Introduction to nursing and history of professional nursing: Professional, ethical, & legal standards

Question 1

Health ethics

Answer 1

Promote the consideration of values in the prioritization and justification of actions by health professionals, researchers and policymakers that may impact the health and well-being of patients, families and communities.

Question 2

The International Council of Nurses (ICN) Code of Ethics

Answer 2

A governing document for ethical practise in Australia.

Question 3

List the moral responsibilities of the professional relationship

Answer 3

Justice, non-malficence, autonomy, and beneficence.

Question 4

Justice

Answer 4

Based on the concept of fairness and involves the fair treatment of individuals and allocation of resources distribution. It considers actions from the point of view of the least fortunate in society so that benefits and burdens are distributed equally. All people should be treated equally unless there is a justification for unequal treatment.

Question 5

Beneficence

Answer 5

Duty to promote good and to prevent harm which includes the elements of providing benefit and balancing benefits and harms. Paternalism is an outcome of beneficence with health care providers deciding what is best for people and then attempting to encourage act against their own choices. For example, an individual’s freedom when an individual’s ability to choose is limited by incompetency justifies paternalism.

Question 6

Non-maleficence

Answer 6

The duty to cause no harm to others including physiological, psychological, social or spiritual incorporating both actual harm and the risk of it. Guides decisions about treatment approaches, asks questions that consider whether a treatment modality will cause more harm than good to the patient. Involves the individual thoughtfully weighting the potential risk and benefit of research or treatment and refraining from deliberately inflicting harm on a person including oneself.

Question 7

Autonomy

Answer 7

Acting the way that protects and promotes that capacity for self-determination. Respect for autonomy means allowing people to make their own decisions about how they live. Refers to the capacity to make informed decisions about one’s life in order to determine for oneself whether or not a course of action is anyone’s best interest however it does not mean being able to do whatever you happen to feel like doing. In its passive form it requires us to refrain from unduly interfering with another person’s decision and actions while in its active form involves as to act in a way that enables a person to experience or tunnel’s choice such as giving a person options for their care.

Question 8

Duty of care

Answer 8

Is a fundamental legal principle that requires healthcare professionals, including nurses, to provide the stand of care that a reasonable person in a similar position would provide. Nurses have a duty to act in the best interests of their patient and ensure that their actions or omissions do not harm the patient

Question 9

Reasonable standard

Answer 9

A reasonable standard is that which could be expected of other similarly trained and experienced nurses, in which to determine what is reasonable and nurses actions will be compared with the actions of other nurses with a similar level of training and clinical experience employed in a similar role.

Question 10

List the four factors that determine a nurse’s scope of practice

Answer 10

The nurses level of training, the nurses level of appointment or the position the nurse is employed to fill, the state and commonwealth legislation, and the employees policy framework.

Question 11

List the 6 legal principles that underpin safe and quality nursing

Answer 11

Duty of care, negligence, informed consent, confidentiality, documentation, and mandatory reporting.

Question 12

Negligence

Answer 12

Occurs when a healthcare professional fails to meet the standard of care expected, resulting in harm to the patient. To establish negligence and must be proven that there was a duty of care Rd, and that that duty of care was breached, and that the breach resulted in harm.

Question 13

Informed consent

Answer 13

Is legal and ethical principle that requires both health care providers, including nurses, to obtain the voluntary and informed agreement of a competent patient before initiating any treatment or procedure. Nurses must ensure that patience adequately informed about the nature, purpose, risks and alternatives of any proposed intervention before obtaining concerns.

Question 14

Confidentiality

Answer 14

Requires nurses to protect and safeguard patient information. Nurses must not disclose page to information to unauthorised individuals or entities, and they must ensure the privacy of patient records.

Question 15

Documentation

Answer 15

Is a legal requirement and a central aspect of nursing practise in Australia. Nurses are obligated to maintain comprehensive and accurate records of patient assessments, interventions and outcomes to facilitate communication and continuity of care.

Question 16

Nursing code of conduct

Answer 16

The code of conduct for nurses sets out the legal requirements, professional behaviour and conduct expectations for nurses in all practice settings in Australia.

Question 17

Standard 1

Answer 17

Thinks critically and analyses nursing practice:

RNs use a variety of thinking strategies and the best available evidence in making decisions and providing safe, quality nursing practice within person-centred and evidence-based frameworks.

Question 18

Standard 2

Answer 18

Engages in therapeutic and professional relationships:

RN practice is based on purposefully engaging in effective therapeutic and professional relationships. This includes collegial generosity in the context of mutual trust and respect in professional relationships.

Question 19

Standard 3

Answer 19

Maintains the capability for practice:

RNs, as regulated health professionals, are responsible and accountable for ensuring they are safe, and have the capability for practice. This includes ongoing self-management and responding when there is concern about other health professionals’ capability for practice. RNs are responsible for their professional development and contribute to the development of others. They are also responsible for providing information and education to enable people to make decisions and take action in relation to their health.

Question 20

Standard 4

Answer 20

Comprehensively conducts assessments:

RNs accurately conduct comprehensive and systematic assessments. They analyse information and data and communicate outcomes as the basis for practice.

Question 21

Standard 5

Answer 21

Develops a plan for nursing practice:

RNs are responsible for the planning and communication of nursing practice. Agreed plans are developed in partnership. They are based on the RNs appraisal of comprehensive, relevant information, and evidence that is documented and communicated.

Question 22

Standard 6

Answer 22

Provides safe, appropriate and responsive quality nursing practice:

RNs provide and may delegate, quality and ethical goal-directed actions. These are based on comprehensive and systematic assessment, and the best available evidence to achieve planned and agreed outcomes.

Question 23

Standard 7

Answer 23

Evaluates outcomes to inform nursing practice:

RNs take responsibility for the evaluation of practice based on agreed priorities, goals, plans and outcomes and revises practice accordingly.

Question 24

Reporting behaviours of concern as a part of mandatory reporting

Answer 24

To protect public from the risk of harm, registered health practitioners and their employees must make mandatory notifications in limited circumstances.

Question 25

Describe the purpose of mandatory reporting as a part of reporting behaviours of concern

Answer 25

Ensures that health professionals are held accountable for practicing in line with their professional Code of Conduct and Standards for Practice, and for delivering safe and effective care.