The Human Rights Act (1998) exists to protect our civil rights in the UK and to enhance our understanding of the fundamental principles and values we share. Everyone in Britain has basic human rights for whatever reason. Article 8 of this law, the right to respect for private and family life, is particularly relevant in terms of information governance in the context of the case. Section 8 reflects the common law duty of secrecy. If the data is shared inappropriately, the individual can take legal action. Patient information must be kept confidential and secure. How does HIPAA affect you as a student nurse? You must comply with HIPAA guidelines from the moment you start providing patient care. Student nurses can be sanctioned or banned from their nursing program if they violate HIPAA. Nurses who violate HIPAA rules may be terminated from their jobs or subject to legal action. The following field lists common types of HIPAA violations and ways to prevent them. In 2016, nursing was voted the most trusted profession for the 15th consecutive year. It is important that we maintain this level of confidence in our profession at every health care meeting. This means taking responsibility for our practice, our work environment and patient safety.
The American Nursing Association`s Code of Ethics defines professional responsibility as “responsible to oneself and others for one`s actions.” Not only do we have high clinical and ethical standards for ourselves, but we must also be prepared to take on professional responsibility if or when deviations from standards of care occur. Accountability is an essential element of nursing practice within the framework and standards of practice. The following are some examples that illustrate the accountability and responsibility of nursing practice in professional performance standards. The Nursing Social Policy Statement describes the social responsibility, accountability and contribution of nursing to health care (ANA, 2015b). The nursing profession is responsible for the quality and ethics of care in society. ANA is responsible for meeting the needs of societies by articulating, maintaining and strengthening social contracts between nursing and society. Steve may not see a problem with his decision to deviate from the new evidence-based practice guidelines, but his inability to follow them could have serious consequences for patients. If he does not make changes to his practice, he fails to maintain a mentality of professional responsibility. Nurses practice and act according to a learned code of ethics that they implicitly follow when making judgments about care. Nurses practice according to the principles of fidelity (fidelity, honesty), respect for dignity, work and autonomy of patients when they act.
Nurses are responsible for making judgments about care. When nurses take responsibility for their patients, they fulfill their commitment to practice with compassion and respect for patients. The ANA (2010a) states: “The moral standard of the profession is that nurses must adhere to themselves and their colleagues in order to be held accountable for their practice” (p. 46). The American Nursing Association (ANA) guides nursing practice with the Code of Ethics for Nurses. [12] This Code provides a framework for ethical management and guidance for decision-making. The objectives of the Code of Ethics for Nurses are to: One of the characteristics of a profession is service to society. Consumers have the right to safe, quality care, and nurses are held accountable for meeting society`s health needs. In order to meet these needs and requirements, nurses are required to keep abreast of current literature, training, maintain their skills and much more. Under the NPA and the ANA`s Social Policy Statement on Care, nurses are legally responsible for providing professional care that meets the required areas and standards of practice. Introduction: Accountability in nursing practice is a concept that influences quality of care, decision-making, safety standards and staff values.
Therefore, understanding accountability and its impact on nursing practice could improve patient care and nurses` working conditions. Conclusion: Emergency caregivers need to manage their responsibilities in difficult situations on a regular basis, after being treated according to patterns of four main themes in most situations. Nevertheless, all of these factors have been influenced by nursing workload, a pervasive factor that has always been considered by emergency room nurses when making decisions. The NCSBN (2020a) manages and coordinates the services of all government NCs. The NCSBN works with each state NC to ensure nursing accountability through a range of organizational activities, including standards for safe nursing practices, licensing, license review, monitoring licensees` compliance with state good practice laws, and action against nurses who have demonstrated unsafe nursing practices (NCSBN, 2020a). Emergency care workers must regularly manage their responsibilities in difficult situations for which they make decisions based on a variety of ethical, legal and professional factors. However, there were models that showed four main themes in most situations. As part of their professional roles, nurses are expected to implement accountability guarantees. This includes evaluating patient care through peer review, quality improvement, and research that encourages the idea that our actions have consequences that have a direct impact on the patients we serve. Steve`s ethical responsibility is to think about the difference between not acting because she believes pressure ulcers are not a problem for her patients, and what it means to truly provide quality, evidence-based care. It is important to think of accountability as a process of supporting others who want to be accountable for the work they do.
Nurses in management positions, whether formal (e.g. Nurse managers) or informal nurses (i.e. nurse in charge or staff member) should reflect their reflections on accountability in order to fully understand their thoughts on the topic. Reflection is an important first step, as leaders set the tone for the work environment and a better understanding of themselves can influence thinking and action for the future (Cox & Beeson, 2018). Here are some questions to consider: In summary, accountability, ethics and law are integral to care. Focusing on these key issues helps establish boundaries and principles within which we can apply to become safer, more competent responsible practitioners. Also in terms of accountability, the Essence of Care benchmarks (2010) document the best practices required for record retention. It states that staff must be able to create, use and maintain care records, as well as the ability to maintain accurate and complete care records. This study showed that high-fidelity simulation can be a method to teach nursing students how to become responsible nurses. Accountability is evident in all aspects of nursing practice, such as: Shared governance is an organizational model defined as”. a structure within the professional nursing process that leads to positive outcomes for nurses, patients and organizations” (Church, Baker, & Berry, 2008, p. 36).
The two main assumptions of shared governance models are: 1) the redistribution of decision-making power from managers to staff [nurses], and 2) nurses have an interest in participating in the decision-making process (Anthony, 2004). Delegation is defined as “the transfer of responsibility for performing a task from one person to another while maintaining responsibility for the outcome” (ANA, 2015c, p. 86). The ANA and NCSBN (2019) created the Joint Statement on Delegation to support and guide caregivers in the safe and effective use of delegation. These organizations share the following definition and meaning about delegation: Nursing students, nurses and other members of the health care team should exercise extreme caution when posting on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat and other social media sites. Information about patients, patient care and/or health authorities should never be posted on social media. Members of the health care team who violate this policy may lose their jobs and face legal action, and students may be sanctioned or excluded from their program of care. Keep in mind that even if you plan to post in a private group, the information can become public. Results: Factors related to nursing responsibility were divided into four main themes: daily dynamics, changing work environments, customs and routines, and the application of bioethical principles. Access NPA for New York on the Professional Bureau (OOP) website, located in the New York State Department of Education.
A number of articles and information about the nursing profession are available at OOP, including scope of practice legislation, nursing education, curricula, disciplinary conduct, and more. Read Part 64 on the Professions Office (OPL) website for the scope of the registered nurse`s practice. Rose O. Sherman is Professor of Nursing and Director of the Nursing Leadership Institute at Florida Atlantic University and author of The Nurse Leader Coach: Become the Boss No One Wants to Leave. You can read his blog at emergingrnleader. Tanya M. Cohn is a nursing and health sciences nurse at West Kendall Baptist Hospital in Miami, Florida.