NURS3002: Analyzing Acts and Laws in Complex Care Scenarios

This assignment identifies and analyzes two key acts relevant to a complex care scenario: a time-based strategy (National Emergency Access Target) and consent for treatment (Medical Treatment Act 1988). The report discusses the importance of timely medical assistance and informed consent, highlighting potential conflicts between patient preferences, family beliefs, and legal requirements. It also addresses an ethical issue concerning a conflict between a patient and their family regarding religious preferences and explores the use of conflict resolution techniques to ensure patient well-being and adherence to ethical nursing practices. The assignment emphasizes the importance of therapeutic relationships and a healthy work environment in resolving conflicts and promoting patient-centered care.

Running Head: IDENTIFICATION OF ACTS AND LAWS
Topic: Identification of Acts and Laws

IDENTIFICATION OF ACTS AND LAWS 2
Identification of Acts and Laws
Act 1
Time-Based Strategy. The emergency ward needs particular attention of health care
practitioner and nurses. The increased number of road accidents and vehicle misshapen on the
road are very prevalent. Due to the high ratio of emergency cases, the emergency ward remained
overcrowded. It is hard for health care practitioners to provide timely assistance to each patient.
The patient experience increased waiting for time and length of stay in hospitals. (Di Somma et
al., 2015). The delayed in treatment or medical assistance found to be associated with adverse
circumstances and health-oriented issues. The delays in medical assistance not merely increased
the mortality rate but also affected the satisfaction of the patient. (Guttmann at al., 2011).
In contrast, the time-based strategy to heal the patient within 4-8 hours found to the most
effective in the form of satisfaction and health improvement. The National Emergency Access
Target (NEAT) emerged in 2011 as a part of the National Health Reform Agreement to improve
the public health service (Council of Australian Government, 2011). The aim of the goal of
National Emergency Access Target (NEAT) was to facilitate the patients with quick services
within four from arrival to end (Council of Australian Government, 2011).
In the current case, the patient was admitted to the emergency ward at 7:00 am yesterday
and transferred to 11:30 the next day. The patient returned from OT after an operation at 7:30 pm
which was a long time-based process. He was not given immediate assistance according to the
law within 4 to 8 hours. As the patient was injured and soaked in the blood, more time was
wasted in performing the primary and secondary surveys and checklist rather than providing an
immediate treatment. The literature suggested that the delay in treatment leads to death. The

IDENTIFICATION OF ACTS AND LAWS 3
timely treatment is the right of each patient, regardless of any cast, religion, sect or another form
of discrimination (Council of Australian Government, 2011).
Act 2
Consent for treatment. The informed consent is vital in the health care setting, as
patient and their family have the full right to decide which treatment plan they want to pursue.
They should be properly guided about all the positive and negative aspects of treatment. The
significance of informed consent is a key component in the health care setting. The literature is
enriched that signifies the importance of informed consent in a person-centered approach (Skene,
& Smallwood, 2002). The code of ethics, code of conduct and code of ethics impose some
responsibilities on the registered nurse to follow the mandatory laws and acts for the wellbeing
of the patient. Apart from other responsibilities, to take informed consent is one of the most
significant parts of the treatment plan. Medical Treatment Act 1988 signifies the importance of
consent of the patient and family for medical treatment.
Registered nurses value the diversities of patients and treat each patient as a unique
individual and belong to a diverse cultural background. Equality and inclusion in care setting
regardless of nurse own religious or cultural identity is vital for the mental as well as physical
health of the patient. The patients should be treated unconditionally, and the internal conflicts for
religion, race, and sect should also be treated by the registered nurse. A registered nurse should
have extensive knowledge about the diversities of a multicultural group. Literature provides the
extensive researches that highlight how the acceptance and inclusion of diversity in care setting
helps in promoting health among patients. Social and Cultural Right, 2004 protect the patient
from discrimination at care setting (World Health Organization, 2005).
Application of act 2

