Nursing Assignment: Examining the HPCA Act, NCNZ, and Code of Conduct

This nursing assignment examines the relationship between the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act (HPCA) 2003, the Nursing Council of New Zealand (NCNZ), and the Code of Conduct, specifically considering the 2017 updated version. The assignment explores how the HPCA Act provides a framework for healthcare professionals, including nurses, in New Zealand to protect the public and promote well-being, while the NCNZ offers guidelines and resources. The role of the Nursing Council under HPCA is highlighted, emphasizing its responsibility to assess competence and maintain the Code of Conduct. The Code, which outlines ethical standards and expected behaviors, is discussed in detail, including the eight principles based on values such as respect, trust, partnership, and integrity. The assignment concludes that healthcare professionals must adhere to competencies and the Code of Conduct to uphold professional practice, with these values underpinning professional nursing conduct in NZ to protect the public from harm.

Running head: NURSING ASSIGNMENT
Nursing assignment
Name of the Student
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The following assignment focuses on the relationship between HPCA Act, 2003, NCNZ
and Code of Conduct considering the updated version of 2017. Moreover, the discussion
involves the explanation of code of conduct that unpins professional nursing practice in NZ. The
Act acts as a guiding framework for the healthcare professionals and nurses in NZ to protect
public from harm and promote their well-being.
1. NCNZ is aimed at providing information to the nurses and employers about resources,
guidelines and publications related to nursing practice. The role and responsibilities of
Nursing Council are outlined in HPCA. According to HPCA, the nurses and other
healthcare practitioners are aimed at protecting the health and safety of public in New
Zealand. It also enables health professions by designing standards for ethical conducts
and clinical practice (Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act, 2017). HPCA Act
specifies that majority of nurses should be of NCNZ and this organization work under
this Act with complementary roles in regulation of nurses. Amongst the nursing
regulators under HPCA, NCNZ have elected members where regulators protect public by
representing professionals who understand their profession on basis of meeting set of
competencies like Code of Conduct in protecting public. In addition, NCNZ are required
to assess competence on a continuous basis maintaining the Code of Conduct for their
profession. Therefore, it can be concluded that HPCA provides a framework for the
regulation of healthcare professionals in NCNZ in order to protect public from risk of
harm from their professional practice (Nursingcouncil.org.nz, 2018).
2. The Nursing Council of New Zealand (‘the Council’) or Te Kaunihera Tapuhi o Aotearoa
under HPCA Act, 2017 is the authority that outlines and governs the practice for nurses.
This code outlines the ethical standards under the 118(i) section complementing the legal

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obligations under the Act. This Code of Conduct contains set of nursing standards that
describe the behaviour that is expected from nurses. This conduct provides a framework
for guiding appropriate behaviour of nurses and used by employers, health consumers
and nursing in Nursing Council for the evaluation of their behaviour. Nurses have the
responsibility to gain trust of the public in undertaking their profession and must have
high standards of behaviour. The code comprises of eight principles that are based on
values and professional code of conduct (Harding, 2013).
The values of respect, trust, partnership and integrity outlined in Code of
Conduct influence nursing practice and their professional conduct. When colleagues,
families and consumers are treated with respect, it establishes strong relationships that
support the health and well-being of consumers. This value acts as a fundamental
requirement in ethical conduct and professional nursing relationships. Nurses need to
establish trustworthy relationships with health consumers in effectively providing safe
and competent care protecting them from harm. Consumers need to trust nurses who
work in promoting their interests, health and wellbeing. It is important for nurses to
maintain the trust of public in the nursing profession influencing their practice.
Partnership is important where health consumers are given sufficient information about
their medical condition, encourage them to make informed and be fully involved in the
provision of care and treatment. Nurses need to be accountable for their omissions and
actions in their nursing practice by acting consistently according to principles and values
underpinned in the professional code of conduct (Nursingcouncil.org.nz, 2012).
From the above discussion, it can be concluded that healthcare professionals need to fulfil
competencies and code of conduct to uphold their professional practice. The values of respect,

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trust, partnership and integrity underpins nursing professional conduct in NZ, outlines the
competencies for healthcare professionals that are required to work for the protection of public
from harm.

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References
Harding, T. (2013). Cultural safety: A vital element for nursing ethics. Nursing Praxis in New
Zealand, 29(1), 4-12.
Legislation.govt.nz (2017). Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 No 48 (as at
07 March 2017), Public Act Contents – New Zealand Legislation. Retrieved 3 March
2018, from http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2003/0048/latest/DLM203312.html
Nursingcouncil.org.nz (2018). Code of Conduct / Nurses / Home - Nursing Council of New
Zealand. Retrieved 3 March 2018, from http://www.nursingcouncil.org.nz/Nurses/Code-
of-Conduct
Nursingcouncil.org.nz. (2012). A new Code of Conduct for nurses / News / Home - Nursing
Council of New Zealand. Retrieved 3 March 2018, from
http://www.nursingcouncil.org.nz/News/A-new-Code-of-Conduct-for-nurses