Through the Standards the Registered Nurses Association of B.C. meets its legal responsibility to enhance the quality of nursing practice in the public interest. The primary purpose is to promote, guide and direct professional nursing practice. They outline the responsibility of all registered nurses, licensed graduate nurses and nursing students to understand the Standards and apply them to their nursing practice, regardless of their areas of practice or roles. They help nurses when they have to make ethical decisions. The Standards require nurses to adhere to a code of ethics.
Nurses are client advocates.
Under the Standards, they have an obligation to assess and determine if clients have adequate information to make informed choices about their health care. Nurses must provide clients with the necessary information in a way the client understands. They provide nurses with a framework for developing competencies. The Standards require nurses to maintain their competence. Throughout their careers, they are responsible for obtaining the necessary knowledge, skills, attitude and judgment to always provide safe care.