Nursing Professionalism | Report

Running head: NURSING PROFESSIONALISM IN ACTION
NURSING PROFESSIONALISM IN ACTION
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NURSING PROFESSIONALISM IN ACTION1
Introduction
In addition to the maintenance of patient care, safety and hygiene protocols, nurses are
obliged to deliver clinical interventions which are compliant to the ethical, legal and moral needs
of the patient and the organization (Suhonen et al., 2018, p. 35). With respect to the above, the
aim of this paper is to expound upon the key aspects of the given incident which are specifically
associated with nursing professionalism, that is, law and ethics as well as cultural safety.
Incident 1
One of the first areas of nursing professionalism which were found to be breached with
regards to given case study, is an absence of nursing adherence to the principles of laws and
ethics relevant to clinical practice. As postulated by Atkins et al., (2020, p. 156), nurses are
required to comply with the ethical needs of patient autonomy. Patient autonomy is the ethical
practice which is characterized by respecting the rights of patients to engage in self-governance
and have the liberty to refuse or communicate a disinterest towards treatment compliance based
on his or her healthcare needs and personal preferences (Jacobs, 2019, p. 1645). In case of the
incident, it can be observed that nurse Caitlyn paid no heed to the fact that Mrs Giannopoulos did
not wish to consume the Paracetamol medication and was rather forced to engage in the same by
her daughter. Additionally, Atkins et al., (2020, p. 165), postulates the need to obtain consent
from the patient as a key prerequisite of ensuring nursing adherence to patient autonomy.
Informed consent implies the need to procure permission from the patient before administering
any form of medications or clinical intervention (Finch, 2020, p. 50). Further according to Atkins
et al., (2020, p. 164) a patient’s ability and sense of capacity to either give or withdraw consent is
legally assumed by common law in Australia. In case of the incident, it can be observed that
nurse Caitlyin met no attempts to obtain any form of consent from Mrs. Giannopoulos, thus

NURSING PROFESSIONALISM IN ACTION2
demonstrating a breach of common law as well as a violation of nursing ethical standards of
patient autonomy and consent. Caitlyn can also be found to violate Standard 1 of the NMBA
(2016), which directs nurses to engage in critical thinking and practice which is evidence based.
Administration of medication by a non-health professional, in this case Mrs Giannopoulos’s
daughter, is a violation of such professional standards of nursing laws and ethics by Catlyin
(Roughead, Semple & Rosenfeld, 2016, p. 115, NMBA, 2016, p. 3).
Thus, for the purpose of counteracting the identified breach, the key action which nurse
Caitlyn is recommended to undertake is to obtain consent from Mrs Giannopoulos based on
Atkins et al., (2020, p. 165), recommendations on ‘Consent Recommendations’. Thus with
respect to the same, considering that a minor nursing action of medication administration has to
be implemented, nurse Caitlyn must obtain from permission Mrs Giannopoulos regarding the
intake of Paracetamol medication. Additionally, nurse Caitlyn can also obtain consent from the
patient’s legal guardian or any substitute family member engaging in decision making, in this
case, Mrs Giannopoulos’s daughter. Lastly, as an additional action it is advisable that nurse
Caitlyn adheres to professional standard 1.4 of the NMBA (2016, p. 3) for her future nursing
practice. This is because this standard directs nurses to respect patient’s rights and demonstrate
compliance to policies, standards and laws relevant to clinical nursing practice. Referring to the
same, nurse Caitlyn should thus follow nursing professional laws and ethics and administer the
medication by herself.
Incidence 2
In addition to the above, the next area of nursing which can be observed to have been
breached with regards to the given case study is a violation of the nursing need to deliver
culturally safe as well as culturally competent nursing practice. According to Stein-Parbury