Critical Analysis Essay: Case Study of HCCC v Pandya and Prasad 2017

This essay provides a critical analysis of the case between HCCC v Pandya and Prasad (2017), focusing on professional errors in nursing practice. The essay summarizes the case, detailing the allegations against nurses Mr. Pandya and Mrs. Prasad concerning their conduct in a mental health unit. It identifies specific professional errors, referencing NSW Health policy documents, and discusses how these errors potentially contributed to the incident. The analysis includes the breaches of duty, such as failing to obtain permission for early departure, not handing over duties, and inadequate patient observations, along with Mrs. Prasad's improper signing of observation charts. The essay further explores how the incident might influence future nursing practice, emphasizing the importance of systematic work, adherence to policies, and the significance of proper communication and responsibility in patient care. The essay concludes by highlighting the need for systematic work and the repercussions of professional negligence within the healthcare field.

Critical Analysis Essay
of a Case Study

INTRODUCTION
Nursing is defined as the processional work in health care sector where specific focus is
given upon individual, families or community for the purpose of improving the health level
among the people. It is necessary to understand that nursing related work can be only done by
professional bodies where licenses needs to be obtained. In context of the project, critical
analyses will be done upon the case between HCCC v Pandya and Prasad 2017. While analysing
the case, it will be majorly focused that what where the main issue due to which professional
errors took place.
MAIN BODY
Case Summary
The case is about unsatisfactory professional conduct where complain was registered
against nurses Mr. Haridavan Pandya and Mrs. Sumintra Prasad. They had been given the duty to
take care of mental health patient at Bungarribee House mental unit in Blacktown Hospital.
There was different allegation where presented for Mr. Pandya such as he did not obtain any of
the permission to leave early from the shift, not handing over the duty to another staff, even
failed to make is last two observation of the patient before leaving to an early shift and even
critical notes were not prepared. Looking at the situation, Committee was satisfied that there was
professional negligence to the duty given to him and ordered that further education must be
obtained for mental health care (Ryan, 2017). On the other side, Mrs. Prasad signed off the
patient observation chart without having any of the discussion with patient. Due to which
commission came to the conclusion that she was not concern about the duty which was given to
her. It was one of the reasons that it was declared that Mrs. Prasad was found guilty under
unsatisfactory professional conduct.
Body Identify the relevant professional errors that potentially contributed to the incident
happening. Refers to NSW Health policy document(s).
The case between HCCC v Mr Pandya and Mrs. Prasad is critical in condition as both of
them has been appointed one of the important duties within the field of health practitioner. It is
essential to understand that whenever any of this situation arises health practitioner must ensure
that they are able to work according to the requirement of law and policy (National Academies of

Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2019). According to the health policy documents of New
South Wales, it is the responsibility of health practitioner and nurses to fulfil each of their
professional duty as their duty has a direct connection with the health condition of patient. In any
of the condition, they must not breach their duty because failure in performing their part of work
will always create the problem for patient and even different penalties can be imposed. In some
of the cases, licence can be cancelled too by following easy procedure.
In case between HCCC vs Pandya and Prasad, the patient name was not disclosed
because of the Schedule 5D of the National law direction where it is clearly mentioned that name
of any patient and about their health condition should not be disclosed as it against the law and
ethical values. It was the main reason that Patient was known as Patient A in this particular case
(Mercer, 2018). The professional that was conducted by Mr. Pandya was related with not
information before living from the early shift. In any of the professional field, it is necessary that
each of the task should be performed in a systematic manner, but Mr. Pandya didn’t take any of
the prior notice from team leader for closing early shift. The second professional errors that was
committed is that he didn’t handed the responsibility of Patient A to any of the responsible nurse
due to which accident took place with patient. The third professional errors are related with not
taking the under observation as per the required manner. Then, there was other error as well
where records were not prepared as per the required standard of New South Wales Health Policy
Documents. On the other side, Mrs. Prasad was found unprofessional in her work because she
was the one inappropriately signed observation documents (Musa, 2017). There were some of
the other errors as well which were committed such as leaving the floor even though she was
well known that required number of staff are not available. The third issue was locating the
Patient A which means Mrs. Prasad didn’t checked the location properly which she must had
done. The fourth professional error is about inadequate understanding about the requirement of
nurse for mental health patient.
According to the Policy of HCCC-1 Tab 63, it is expected that whenever anyone of the
working staff wants to close an early shift they should inform prior to the start of shift. Secondly,
as per HCCC- 2 whenever any nurse wants to leave early, at the time of departure they must
inform to their respective team leader. And number of other sections has been breached were
most of the conduct were unsatisfactory under section 139(1)(a) of the National Law (Nursing

