Charles Sturt University: NRS123 Case Analysis - Nursing Practice

This case analysis examines the scope of practice for a registered nurse (RN) in the context of a professional standards committee inquiry. The analysis addresses three key questions: defining the scope of practice for an RN, evaluating relevant legislation governing clinical care, and outlining the legal, professional, and ethical obligations of an RN. The case study, based on the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (NSW), explores issues of clinical documentation, patient privacy, and adherence to professional standards. The analysis highlights the importance of competence, ethical conduct, and compliance with regulations in nursing practice, referencing specific instances of misconduct and the associated consequences. The document emphasizes the need for registered nurses to understand and adhere to ethical obligations, professional standards, and relevant legislation to ensure patient safety and maintain professional integrity. The analysis also includes references to relevant literature and legal frameworks.

Case Analysis

TABLE OF CONTENTS
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
Question 1. Defining and examining the term ‘scope of practice’ in relation to the practice of
a registered nurse........................................................................................................................1
Question 2. Evaluating the key legislation in a way registered nurse must provide clinical
care..............................................................................................................................................2
Question 3. Outline the legal, professional and ethical obligations that the Registered Nurse
must comply................................................................................................................................3
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................4

MAIN BODY
Question 1. Defining and examining the term ‘scope of practice’ in relation to the practice of a
registered nurse.
The scope of the registered nurse practice is mainly linked with the wide set of functions,
activities, roles and responsibilities which the registered nurse are considered to be highly
eligible to perform such significant duties. The nursing practice is however accomplished by the
complete application of the skills, judgement and critical thinking (Birks, Davis, Smithson, &
Cant, (2016)). The scope of practice is relevant because it is useful in identifying the actions,
procedures and the process of the individual. The registered nurse scope of practice is
significantly based on the demonstrated competence, specific skill, experience and education. In
order to effectively carry out the business within the professional conduct it is important the
registered nurse carry out the business by complying with the Ethics and Code of Professional
Conduct training program. The scope of practice is considered to be highly significant because it
is useful in identifying specific set of procedure and action which the registered nurse is
permitted to perform. It is mainly linked with the keeping in terms of the professional license. It
states that, the law tends to effectively allow for the specific set of experience and education in
order to provide care to the patients. As per the case study of HCCC V Cristobal [2018], the
Clinical Nurse Unit Manager has failed to effectively make the concurrent record within Patient
A’s progress notes associated with the condition of the patient and recommencement of Propofol.
The nurse has also failed to take appropriate set of review from the patient after the
commencement of the Propofol. She has also left the patient at a significant risk within a single
room in order to take her late break. The registered nurse was not able to get contacted and there
was no proper medical assessment was effectively available within the ICU. As per the specific
case analysis, Ms. Cristobal failed to effectively make adequate set of clinical notes. She has
failed to make proper relevant notes in association with the recommencement of Propofol, the
condition of the patient A, the dosage and the key relevant reason to restart the infusion.
However, the scope of practice is considered to be highly significant in regulating the health care
field because it is prominent in defining the key relevant duties of the professional within the
health care setting (Roche and et.al. (2015)).
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Question 2. Evaluating the key legislation in a way registered nurse must provide clinical care.
As per the specific case analysis, the action of the Ms Cristobal in deliberately reviewing,
copying and emailing the personal medical details of the Patient B to the Commission
constitutes. Such conduct is considered to be both improper and unethical within the practice of
her key profession. Ms Cristobal’s conduct is considered to be as unsatisfactory professional
conduct. She has also left the patient at a significant risk within a single room in order to take her
late break. The Health Practitioner Regulation National Law 2009, must be applied where the
registered nurse within the practice in anywhere across Australia. As per the specific case
analysis, the registered nurse who is carrying out the practice of nursing is considerably below
the standard reasonably who has been expected of a specific practitioner comprise of equivalent
level related with training and experience. As per the given case scenario, the registered nurse
was not able to get contacted and there was no proper medical assessment was effectively
