Before initiating the administration of an IV chemotherapeutic agent, which law should the nurse refer to?

• A. Standard of care
• B. Regulation of practice
• C. American Nurses' association code
• D. Nurse Practice Act

Answer: (D)

The question tests understanding of the legal framework that defines what a nurse is authorized to do. The Nurse Practice Act is the statute enacted by the state that establishes licensure requirements, defines the scope of nursing practice, and sets what actions nurses may legally perform, including administration of cytotoxic (chemotherapy) drugs. It also outlines accountability and grounds for disciplinary action, ensuring that administering IV chemotherapy is within a nurse’s legal scope and that proper qualifications and procedures are followed.

The other options describe professional guidelines or ethics rather than binding law. Standards of care reflect expected practice but are not statutes; regulation of practice is a general phrase and lacks the specific legal force; the American Nurses Association code covers ethical obligations but not enforceable legal authority.