The evolution of the advanced practice role in psychiatric mental health in New Jersey: 1960-2010.

This historical perspective is focused on the contribution of Hildegard E. Peplau in laying the foundation for advanced practice nursing and the development of the roles of clinical nurse specialists and psychiatric nurse practitioners. An overview is provided of legal developments within the state that enabled Advanced Practice Nurses to provide mental health services.

The diffusion of innovation in nursing regulatory policy: removing a barrier to medication administration training for child care providers.

Safe medication administration is an essential component of high-quality child care. Its achievement in New Jersey was impeded by a controversy over whether teaching child care providers medication administration involves registered nurses in the process of nursing delegation. Through the theoretical framework of the Diffusion of Innovation, this paper examines how the interpretation of regulatory policy related to nursing practice in New Jersey was adjusted by the Board of Nursing following a similar interpretation of regulatory policy by the Board of Nursing in Connecticut.