IDENTIFICATION OF ACTS AND LAWS 4
In the current case, it was observed by the nurse that the patient have conflicts with his
family over religion preferences. The registered nurse needs to solve the conflict of the family
and patient regardless of her religious preferences. She should understand the perspective of the
patient and the family separately and helping them in making informed decision to resolve the
conflict. The Medical Treatment Act 1988 enforces some roles and responsibilities on registered
nurses regarding the consent of the patient such as to value the needs and preferences of the
patients. Also, value the preferences, needs, and beliefs of the family regardless of her own
opinion. Prejudices and stereotypical behavior are important to break in care setting for patient
recovery. In the current case, the patient was 24 years old boy, he extremely injured, but in the
state of consciousness, and can better understand the positive and negative aspects of any
treatment. Therefore, the patient consent keeps the primary value, and the parents of the patient
reached to the emergency ward and were unhappy with the decision of the patient. The patient
needed blood; the doctors and nurses were ready to start treatment with the blood transition
(Haemoglobin 78g/L). The parents of the patients were unhappy for blood transition due to faith
Jehova’s witness. As mentioned earlier, as the patient was in the state of consciousness, his
consent was more important than the family member, which was followed in the current case.
Identification of Ethical Issue
As a registered nurse, the ethical issue I felt in the case of the morning shift was the
conflict between the patient and his family. The patients were having conflicts with the family
for religion and fiancé. The parents of the patients were upset and wanted to meet the patient and
to stress upon not to use blood or any treatment which is not acceptable by their religion. The
patient refused to meet their parents and claimed he was no longer associated with the religion
(Jehova's Witness). The issue between patient and his family can be resolved through conflict

IDENTIFICATION OF ACTS AND LAWS 5
resolution technique. It was also observed that the parents of the patients were also having some
conflicts with the fiancé of the patient. As the patient requested nurses not to send their parents in
the room in the presence of the fiancé. The Registered nurses intended to resolve the problem
between patient, fiancé and family through conflict resolution technique.
Conflict Resolution Technique. Dealing with a conflict between families and the patient
is a time-consuming and long process. The therapeutic relationship between patient and nurse
contribute to resolving the conflict and developing a healthy relationship (ME, & Vallejo, 2012).
The proactive role of the nurse while communicating with the patient, their family and fiancé can
better facilitate in the conflict resolution (Guttmann et al., 2011; Richardson, 2006). In the
current case, the patient was having family issues over religion. The patient, family and fiancé
should be given equal chances to share their positive and negative concerns. The other party
should play the role of an active listener to understand the experience and apprehension of that
person. The equality in time for each person should be intact. Then after listening all the
discussion, agreement and disagreement or conflicts. The registered nurse should note down the
key themes of the discussion. After analysing the main point, the RN should assist the patient
and their families for a possible solution to their problems. In the end, the positive feedback
should be given to both the parties for using problem-solving skills. Nurses should remember
that the foundation of nursing cares the therapeutic patient-nurse relationship. If there is a
conflict between patient and Nurse or with the family over any issue, the wellbeing of the patient
cannot be restored. A nurse must develop a healthy work environment for the well-being of the
patient (Guttmann et al., 2011: Richardson, 2006).

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References
Di Somma, S., Paladino, L., Vaughan, L., Lalle, I., Magrini, L., Magnanti, M. (2015).
Overcrowding in the emergency department: an international issue. Internal and
Emergency Medicine; Vol. 10(2): pg no.171–5. pmid:25446540
Guttmann, A., Schull, M. J., Vermeulen, M. J., Stukel, T. A. (2011). Association between
waiting times and short term mortality and hospital admission after departure from
emergency department: population based cohort study.Ontario, Canada. BMJ. pg no. 342.
Council of Australian Government (COAG). (2011). National Healthcare Agreement Canberra:
COAG.
Council of Australian Government (COAG). (2011). The National Health Reform Agreement
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Ohlén G, Rainer T, Rathlev N, Revue E, Richardson D, Sattarian M, Schull MJ. (2011).
International perspectives on emergency department crowding. Academic Emergency
Medicine; Vol. 18(12): pg no. 1358–70. pmid:22168200
Richardson, D. B. (2006). Increase in patient mortality at 10 days associated with emergency
department overcrowding. The Medical Journal of Australia; 184(5):213–6.
pmid:16515430
Skene, L., & Smallwood, R. (2002). Informed consent: lessons from Australia. BMJ (Clinical
research ed.), 324(7328), 39-41.
ME, L.L., Vallejo, R. (2012). Conflict resolution styles in the nursing profession. Contemp
Nurse. 2012 Dec;43(1):73-80. doi: 10.5172/conu.2012.43.1.73.

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World Health Organization (2005) Health and Human Rights Publication Series: Human rights,
health and poverty reduction strategies, WHO Press, Geneva. Available at: www.who.int.
Accessed: 19 March 2008.