The Nursing code of ethics practice

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Nursing code of practice/conduct/ethics
The Nursing code of ethics/practice/conduct has been structured for the nursing
professionals, midwives and assistants such that their practice is executed as per the standards
(Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, 2019). It aims to place the interests of the
facility users and patient at the first instance to strengthen the trust of the patients for the
treatment that is being provided to them (Atkins et al., 2017). In addition, they are also liable
to be effective and implement safe treatment techniques such that a positive health outcome
for the patient is established. In the case of Peter, the ward and the enrolled nurses failed to
adhere to their scope of practice and did not share the results of the hourly monitoring of
oxygen saturation level. This severe breach in the code of conduct has resulted in subsequent
deterioration in the health condition of Peter.
Australian Charter of Health Care Rights
As per the rights present in the Australian Charter of Health Care Rights, it is the right
of the patient to be able to receive the best possible treatment for the condition that they have
been diagnosed with from the physicians and the nurses (Victoria Department of Health and
Human Services, 2017). One of the rights in correlation with the case of Peter is the right to
safety of the patient. It is with this right that the patient is required to be administered with a
safe treatment option for the health condition which, in the case of Peter, was not achieved.
The nurses failed to deliver the best care to Peter which resulted in detrimental deterioration
of health.
Duty of Care
For the ability of the medical professionals to provide care that is best for the patient,
a legal obligation like duty of care has been structured to maintain the adherence of the
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professionals to the standards and maintain the stability of the patient (Foster et al., 2016). It
is important for the nurses to share the vital signs of the patient with other respective
professionals in the form of handovers such that no subsequent deterioration in health is
observed. However, in the case of Peter, no handovers with the correct oxygen saturation
levels were observed which resulted in his death.
The concept of “Reasonable standard of care”
The degree of consideration and risk that is likely to be used by a normal reasonable
and cautious person is what is termed as “reasonable standard of care”. It has been used
generally to assess the fulfilment of the obligation while also assessing it (Foster et al., 2016).
The individual is held liable for holding another individual on the charge of causing distress
to the patient and establishing a negative health outcome. However, the nurses failed to
adhere to this statutory obligation in the case of Peter as no proper level of oxygen saturation
was noted down by them. It is reportedly observed that the enrolled nurse made up the
observation for some of the patients, including Peter, which is a severe breach in the standard
of care and placed the life of patient in great danger.
Medical negligence
Medical negligence is reported when healthcare specialists have failed to adhere to
their standards and a life-risk for the patient in established (Carter, 2015). One of the primary
responsibilities of the nurses is to inform the physician in case of any small fluctuation in the
vital signs or the condition of the patient (Meyerson, 2017). In the case of Peter, there was a
failure to document changes in orthostatic signs and prior information to the doctor.
Furthermore, there was a subsequent breach in the code of conduct by no regular monitoring
of the signs which resulted in deterioration and subsequent death of patient.
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