What do CNO Professional Standards describe?

• A. Professional expectations of nurses
• B. Financial policies for clinics
• C. Patient rights in hospitals
• D. Insurance coverage for practitioners

Answer: (A)

CNO Professional Standards describe what nurses are expected to uphold in their practice. They outline how nurses should work safely and ethically, communicate effectively with patients and the care team, maintain and advance their knowledge and competence, and remain accountable to the public. These standards guide daily decisions, shape professional behavior, and support licensure and disciplinary processes to protect patients. The other topics—financial policies for clinics, patient rights, or insurance coverage—are governed by different policies and bodies and are not what the nursing standards define.