and midwifery, 2020). Talking about Mrs. Prasad, it was obtained that he defaults was
categorized under section146B of National Law in order to protect public were as duty of care
was below significantly as per s193B(1)(a) of the national law.
Body Discuss how your practice might change and develop as a result of this incident. The
discussion has a logical sequence and coherent flow.
The result of this incident was quite not favourable but at the end of the day, patient was
the one who has to suffer from different types of problem in this particular case. It is necessary to
understand that whenever an of the situation, it is necessary for the health care practitioner and
nurses to take best effective decision due to which patient has to not suffer in any of the
circumstances (Makua, 2016). Discussing it in detail, if in this particular case, different decision
would have been taken then the result would have been different for sure where patient and nurse
would not have to suffer. It means that, Mr. Pandya had the idea before certain days but still he
didn’t inform about the early leave and he though to inform at the last moment which is
completely wrong. It is essential that whenever any of this situation arises, roles and
responsibility must have been handed to some other person because it would have transferred the
burden to some other person which was quite important in this particular case.
In order to change their practices, some of the changes to the rules and regulations can be
brought where any of the professionals should not be allow to take a leave without handing out
the responsibility to another person. Secondly, it is essential to appointed nurse or practitioner
should have well information about specific patient which means if in any of the situation
professional body will deal the case then chances of errors can be reduced significantly. Talking
in context of the case, it was found that Mr. Pandya and Mrs. Prasad where were not able to fulfil
their respective duty even though they were well aware about the patient condition and how can
be the outcome for any of the single mistake (Oates, 2018). Here, knowledge lacks which can be
easily and even responsibility towards the work is also missing and both of this are the
significant problem in current scenario. In case, each of the activity would have been conducted
in an professional manner then result would have been different and even another nurse could
have been managed by team leader easily due to which patient would have not suffered in any of
the circumstances.

CONCLUSION
From the above discussion, it has been understood that whenever any of the work is
performed, it should be conducted in a systematic manner. It is because, health care field is quite
professional field where professional negligence should not be present in any of the
circumstances. Any of the negligence can create problem for patient life. Any of the person who is
found guilty for not performing their task in a systematic manner can be punished where different types of
professional penalty can be imposed due to which licence can be easily cancelled for certain time period.
REFERENCES
Books & Journals
Ryan, G. S. (2017). What do nurses do in professional Facebook groups and how can we explain
their behaviours?.
Mercer, H. P. (2018). Being a Male Professional Nurse: An Exploratory Analysis of the
Relationships among the Reasons for Choosing Nursing, Caregiver Satisfaction and
Overall Job Satisfaction (Doctoral dissertation, Adelphi University).
Makua, M. G. (2016). Transition from Student Nurse to Professional Nurse: Induction and
Professional Development Support of Newly Qualified Professional Nurses.
Oates, J. (2018). What keeps nurses happy? Implications for workforce well-being
strategies. Nursing Management, 25(1).
Musa, A. S. (2017). Spiritual care intervention and spiritual well-being: Jordanian Muslim
Nurses’ Perspectives. Journal of Holistic Nursing, 35(1), 53-61.
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2019). Taking action against
clinician burnout: a systems approach to professional well-being. National Academies
Press.
Online
Nursing and midwifery. 2020. [Online]. Available Through:
https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/nursing/practice/Pages/default.aspx