Professional Accountability and Patient Safety Essay

This essay analyzes a case of professional misconduct by a general practitioner and its impact on patient safety. It discusses human-based errors and their contribution to adverse events. The essay also explores the role of accountability in nursing and suggests actions to prevent future errors.

PROFESSIONAL
ACCOUNTABILITY AND
PATIENT SAFETY
ESSAY
1

INTRODUCTION
Accountability is an important aspect for nurses and midwives in the National health
services. In fact, it assumes specific role and responsibility for ones actions that has been notice
during its entire working period. It relies on individual nurses that are being aware of their
devotion of a medical professional and accept the status with their particular rights and duties
that go along with their profession (Aveling, Parker and Dixon‐Woods, 2016). However,
keeping patient safe is utmost crucial steps in the present healthcare system, but patient safety
events that violate the safety are been also increasing every year. Therefore, this report analyse
the case related to a general practitioner from Canberra for their misconduct behaviour shown
toward the patient. Due to this, unethical attitude the court has suspended his registration for nine
long months.
MAIN BODY
Medical Board of Australia v Al-Naser
According to this particular case, it has been examine that one of the patient K used to
attend a beauty clinic which is located in Canberra on 3rd march 2014 in order to take treatment
for blemishes on her face. It has been found that this particular treatment is important because of
a bad skin scarring. In fact, the beauty clinic was owned and control by Dr. AL. Naser. However,
the primary reason of selecting this particulate clinic is that the clinician were effective
supervised by a registered medical professional. It was noticed by the patient K that an
unregistered clinician that has given advice to her and being treatment plan. Moreover, it has
been determine that patient K was treated by using a Erbium Profractional laser which was not
assess by Dr AL. Naser prior to the treatment. At the time of treatment and after, it has been
noticed that Patient K was having pain and was little concern regarding the appearance of her
face.
The Dr. Al. Naser has been found guilty in professional misconduct in accordance to the
treatment of patient K between 3rd to 7th March 2014. In fact, its action or contribution to the
adverse event was analysed with the concern that Naser suppose to have a relatively low
intensity dual laser, whereas if found essential after reviewing the condition a high intensity laser
nominated was recommended. Instead of the entire treatment plan, Narer did not assess the
patient present condition prior to the treatment and decided to start the treatment. However,
2

because of this particular misconduct Dr, AL. Naser was suspended from a general practitioner
due to inadequate treatment of a patient. Therefore, it has been observed that Naser behaviour
tends to bring certain consequences that could impact the patient condition.
On the other hand, Dr. AL. Naser has omitted to represent failure to act that result in
these specific situation. In fact, it has been clearly examine that Naser has failed to assess the
patient, explore less invasive care, gathered informed consent and also not able to deliver reliable
after-care guidance to the patient k.
Human-based errors that contribute to the adverse results for this patient
In this particular case, it has been determined that there is no any other adverse events that
can provide information regarding the consequence occur during the entire situation. However,
as action tends to show an awareness as well as sensitivity to a wide level and system of health
care. It happens to be the ability to call on system resources that effectively provide care that is
of maximum value (Jeffs and et.al., 2013). The registered nurses tend to work effectively in
different healthcare services as well as coordinate patient care within the healthcare profession. It
is important to advocate better quality of patient care so that they can satisfy with the services
and treatment that are being offered to them during their visit.
However, the entire situation is moves around the human-based errors therefore it is crucial
to have specific information regarding the action that is being taken during the time. It has been
analysed that the rate of adverse events between clinical patients is an important source of patient
safety (Reid and Bromiley, 2012). These are unintended problems or situation that results in
health related problems which are arises from a healthcare management. The registered nurse
needs to contribute specific factors such as lack of competence, teamwork failure, misconduct
and ineffective communication. Therefore, it is important for the RN to verify that assistance
professional has the essential ability to perform the delegated responsibility to handle the patient
and deliver reliable care according to their requirements.
The most common human-based error tends to involve a preventable adverse event such
as diagnostics errors and lack of insight is major issues for the respondent that has lead to an
unenviable rate of recurrence of any disciplinary complication (Reiter III, Pichert and Hickson,
2012). However, it has been seen that Dr. AL. Naser was failed to perform his responsibility to
review the patient k condition prior the treatment that would results in pain and other concern
regarding the appearance of her face. Although they don’t even analyse the action or supervision
3

