Law, Ethics, and Professional Practice in Australian Healthcare

This essay delves into the critical intersection of law and ethics within the Australian healthcare system, emphasizing the importance of these principles for medical professionals, especially nurses and midwives. The essay begins by highlighting the role of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) in setting standards and regulating practice. It then explores key aspects such as documentation, emphasizing the legal requirements and guidelines practitioners must follow to ensure safe and effective care. The essay further discusses informed consent, detailing the importance of voluntary agreement, understanding of risks and benefits, and adherence to ethical codes. It also references relevant legal provisions like the Code of Ethics (2018) and the National Health Quality Safety Standards to illustrate how these frameworks protect both patients and practitioners. Overall, the essay provides a comprehensive overview of the legal and ethical considerations necessary for responsible healthcare practice in Australia.

Law and Ethics

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
Documentation.......................................................................................................................3
Informed consent ..................................................................................................................4
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES ...............................................................................................................................6
.........................................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Laws & ethics are very crucial aspects to be known as well as studied in every field
especially medical stream. These are made to protect individuals, provide them support at time of
encounters with disputes or dilemma in their respective field. Their are several codes, ethics,
principles, guidelines, provisions and legal laws which influence workings in medical line and
these shall be put in perspective before taking any decision making procedure.
MAIN BODY
The term Nursing and Midwifery board of Australia is a structure for health and care
which trains registered nurses and midwifery students & practitioners. This place guides
individuals about codes, standards to maintain, handling situations in critical scenario's,
investigate patients medical records and place practitioners in Australia who seek to practice
further. They have created a board in Australia to provide correct path and develop professionals
in field of nursing or midwifery. They work in cooperation with Australian health practitioner
regulation agency (AHPRA). These schemes need to have all information about each registered
health practitioners and accumulate all individuals involve in this particular field. Official
website of NMBA shows accurate statistical presentation of these and publish them. 1 July 2019,
all nurses are regulated by them there is a particular phase scenario according to which they have
to be registered and go through a particular procedure to become one. This involves firstly to do
a criminal background check, then an indemnity bond is signed which ensures them to keep all
information of patients confidential at time of treating them. This is very important for all nurses
in practise to be insured of all facts and terms before entering into any contract of giving proper
documentation of consent towards working for client. Next their communication and English
skills are checked after which they are given continues professional development grooming so,
they become an practician(Youlden and et. al., 2014).
Documentation
Practitioner nurses have to mark proper documentations for correct and safe working in
this industry there are several laws and regulation which are guidelines for them and have to be
categorised for basic information regulating. Any individual who belongs from this field has to
ensure to have proper documents and correct and verified certificate of being an professional
nurse.

This involves a proper legal procedure to register under for becoming registered
practitioner under Registered nurse standards for practice (2019). It includes a individual-
centred, curative,supportive, palliative, evidence based prevention and formative features. It
shows relation between patient and people related to them like family, friends &
community(Lander, Gray and Wilkes 2015). Australia is a place with an perfect amalgamation of
linguistic diversity and culture. A registered nurse has to follow several standards which include
to think critically and act, create bond with patient, capability of practice to be maintained,
conduct assessment, create plans for future practice in field, give safe, healthy as well as
appropriate standard of work and lastly predict or calculate results.
Decision making frame work 2013 is also very crucial and important aspect which should
be followed by every registered practising nurse. It helps in filling correct documents as one has
to follow up all guidelines as provided in this law. one has to gradually develop all required
documentation before entering in any contract with client. This procedure involves several
mechanisms to understand historical background of patients, primary purpose of documentation.
Here, to construct a structure formative which will be followed by all individuals belonging to
this field.
These standards are maintained by Health practitioner regulation national law which is
enforced in each state and territory of country(Chapman, Alpers and Jones 2016).The NMBA
also plays important role here by making several rules and codes of standards to maintain for all
medical practitioners. These have authority to make correct judgement, make decision on
grounds of lawful approach, proper evidence, maintaining correct standards, regulation of
policies many more. DMF (2013) is an established foundation to substitute workings of nurses
when needed most. These protect every nurse in practice from any wrong treatment of
discrimination by their employer. The sole purpose of this reformative is to construct and
constitute before time, to avoid any consequences and information barrier while working. In
case of breach or any incompetent condition DMF protects them. This law provides several
mechanisms such as, addressing all medical practitioners(nurses) in proper individual practice,
keep maintaining and making changes in policies for better results, discussing issues and
disputes, to administer proper workings of all principles & laws. They work with evidence based
approach with legislative& technology change lastly to maintain safety standards of qualitative
healthcare. Nurses here have to be properly enrolled and consider several determinant for

