NRSG367: Transition in Professional Nursing and NSQHS Standards

This report reflects on a student's clinical placement experiences within a neurological unit, focusing on the transition to professional nursing in Australia. The assignment analyzes two key National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) standards: clinical governance and medication safety. The student details their daily practices, including patient vital sign monitoring and medication administration, emphasizing adherence to these standards. The report includes a critical incident where the student's actions in response to a patient's deteriorating condition are described and analyzed. The student reflects on the importance of seeking guidance from senior nurses and adhering to established protocols. The report highlights the significance of patient-centric care, collaboration, and continuous improvement in healthcare settings. Furthermore, it discusses the importance of understanding patient history and potential medication interactions to ensure patient safety. The student concludes by expressing a commitment to further learning and the adoption of international standards to minimize medication-related incidents and improve patient outcomes.

Running head: TRANSITION IN PROFESIONAL NURSING1
TRANSITION IN PROFESIONAL NURSING
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation

Transition in Professional Nursing 1
Transition in Professional Nursing
The practices of nurses in Australia impose professional standards to follow concerning
the NSQHS (National safety and Quality Health Services) under the Australian Commission of
safety and Quality in Health Care. The stakeholders in this scenario include the government of
Australian, private sectors, patient, career, and clinical experts. The required standards under the
National safety and Quality Health Services comprise affiliating with consumers, clinical
governance, controlling medical infections, prevention of diseases, comprehensive care, blood
management and respond to acute deterioration. Succeeding my practice in the placement, I have
acknowledged two of the above described NSQHS carefully, including clinical governance and
medication safety (Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, 2017). s
My daily practice at the Neurological unit have always include checking the temperature
and pulse rate of patients so that I can seek advice of my seniors before giving them medication.
In addition, I was always keen to conduct the basic check-up include blood pressure reading
before the doctor visit so that he/she can prescribe medication accordingly. I believe that this
reduces the chance of medication error in patient’s situation. Based on the clinical governance
standards, I have taken the responsibility to offer my best services and adopt a continuous
improvement approach support quality and safety standards (Ritchie, Gaca, Siemensma, Taylor,
& Gilbert, 2018).
Linking this situation with NSQHS clinical governance standards are supported with an
integrated system of corporate governance is designed to ensure that all governing bodies are
working on the same level to ensure safe health delivery adopting high quality service standards.
I believe that as nurses following clinical governance standards, we are required to put
supportive strategies for the standards to handle the local circumstances. To comply with

Transition in Professional Nursing 2
standards, we were required to set our quality and service standards with leadership assistance
improving the care standards for patients. I believe that patient’s consent is important even
before giving them medication or engaging them in the care plan (Flanigan, 2016).
Thus, while placed at the Neurological department, I have studied about different service
model in healthcare practices, my focus was towards patient-centric approach. The model is
quite interesting because the doctors and health professional are required to collaborate with
either patient or their families. It can help them understand the clinical procedure and the
medication process along with their side effects. The model has always helped me seek trust and
confidence of our patients which has supported safe and quality practices throughout my tenure.
Concerning about medication safety standards, I personally have followed the implementation
and monitoring system reducing the occurrence of medication error improving safety and quality
of medication use (Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, 2017).
While placed at the neurology department, I was responsible to help three patients
admitted in the hospital after severe stroke, i was responsible to carry on with the initial check-up
before the doctor visit. There was that one patient having several complications after stroke. He
was a 39 years old male having infection after stroke, it is considered as a serious issue after
optimal stroke management and mortality rate is quite high considering 5% - 65% prevalence.
While checking the pulse rate, I noticed 32 bmp and 80% of oxygen saturation, I consulted with
my friend nurse and she administer 2L oxygen which did not result in any positive change for 30
minute which increased by concerned about my patient. But my buddy nurses was keen to wait
for longer, and after 60% of the initial oxygen via nasal prongs, I called MET and after his
prognosis, patient started feeling better.

Transition in Professional Nursing 3
The vitals started to become better, the respiration become more stable with 40bmp, and
the saturation was reduced to 85%. This while time, I was following the clinical conduct strictly
without consulting another senior nurse about my concerns about the deteriorating condition of
my patient. The whole situation wrapped around on a positive note after I called the MET and
shared by diagnosis my him to guide me handle my patient correctly. I feel like it is better to
discuss the vital of not only one senior nurses but with others as well as it will help me handle
the deteriorating condition of my patient at first place.
I have followed with the systems prescribed under NSQHS standards to ensure that we
have prescribed, dispense, and administer medicine and its outcomes ensuring that consumers are
informed about the medication considering its needs and risks accurately. I have complied with
the standards by discussing/reading the complete patient’s history while commencing care
episode. It has helped me make sure that the patient does not have any allergy or adverse drug
reaction which can worsen their medical condition. Linking my practice with this standard is
followed with medication management involving the prescription, dispense, administration, and
monitoring of medication (Ritchie, Gaca, Siemensma, Taylor, & Gilbert, 2018).
The process has helped me identify the potential of error and risk in clinical practices
along with the responding strategies to reduce any opportunity for error. I have always
considered this factor because it has been aligned to many other standards such as Clinical
Governance Standards, Partnering with Consumers Standards ensuring medication safety and
quality system supporting policies and procedure to adopt an integrated system to reduce any
chance related to medication error (Flanigan, 2016).
For future reference, I am looking forward to consider other standards under NSQHS
Australia. I am also considering studying other standards followed internationally, I am also

Transition in Professional Nursing 4
looking forward to adopt a sound governance to adopt safe and quality medicine requirement. I
believe that it has helped me minimise the occurrence of medicine-related incident identifying
any harm towards patients from medicine side effects. It also ensures competent clinician safety
prescribe to support the monitoring of medicine effects.

Transition in Professional Nursing 5
References
Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. (2017). NSQHS Standards.
Australia: Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. Retrieved from
https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/sites/default/files/migrated/National-Safety-and-
Quality-Health-Service-Standards-second-edition.pdf
Flanigan, K. (2016). NSQHS standard-patient identification. ACORN: The Journal of
Perioperative Nursing in Australia, 23.
NSQHS. (2017). Clinical Governance Standard. Australia: ACSQHC. Retrieved from
https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/our-work/clinical-governance/clinical-governance-
standard
NSQHS Standards. (2017). Medication Safety Standard. NSQHS. Retrieved from
https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/standards/nsqhs-standards/medication-safety-
standard
Ritchie, A., Gaca, M., Siemensma, G., Taylor, J., & Gilbert, C. .. (2018). Australian health
libraries’ contributions to hospital accreditation: final results of the Health Libraries for
National Standards. (HeLiNS) 2016-18 research project.