available within the ICU. The National Law where the nursing practitioner is engaged in
unethical and improper conduct associated with the practice of nursing (Cashin and et.al. (2017)
). The key primary purpose of the act is to effectively address the concerns associated with the
National Law. This is one of the key prominent law which discourages health care
practitioners to seek medical treatment to carry out any sort of malpractice at the time of
performing care duties (Lenthall and et.al. (2018)). The health care practitioner can effectively
make a prominent mandatory report in case they find any sort of reasonable belief that the other
health practitioner is not complying with the professional standards. This way it is useful in
providing wide set of professional service to the people who has been seeking care and its family
members. Complying with the law is useful in effectively maintaining the high professional
standards. It focuses on carrying out the coordinated practice (Health Practitioner Regulation
National Law 2009 (NSW), 2020). This way it is useful in attaining the high degree of
professional standards and improve the degree of care. This law is useful for the effective
protection of the public and helps in ensuring that the care practitioners who are highly qualifies,
trained and experienced must be competent to practice. The Health Practitioner Regulation
National Law helps in the continuous development within the healthcare with responsive
assessment and within ethical consideration.
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Question 3. Outline the legal, professional and ethical obligations that the Registered Nurse must
comply.
As per the specific case analysis, the registered nurse Cristobal must be completely aware about
the fact that, she should not copy or peruse a file of the patient for the key significant purpose of
defending oneself or demonstrate other incidents which in turn might have occurred. Moreover,
use of nurse names and also citing the incidents tends to state a lack of understanding on the part
of privacy. Ms Cristobal was unaware of the policies which has been governed to the privacy
associated with the patient information. Moreover, the Committee is unbelieving that such a
serious gap within knowledge can exist for the registered nurse who has finished both under-
graduate and post- graduate training in the field of nursing and also who has considerable
amount of experience within the workplace. A registered nurse must significantly understand the
key ethical obligations which helps in preventing the nurse from accessing the patient
information which was not de-identified (Rebeiro, Edward, Chapman, & Evans, (2015)). The
key legal consideration within which the registered nurse must comply with is Health
Practitioner Regulation National Law (NSW) No 86a. This law is useful in effectively addressing
the concerns associated with the nursing practice. It helps in providing appropriate protection to
the public and helps in ensuring that the care practitioners who are highly trained, qualified and
experienced must be competent to practice. The professional consideration within which
registered nurse must comply with is registered nurse standards for practice (Brown, & Crookes,
(2016)). The professional standards are considered to be prominent in providing the key
guidelines for carrying out the nursing practice. It is useful in providing the competent set of
care. The registered must significantly comply with the code of ethics, code of conduct and
standards for practice to deliver the best possible care in in a competent and professional manner.
The ethical consideration within which registered nurse must comply with is non-maleficence
(Ralph, Birks & Chapman, (2015)). It helps in signifying that the nurses do not harm the person
intentionally. The nurses must always comply with the standards of care in order to avoid risk
and provide the best possible care. The nurses must also comply with the principles of non-
maleficence, justice, beneficence, autonomy, accountability, fidelity and veracity in order to
impart fair treatment and care and also comply with the ethical consideration.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Birks, M., Davis, J., Smithson, J., & Cant, R. (2016). Registered nurse scope of practice in
Australia: an integrative review of the literature. Contemporary Nurse, 52(5), 522-543.
Brown, R. A., & Crookes, P. A. (2016). What level of competency do experienced nurses expect
from a newly graduated registered nurse? Results of an Australian modified Delphi study. BMC
nursing, 15(1), 45.
Cashin, A and et.al. (2015). Clarifying clinical nurse consultant work in Australia: a
phenomenological study. Collegian, 22(4), 405-412.
Cashin, A and et.al. (2017). Standards for practice for registered nurses in
Australia. Collegian, 24(3), 255-266.
Lenthall, S and et.al. (2018). Reducing occupational stress among registered nurses in very
remote Australia: A participatory action research approach. Collegian, 25(2), 181-191.
Ralph, N., Birks, M., & Chapman, Y. (2015). The accreditation of nursing education in
Australia. Collegian, 22(1), 3-7.
Rebeiro, G., Edward, K. L., Chapman, R., & Evans, A. (2015). Interpersonal relationships
between registered nurses and student nurses in the clinical setting—A systematic integrative
review. Nurse Education Today, 35(12), 1206-1211.
Roche, M. A and et.al. (2015). The rate and cost of nurse turnover in Australia. Collegian, 22(4),
353-358.
Online
Health Practitioner Regulation National Law 2009 (NSW). 2020. [ONLINE]. Available
through< https://jade.io/j/?a=outline&id=276006 >
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