Professional Accountability

This document discusses the professional accountability of a registered nurse, including their understanding of professional, ethical, and legal requirements. It also explores their interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills, clinical knowledge and problem-solving abilities, ability to work within a team, and understanding of continuous improvement and quality and safety. The document also discusses the values of the Western Sydney Local Health District (WSLHD) and its research priorities.

Running head: PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY
Professional accountability
Name of the student:
Name of the University:
Author’s note

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Part A:
1. Demonstrate an understanding of the professional, ethical and legal
requirements of the Registered Nurse:
I have fulfilled professional requirement of a registered nurse during my simulation experiences
by ensuring that I follow best evidence while planning care of patient, respecting patient’s
preference in relation to care, complying with set standards for each different activities, ensuring
that I make clinical records on time and accurately assess patient to reduce risk (Nursing and
Midwifery Board of Australia 2017). For example, while providing care to an elderly patient
with surgery, I decided to follow the guidelines related to medication administration and ensured
that I completed documentation process as per organization’s guideline. I have demonstrated
ethical and legal requirements of a registered nurse by respecting diverse needs of patient,
demonstrating professional behaviour, maintaining confidentiality requirement and taking
informed consent from patient while delivery of care. For example, while handling patient, I
ensured that I took informed consent from patient by taking relevant permission for the care
activity and informing them about the utility of such actions.
2. Demonstrated high level interpersonal, verbal and written
communication skills:
I have demonstrated interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills by ensuring that I
follow all requirements related to documentation of patient care and timely sharing of patient’s
information to the interprofessional team (Tuinman et al. 2017). For example, while working
with mentally ill patients in Mental Health Unit, I was involved in managing all patient records,
completing mental states examination form on time and ensuring that I shared the information
related to care plan or complication for patient with all the registered nurse and the medical team.

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By writing patient records and other mental health assessment related form, I have developed
writing skills for accurate documentation of patient’s care and health status. Secondly, I have
developed interpersonal and verbal skills by participating in team meetings and case conference
and discussing with registered nurse regarding progress of patient or care plan. These discussions
has increased my confidence in communication with interprofessional team and increased my
verbal abilities to communicate about care issues too.
3. Demonstrated clinical knowledge and clinical problem solving
abilities:
I have demonstrated clinical knowledge and problem solving skills by taking part in many
patient care activities where I had to think critically and use my knowledge and problem solving
abilities to take the best decision for the safety of patient (Yoo and Park 2015). For example,
while working as an assistant in a private care hospital, I was involved in providing medications
listed in the handover record to patient with knee replacement surgery. However, after
administering the medication and routine assessment of vital signs of patient after two hours, I
found that the patient’s breathing rate has increased and he was in extreme discomfort. As I was
not sure whether these was the adverse effect of medication or these occurred due to the effect of
surgery, I tried to contact my nurse supervisor. However, the nurse supervisor was not present in
the ward. Hence, I took the decision to immediately call up my registered nurse who advised me
to immediately change the medication. This action helped me to avoid adverse event for patient.
4. Demonstrated ability to work within a team:
I have experience in working collaboratively with interdisciplinary team while providing patient
care. For example, while working at an Aged Care Unit during June 2018, I had the

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responsibility to provide medication and rehabilitation based support to elderly clients. As
providing support to patient in daily life activities was one of the responsibilities for me, I
collaborated with registered nurse to shower and bathe patient. The skills that I demonstrated for
excellent team work was that I engaged in regular communication with the registered nurse to
understand the level of support needed for individual clients. As we had a shared goal of
improving health outcomes for patient, I took the approach to ensure that while providing shower
and bath to patient, I was supervised by my registered nurse. Hence, I demonstrated the values of
mutual respect and shared goals while working with inter-professional health care team.
5. A demonstrated understanding of the role of the Registered Nurse in
applying continuous improvement and quality and safety:
To facilitate continuous improvement and safety in care, it is necessary to critically reflect on
nursing process and identify whether the action done was appropriate or not is necessary. This
helps to identify need for improvement in skills and promote safety of patient. One event that
demonstrated my skills in applying continuous improvement includes reflection on a fall event
for patient while working as a Support Service Officer in a private hospital in NSW. While
manually providing assistance to an inpatient using manual handling aid, the patient slipped and
fall again. On reflecting on the incident, I understood that the environment around the patient
was not clean and wet floor lead to the fall. Post this event, I took the step to review Safe
Operating procedures in the hospital and used this conduct appropriate assessment of the
patient’s environment. This helped to promote high standard of cleaning service and promote
quality and safety in care.
6. A demonstrated understanding of NSW Health’s CORE Values:

