Alphabet soup of healthcare.

With an increasingly complex health system, one of the challenges that nurses face today is understanding the alphabet soup of healthcare regulations. State and federal governments and industry regulations heavily govern healthcare and how nurses practice. Considering the healthcare industry's current focus on quality control, corporate compliance and patient confidentiality, understanding regulatory mandates are a must in today's healthcare arena. Here are some of the agencies and other organizations that regulate national health issues and affect how nurses practice.