practising and limiting changes. This includes legislated authority, maintain standards like
professionals, evidence based practice & decision making delegation(Keogh and et. al., 2017).
Informed consent
The term means giving voluntary agreement to give proper healthcare, this involves all
standards policies, benefits & risks which are involved in job. person should be conveyed proper
instructions to follow and remember important elements while treatment (Pratt and et. al., 2016).
It is very important to practice with safety and all measurements in mind to avoid
breaking any professional standards. Several legal provisions are connected in this field core
most one is Code & Ethics 2018. These are divided into 9 sections in which proper explanation is
given, it includes working with proper inherent dignity, compassion and respect for this job.
Any nurse practitioner has to be following the principles and perform all related tasks
which are in the formatives by Australian law commission. In legal terms this is required to be
taken by patient who is being treated that he has all idea about what procedure of risks and
benefits are going to happen. Their is a formal signature taken by individual to show his/her
consent which will become a legal paper of consent. This is also for protection of medical
practitioner that in future in case of any consequence they cannot be held liable for any
repercussion, patients might face after operation(Hooker and et. al.,2014).
National health quality safety standards Australia has set some ground rules which will
help and maintain procedural security of work performed by people. Their are ten most
prominent standards which have to be maintained by this standardised legal body. These are first
is to administer safety and security of any organisation related to healthcare, seeking solutions
from customers so they have a different level of changes in company, keeping proper eyes over
correct infections and health, health and safety of clinicians safety at time of prescribing and
disposing of medication and other things. After following such regulation a practitioner nurse is
well developed to practice freely and in safe circumstances (Daly, 2015)
CONCLUSION
The essay revolves around proper representation of health and quality services which has
several strategies and consumer centred health care plan and system. It also provides brief
description of Nursing and Midwifery board of Australia and Australian health practitioner

regulation agency. These two legal body structure dominate the health and care standards and
care of Australia. This should always been kept in mind and regulations which will treat all
medical practitioners nicely and keep things clean and comforting.
REFERENCES
Books and Journals

Daly, A. (2015). The Law and Ethics of'Self Quantified'Health Information: An Australian
Perspective. International Data Privacy Law (2015). 5(2). 144-155.
Hooker, L & et. al.,(2014). Don't be scared, be angry: the politics and ethics of Ebola.
Pratt, N. L & et. al., (2016). Uptake of novel oral anticoagulants in Australia. The Medical
Journal of Australia. 204(3). 104-105.
Keogh, L. A & et. al., (2017). Intended and unintended consequences of abortion law reform:
perspectives of abortion experts in Victoria, Australia. J Fam Plann Reprod Health
Care. 43(1). 18-24.
Chapman, S., Alpers, P., & Jones, M. (2016). Association between gun law reforms and
intentional firearm deaths in Australia, 1979-2013. Jama. 316(3). 291-299.
Lander, F., Gray, D., & Wilkes, E. (2015). The Alcohol Mandatory Treatment Act: evidence,
ethics and the law. Medical Journal of Australia. 203(1). 47-50.
Youlden, D. R & et. al., (2014). Distribution of subsequent primary invasive melanomas
following a first primary invasive or in situ melanoma in Queensland, Australia, 1982-
2010. JAMA dermatology. 150(5). 526-534.