Role of Registered Nurses in Consent and Mandatory Reporting

Running head: HEALTH OF INFANTS, CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE
Health of infants, children and young people
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1HEALTH OF INFANTS, CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE
Registered nurses practice is regarded as a significant evidence-based practice which
intends to provide supportive and restorative care to the patients by the hand of skilful and
efficient healthcare practitioners. It is the fundamental responsibility of the registered nurse to
maintain the therapeutic relationship with the patients which is highly required to provide the
high quality of treatment to them (Mannix et al. 2015). As the Australian community is
culturally diversified, the registered nurses are very much intended towards understanding the
significance of culture in health and social care. Present essay aims to evaluate the role of
registered nurses in the consent and mandatory reporting in addressing the health-related
issues among the patients.
Keeping the patients informed about the treatment is one of the most significant
aspects of health and social care context. Informed consent is a significant aspect of health
and social care setting, being followed by the registered nurses. Informed consent is basically
the agreement made by the patients to allow the healthcare practitioners to take any action
after being aware of the risk, benefit and consequences of the treatment
(ursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au. 2018). As the nurses are involved directly with the entire
process of therapy, it is their responsibility to get the informed consent form from the service
users. Initially, it is the prime responsibility of registered nurses to identify the apt person
who can fill the consent form. If the patient is competent, then the nurse can get the consent
form from the respective patient.
In the case of psychiatric patients, the nurses have to get the consent form from the
parents. It is the role of registered nurses to assess the literacy base such as English language
and comprehensive skill before giving consent form to them. The registered nurses provide
the patients with a choice of language. This helps the patients to choose between written
information and interpreter. It is an essential role of registered nurses to evaluate the
understanding of the patients regarding the available data. Another significant function of

2HEALTH OF INFANTS, CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE
registered nurses to be supportive while discussing about the probable risks of specific
treatment as well as the possible consequences of the procedure. The registered nurses have
to be very much culturally sensitive while dealing with the patients (Brennan and Bakken
2015). The patients have to be informed regarding the entire procedure of the proposed
treatment. The nurses basically play the role of interpreter concerning serving the patients
with relevant information. The nurses are also responsible for letting the patients informed
about the possibility of both success or failure of the treatment. If a patient is unable to take
the decision by himself and thus fill the consent form, then, it is the utmost responsibility of
the nurses to seek the consent form from the family members (Holloway and Galvin 2016).
Improving the quality of treatment and thus promoting health and safety of patients is
the fundamental aim of health and social care sector. Therefore, quality improvement and
relevant research is a vital parameter, which is needed to be followed by the registered
nurses. Lancaster et al. (2015) commented that evidence-based practice is the most
significant trend which can be seen among the nurse of contemporary times. There lies the
reason, for which they do intensive research. Such research plays a vital role concerning
improving the quality of patient care. With the assistance of doctors, they carry out intensive
research. Such analysis helps the registered nurses to gather strong evidences. Such strong
proofs help them to build inclusive medical practices according to the health-related issues of
patients (d'Souza et al. 2015). Such intensive research also supports the nurses to promote
development in their career by developing their knowledge in health and social care.
To initiate evidence-based practices, it is imperative for the registered nurses to
accelerate their skill and practical experience. At the same time, it is the role of nurses to
collect substantial evidence that can result in better quality of treatment. Lack of knowledge
in using equipment is a significant challenge faced by the registered nurses (Bodenheimer