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I demonstrated the NSW’s core value of collaboration by involvement in many care
scenarios where I had to collaborate and work with inter-professional team while delivering care.
I have collaborated with registered nurse to make care plans for patient, to shower and bathe
patients, delivering patient care duties and engaging in patient decision making. In addition, the
NSW core value of openness was demonstrated by being transparent with the team and revealing
even about any mistakes done by which led to complications for patient. I have demonstrated
respect by engaging in patient centred care and respecting patient’s need and preferences. I
ensure that I do not discriminate any patient based on their cultural or religious background. In
addition, empowerment is a value that involves respecting values and principles in practice and
empowering patient to take control of their health (Schmidt and McArthur 2018). I have
exercised this value by encouraging patients to take part in their care decisions.
Part B:
Local health district (LHD) chosen: Western Sydney Local Health District (WSLHD)
Values of the LHD: WSLHD is involved in clinical services, research and education. The
primary mission of WSLHD is to be committed to fulfil all their visions. These visions relate to
the core values of collaboration, openness, respect and empowerment. The purpose is to provide
better health services for the people of Western Sydney and beyond by fulfilling the following
vision:
 Promoting collaboration to ensure that that all person within health care system
contribute towards achieving the best possible outcomes for patient
 Ensuring transparent communication process to build trust, confidence and cooperation
among health care team

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 Protecting the dignity of each person in relation to role, skills and achievement
 Enhancing knowledge sharing to ensure well-informed decisions take place in the NSW
(NSW Government 2018).
The mission, vision and values are interconnected to each other as the fulfilment of core
values plays a role in enhancing the quality of care provided to patient because all the values
together work to strengthen the care delivery process and prevent any conflict or patient
dissatisfaction related issues in the WSLHD. This is values is being seen in the culture of
WLSHD the NSW is dedicated to establish a culture with patient and staffs where respect and
collaboration is promoted. Hence, the core values and mission together reflects that collaboration
and transparency is the key improving efficiency and effectiveness of care. It will ensure
developing integrated care networks where patients move smoothly from one service to another
(Western Sydney Local Health District 2017).
Research priorities in the LHD:
WLSHD is a leader in research and the key research priorities of WSLHD involves
supporting services related to biomedical, clinical and public health research. It also pays
attention to Nursing and Midwifery Research. The NSW provides support for research in nursing
field. Currently, WLSHD promotes nursing involvement in research in the topic of translational
research in nursing and ensuring that a culture is developed related to nursing research. This
form of development in the WLSHD is encouraging as it will support inquisitive nursing
students to get all the support that they need while conducting research on innovative nursing
topics. WLSHD have developed main research centres where research is conducted individually
or in collaboratively through local health district and its research hub in Westmead. As the
research is done in broad spectrum of topics, it further increases opportunities for nursing

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aspirants to use their critical thinking and research skills to uncover useful solution to patient
care related issues (Western Sydney Local Health District 2016).
One example of a dedicated research being done in the Westmead hospital of WSLHD
involves research in the Primary Health Care Education and Research Unit. This research
community focus on complex issues in society and play a role in provide evidence for health
promotion of adolescent by published more than 60 peer reviewed papers. Such success in
research has been achieved by the work of excellent experts in multi-sectoral team. Support
initiatives like health promotion training for medical students and providing peer education
further facilitates development of research skills in students (Western Sydney Local Health
District 2019).

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References:
NSW Government 2018. Mission Vision Values. Retrieved from:
http://www.wslhd.health.nsw.gov.au/About-Us/Mission-Vision-Values
Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia 2017. Registered nurse standards for practice.
Retrieved from: https://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/codes-guidelines-statements/
professional-standards/registered-nurse-standards-for-practice.aspx
Schmidt, B.J. and McArthur, E.C., 2018, January. Professional nursing values: A concept
analysis. In Nursing forum (Vol. 53, No. 1, pp. 69-75).
Tuinman, A., de Greef, M.H., Krijnen, W.P., Paans, W. and Roodbol, P.F., 2017. Accuracy of
documentation in the nursing care plan in long-term institutional care. Geriatric Nursing, 38(6),
pp.578-583.
Western Sydney Local Health District 2017. WESTERN SYDNEY LOCAL HEALTH DISTRICT
STRATEGIC PLAN JULY 2013 – JUNE 2016. Retrieved from:
https://www.wslhd.health.nsw.gov.au/.../WSLHD%20Strategic%20Plan%202013-16.pdf
Western Sydney Local Health District 2016. WESTERN SYDNEY LOCAL HEALTH DISTRICT
STRATEGIC PLAN JULY 2013 – JUNE 2016. http://www.wslhd.health.nsw.gov.au/Research---
Education/ResNet/ResCtrHome
Western Sydney Local Health District 2019. Primary Health Care Education and Research
Unit. Retrieved from: http://www.wslhd.health.nsw.gov.au/Research---Education/ResNet/Our-
Research-Centres/Health-and-Wellbeing-Research/PERU/PERU

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Yoo, M.S. and Park, H.R., 2015. Effects of case‐based learning on communication skills,
problem‐solving ability, and learning motivation in nursing students. Nursing & health
sciences, 17(2), pp.166-172.