plan before commencing the treatment of patient k. Moreover, reporting a potentially harmful
error was intercepted before harm was done. The patient safety action targeted all human related
misconduct that tends to contribute to errors within the tough environment of healthcare. Errors
generally arises either affect patient or not, but in case of patient k it was clearly determine that
Naser action was not a system-based errors (Turner, Ramsay and Fulop, 2013).
Evidence based literature actions against the RN
In order to avoid the future mistakes a well-organized improvement plan must be made so
that chances of errors could be control in the future. In fact, the human misconduct can be
avoided by using a proper digital monitoring system that can keep record of each key matter that
is related to the patient treatment (Dekker, 2016). Further, it is important for the entire healthcare
department to get complete information regarding the medical condition of the patient and then
after take the charges of their healthcare. According to the Nursing and midwifery council of
New south Wales which as established under NSW to protect the health and safety of the people
b providing a relevant mechanism to keep nurse fit to practice as well as accountable for the
effective nursing care. It would encourage the patients to take reviews from assistance at the time
they are taking treatment from any medical professional (Nursing errors. 2014).
They need to make use a bar coding body scanning system as it allow to verify the proper
areas for improvement. Further, the registered nurses need to take active role while consulting
with their interdisciplinary staffs so that a reliable treatment could be provided to the patient. The
nurse tends to report all the adverse events or complication that has been faced by the patient
after taking the treatment to the concern manager or supervisor (Pennbrant and et.al., 2013).
Basically, the RN needs to be accountable for their decision as well as action posses during the
treatment patient. They need to collect all specific information about the patient and offer right
action plan that can help them to recover quickly. Similarly, the RN needs to provide adequate
after-care guidance and treatment along with that maintain proper clinical records of the patients.
According to the NSW policy, the commission is needed to publish the names of the health
professional whose registration has been suspended by a NSW tribunal (Tribunal suspends
medical practitioner, 2014). In fact, the practitioner has been cancelled to do medical practise as
a profession. In the case of Dr AL-Naser, the tribunal tends to handed their decision in order to
their misconduct for nine-months. After the order of tribunal, Naser has been suspended for nine-
long months with extra condition associated to the auditing, monitoring and training after Naser
4

come back to practice. The ability to accurately detect the clinical deterioration in a patient is
been a crucial nursing skills care for the safe and quality care. However, in case of any delay in
determining the early sign of deterioration could lead to care delays as well as have maximum
chances of negative complications (NSW policy, 2016). After going through the entire situation,
it has been seen that registered nurse need to have proper training and ability to deal with the
critical situation arises in front of the professionals. It has been suggested to have a qualified
nursing professional that is having proper knowledge about the treatment so that chances of
human errors can be avoided in the future.
CONCLUSION
From the above project report, it has been concluded that accountability in an important
aspects for a nursing professional. The action and omission related to the registered nurse in
respect with the adverse events are taken into account effectively. However, all the specific
human-based errors should be determined within the nursing professional so that chances of
misconduct and other unethical problems could be avoided in the future. The NSW policies are
clearly stated specific action that should be taken into account by the RN to prevent adverse
results for the concern patient.
5

REFERENCES
Books and journals:
Aveling, E.L., Parker, M. and Dixon‐Woods, M., 2016. What is the role of individual
accountability in patient safety? A multi‐site ethnographic study. Sociology of health &
illness. 38(2). pp.216-232.
Dekker, S., 2016. Patient safety: a human factors approach. CRC Press.
Jeffs, L., and et.al., 2013. The value of bedside shift reporting enhancing nurse surveillance,
accountability, and patient safety. Journal of Nursing Care Quality. 28(3). pp.226-232.
NSW policy, 2016.[Online]. Available through: < https://www.hccc.nsw.gov.au/Hearings---
decisions/Cancelled-or-suspended-health-practitioners/Cancelled-or-Suspended-Health-
Practitioners>.
Nursing errors. 2014.[Online]. Available from:
<https://journals.lww.com/nursingmadeincrediblyeasy/fulltext/2013/03000/
How_to_avoid_the_top_seven_nursing_errors.4.aspx>.
Pennbrant, S., and et.al., 2013. Mastering the professional role as a newly graduated registered
nurse. Nurse education today. 33(7). pp.739-745.
Reid, J. and Bromiley, M., 2012. Clinical human factors: the need to speak up to improve patient
safety. Nursing Standard (through 2013). 26(35). p.35.
Reiter III, C.E., Pichert, J.W. and Hickson, G.B., 2012. Addressing behavior and performance
issues that threaten quality and patient safety: What your attorneys want you to
know. Progress in Pediatric Cardiology. 33(1). pp.37-45.
Tribunal suspends medical practitioner, 2014.[Online]. Available through: <
https://www.medicalboard.gov.au/News/2020-01-13-news-tribunal-suspends-medical-
practitioner.aspx>.
Turner, S., Ramsay, A. and Fulop, N., 2013. The role of professional communities in governing
patient safety. Journal of health organization and management.
6