What are guidelines established by a health care organization that govern the practice of nursing called?

The correct terminology for guidelines established by a health care organization that govern the practice of nursing is agency policies. Agency policies are specific regulations or procedures put in place by an organization to dictate how nursing practice should occur within that particular setting. These policies can address a wide range of topics, including patient care protocols, documentation requirements, and staff responsibilities, aiming to promote consistency, safety, and quality of care.

While clinical protocols pertain to specific clinical procedures or treatments that guide nursing actions in particular patient scenarios, they do not encompass the broader administrative and operational guidelines that agency policies cover. Nursing standards refer to the professional benchmarks set by organizations such as national nursing boards or associations which define the quality of care expected from nurses but do not specifically refer to internal organizational rules. Healthcare regulations are broad laws that govern the healthcare industry as a whole, which may influence agency policies but do not define them. Therefore, agency policies encompass the essential framework that governs nursing practice within a specific healthcare organization.