This assessment applies to the following Learning Outcomes:
examine the role of the professional nurse from the perspective of; self and client advocacy; teaching and on-going professional development
discuss leadership and management as they relate to professional nursing practice
identify effective leadership and management behaviours and role models
outline the key principles and practices related to quality and safety management within the Australian health system
analyse how current technological trends in e-Health might improve health outcomes by influencing decision-making and health policy
critically analyse knowledge and skill gaps and identify strategies to address these prior to entry to professional practice or during the graduate year.
Introduction
Accountability is an integral component of professional nursing practice. Nurses accountability requires that nurses demonstrate competence in the provision of nursing care as specified by registration requirements, nursing board standards and codes, educational preparation, relevant legislation and context of care.
Assessment Instructions
1. Reflect on the learning outcomes above, and discuss how nurses are accountable for their practice.
2. Use three practical examples to guide your discussion to demonstrate your understanding of nurses accountabilities.
a. You can use one broad area of accountability and provide three examples of how nurses demonstrate this.
For example: Patient Advocasy
i. Example one ensuring informed consent is obtained
ii. Example two communicating patients wishes to a doctor
iii. Example three protecting the health and well-being of patients
OR
b. You can discuss three different areas of advocacy as your examples:
i. Example one advocacy
ii. Example two decision making
iii. Example three mandatory reporting
Either way is fine, but be aware you must provide literature support for all three examples/areas to support your discussion. Make sure you clearly demonstrate/explain how each example/area DEMONSTRATES how nurses are accountable for their practice.
3. Introduction: Clearly introduce which area/s of accountability you will discuss and clearly outline what three examples/areas you will use to demonstrate accountability. a. Include in the introduction which key documents (codes/guidelines/standards) you will use to inform your discussion. For example, this paper will discuss patient advocacy which will be informed by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) (2018) Code of Conduct for Nurses. You must reference at least two key documents listed below).
4. Body: Use current literature to support your discussion and critically analyse each of the three examples and identify how they relate to nurses accountability.
5. Make reference to the key documents in the body of the paper as appropriate
E.g as demonstrated in Principle 4: Professional Behaviour (NMBA 2018), BUT DO NOT COPY large sections of text from these documents. You are expected to INTERPRET the standard, code or guideline, PARAPHRASE and EXPLAIN your understanding of how the code/standard applies to your example of nurses accountability
6. Conclusion: Synthesise your conclusions about the key accountabilities you have discussed
7. A minimum of ten (20) current and relevant references must be used (in addition to any of the key documented listed)
8. When referencing the key documents please use the usual APA format of Author, Year, Name of Document. For example: Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (2016) Registered Nurses Standards for Practice
9. If there are two documents used from AHPRA, differentiate in text and in the reference list as AHPRA (2014a) and AHPRA (2014b) to distinguish between documents.
Key documents you can use to support your discussion
The National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards (2nd Ed.) (2017)
Nursing and Midwifery Board Australia (NMBA) (2016) Registered Nurses Standards for Practice
Nursing and Midwifery Board Australia (NMBA) (2006) National Competency Standards for the Registered Nurse
Nursing and Midwifery Board Australia (NMBA (2018) Code of Conduct for Nurses
International Council of Nurses (2012) The ICN Code of Ethics for Nurses1
Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (2014) Social Media Policy
Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (2014) Guidelines for Advertising Regulated Health Services (2014)
Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (2017) ANMF Guideline: Use of social media and online networking
