What is the primary role of the Board of Nursing in Florida?

The primary role of the Board of Nursing in Florida is to regulate nursing practices and specialties. This includes establishing standards for nursing education, licensing nurses, and ensuring that nursing practices comply with state laws and regulations. The Board is responsible for protecting the public’s health and safety by overseeing the practice of nursing, which encompasses creating rules and guidelines that govern how nurses operate within the state.

By regulating nursing practices, the Board ensures that nurses meet specific qualifications and are competent to deliver safe and effective care to patients. This oversight is critical for maintaining the integrity of the nursing profession and fostering trust in healthcare services.

The other options involve important aspects of nursing but do not capture the primary function of the Board. Setting practice hours is typically related to workplace policies, determining nurse salaries involves employer decisions rather than regulatory functions, and providing continuing education, while important for professional development, is not the central regulatory focus of the Board itself. The Board's main mission is fundamentally about regulation and oversight to ensure high standards within the nursing field in Florida.