Virginia Nurse Practice Act: Facility Guide
As the nursing workforce grows and takes on additional responsibilities, regulatory oversight is needed to ensure safe and appropriate care. To govern nursing professional practice, each state is required to enact rules and regulations that promote clinical compliance and optimize patient outcomes. In Virginia, these laws are collectively referred to as the Virginia Nurse Practice Act.
The Nurse Practice Act (NPA) holds clinicians accountable for the quality of care they provide while practicing in Virginia. The legislation also establishes rulemaking authority, outlines licensure requirements, and sets sanctions for nursing professionals who practice outside of their legal scope.
In this article, we outline the rules enforced by the NPA, summarize key elements that could impact daily care duties, and provide administrators three strategies to improve compliance and empower their nursing team.
What Is the Virginia Nurse Practice Act?
LPNs, RNs, nurse aides, and APRNs practicing in Virginia are required to follow the rules and guidelines outlined in the nursing practice act. In the commonwealth of Virginia, Nurse Practice Act laws:
- Clarify requirements for Virginia nursing education programs.
- Outline requirements for maintaining and renewing a Virginia nursing license.
- Lay out rules, regulations, and protocols set forth by the Virginia Board of Nursing.
- List minimum care standards that must be met in state healthcare facilities.
- Establish penalties for NPA violations.
Nurse Practice Act: Virginia Laws at a Glance
Most NPAs outline similar procedures for nursing board regulation and clinician licensure. However, each state document contains unique rules for delegation and penalties for law violation. Understanding the specific regulations outlined in the VA Nurse Practice Act can ensure your clinicians provide high-quality care within their legal scope. The table below lists important elements unique to the Virginia NPA.
| Legal Authorities | Code of Virginia, Title 54.1, Subtitle III, Chapter 30:
Virginia Administrative Code, Title 18, Agency 90, Chapter 19: |
| Virginia State Nursing Licensure Requirements | Virginia RN licensure applicants must qualify by either passing the NCLEX examination or getting a license endorsed from another state.
Steps for NCLEX Exam Qualification:
Steps for Endorsement Qualification:
Note: The board may grant a temporary provisional RN license for nurses who are new to state nursing practice and meet board specifications. This temporary license is valid for 6 months and can be renewed for an additional 6 months for good cause shown. The Virginia Board of Nursing website also provides approximate timeframes for application processing and outlines the required steps to renew a nursing license. |
| Virginia Nurse Practice Act
Delegation of Duties |
Nursing professionals are allowed to delegate when:
Nursing professionals are prohibited from delegating tasks such as:
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| Penalties | Any violation of the rules outlined in the Code of Virginia Section 3008 is considered a Class I misdemeanor and represents grounds for disciplinary action. These violations include:
Additionally, a nurse can face suspension or revocation of their license, fines, and public remands for violation such as:
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| Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) State? | Virginia is involved in the NLC compact. Therefore, the Virginia Nurse Practice Act encompasses rules and guidelines established by the NLC. |
Improving NPA Compliance: 3 Strategies for Facilities
By becoming familiar with the main tenets of the nursing practice act, Virginia healthcare administrators can empower their clinicians to manage their own professional nursing practice. Looking to raise awareness of NPA rules in a way that’s helpful and meaningful? Here are three tips to help you get started.
1. Educate Your Staff on the Rules of the NPA
As a facility leader in Virginia, it’s your responsibility to educate your staff on the scope of practice, delegation responsibilities, and licensure requirements of RNs in your organization. You can provide this training by:
- Developing an online CE course.
- Providing all newly hired nurses with a Virginia NPA resource manual.
- Hosting an in-person lecture explaining VA nursing rights and responsibilities.
2. Stay Informed About Regulatory Updates
The Virginia Board of Nursing website posts updated nursing guidelines to provide information on recent federal mandates and state practice changes. Familiarizing yourself with these state-wide changes and incorporating them into your facility’s unique policies and procedures can protect staff and ensure they continue to practice safely and effectively.
3. Report any Suspected Misconduct to the Virginia Board of Nursing
The Virginia Department of Health Enforcement Program receives complaints and conducts investigations of any reported misconduct, including:
- Practice under the effects of drugs or alcohol.
- Suspected fraudulent education or licensure.
- Inappropriate medication administration.
- Scope of practice infringement.
- Inappropriate delegation.
Alerting the BON to any witnessed violations of the NPA is an essential step to keeping patients safe.
Take Additional Steps to Support Your Clinical Team
Keeping up with regulatory changes and Virginia Nurse Practice Act updates can be challenging, but we’re here to help. Our free newsletter, written by a team of clinical and legal experts, contains a variety of tips,strategies, and resources to help keep your clinical operations running smoothly.
Legal Disclaimer: This article contains general legal information, but it is not intended to constitute professional legal advice for any particular situation and should not be relied on as professional legal advice. Any references to the law may not be current, as laws regularly change through updates in legislation, regulation, and case law at the federal and state level. Nothing in this article should be interpreted as creating an attorney-client relationship. If you have legal questions, you should seek the advice of an attorney licensed to practice in your jurisdiction.