits and harms of interventions, consideration of what is known about patient values and preferences, and consideration of the applicability of the evidence across demographic groups and settings.

Policy Documents on Developing APA Guidelines

Professional Practice Guidelines

Practice Guidelines Criteria Checklist (PDF, 19KB)
This checklist is a companion to the Criteria for Practice Guideline Development and Evaluation and may be used to evaluate guidelines that have been submitted for review and consideration for approval per Association Rule 30.8.
Professional Practice Guidelines: Guidance for Developers and Users (PDF, 179KB)
This document is a guide for the development, evaluation, and review of proposed and existing professional practice guidelines. It is designed to promote quality and consistency in professional practice guideline development and to describe the criteria by which these guidelines are evaluated and reviewed. These criteria are designed to assist in the development of guidelines that are broadly applicable to a range of practice areas yet provide sufficient specificity to assist the practitioner in providing high quality psychological services. The intent behind these criteria is to ensure deliberation and care in the development of professional practice guidelines. This document is intended for professional practice guideline development committees composed entirely of psychologists and for other efforts in which psychologists are involved.

Clinical Practice Guidelines

Placing Clinical Practice Guidelines in Context
Provision of high quality, effective care that reduces symptoms and helps the patient return to higher levels of functioning is a shared goal for patients and their families, practitioners, policy makers, and administrators. But knowing which information to trust and prioritize is not easy, and synthesizing available research and determining preferable care options can be daunting. Clinical practice guidelines are an essential tool to guide clinical decision-making and make it easier for patients to get the care they need.
Criteria for Evaluating Treatment Guidelines
Includes a set of criteria to be used in evaluationing treatment guidelines. Created by a working group of the Board of Professional Affairs.
Treatment Guidelines Criteria Checklist (PDF, 29KB)
The checklist identifies the elements that the APA expects to find in a well-researched and well-written set of treatment guidelines.

Quality Improvement Programs

Last updated: April 2021Date created: January 2010

APA Guidelines Development

The Board of Professional Affairs has oversight of all guidelines and has materials to facilitate development of guidelines.
The Board of Scientific Affairs and Board of Directors also contribute to the oversight of clinical practice guidelines.
APA Clinical Practice Guidelines Development

Which organization provides scope and practice guidelines on the roles and responsibilities for nursing and nursing specialites?

AMERICAN NURSES ASSOCIATION ANA is at the forefront of improving the quality of health care for all. In this leadership role, ANA must address the assurance of safety and quality in the clinical, administrative, education, policy, and research domains of nursing practice.

Who establishes the scope and practice of nursing?

The Scope of Nursing Practice Decision-Making Framework was developed by the Tri-Council for Nursing in collaboration with the National Council of the State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN).

Which of the following organizations is responsible for determining the scope of practice for different levels of nurses?

The Registered Nurse, or RN, is required to follow the Scope of Practice as mandated by each state. The nursing Scope of Practice is defined by the American Nurses Association (ANA) as, "the 'who,' 'what,' 'where,' 'when,' and 'how' of nursing." It provides a legal definition of what nurses can and cannot do, legally.

What guidance does the scope of practice provide for nurses?

The scope and standards of practice are authoritative statements on how the professional nurse should practice. They aren't prescriptive; they don't state exactly how to perform specific job tasks or functions. But they do serve as a guide on how to perform those tasks and functions competently.