The Social and Nursing Fields: the Principles of Regulation for Professional Practice - Essay Example

Task Introduction The social and nursing fields are both concerned with giving care to the community. These two professions fall under the health department, but are governed by different authorities (Hothersall and Bolger, 2010). This report examines and critically evaluates the differences and similarities between social services and nursing in Scotland. It looks at the professional education required and the registration bodies in these two fields. The principles governing each profession will be determined so as to establish their differences and similarities. The report considers the continuity of professional development allowed in the different professions. This is done for the purpose of establishing whether the professions allow their workers to advance their careers. The clinical framework governing these fields has been examined to evaluate their practices and the impacts of their activities to the profession and society. The report also describes the codes of conduct followed in these fields along with the ethical issues affecting them. The professional boundaries between these two fields has been given for the purpose of distinguishing their scope of operation. Professional Education and Registration From the year 2004, the minimum professional qualification for a person who wanted to join social work in Scotland was a social work honors degree or an award in postgraduate education. Professional workers in the social services sector are registered by the Scottish Social Service Council (SSSC). This council was established under the act on regulation of care in the year 2001 in Scotland (Park, Murray and Delaney, 2006). Other people who are interested with being registered as expert social workers by the council must have certificates that are recognizable by their relevant authorities (Scott, 2005). In the nursing field, the minimum qualifications a person must have before he or she can become a fully registered nurse in Scotland come in several stages. He or she must first undergo a compulsory three year training program. They take a specialization course that lasts for two years out of the three years according to their various fields. On completion of their course, they are registered with the council on Nursing and midwifery that serves under the National Health Service (NHS). The order of 2001 on midwifery and nursing practices hands power to the National Council on Midwifery. Principles of the Profession Social work is guided by the principles stating that social workers must keep and promote the safety, preferences, confidentiality along with the prospective people using these services. They should do this while maintaining a check between the use of the social services and their conservation. They are required to treat all the people as equal while valuing their uniqueness and diversities (Linsley, Kane and Owen, 2006). They should additionally maintain the trust of the public along with their confidence in the communal services. These principles are prescribed in their practice code that was generated by the Council of Social Services in Scotland. The principles guiding the nursing field in Scotland on the other hand, are their commitment to providing superior quality care that is centered on their patients and clients. They should show commitment towards the creation of new responsibilities supporting the connections between health and community care. The nurses are required to continuously apply their knowledge and skills to their practice while committing themselves to working with other experts or agencies (Currie, 2005). Lastly, the nurses are required to show commitment towards promoting the quality of their patient’s experiences and safety. The nursing field is charged with the responsibility of developing education programs that aim at modernizing the careers of nurses. Continuous Professional Development The body dealing with the standardization of education in social work is responsible for setting the skills, information and understanding of their careers advancement. The education provided for the purposes of advancing education among social workers encompasses three issues. They are the promotion of the workers awareness, skills and morals (Hothersall and Bolger, 2010). The workers in the field acquiring training in these skills become more competent than the current diploma holders. To be termed as a professional in this field an individual has to have a minimum of a degree. The introduction of this new program will lead to the abolishment of the current level of diplomas that is on offer. The council on nursing and midwifery in Scotland provides that nurses should attend refresher classes for a minimum thirty five hours for a period of three years. Nurses who are employed on the basis of their diploma certificates can further their educational levels to a degrees and above. Various fields in the profession such as therapies of intravenous drugs, cannulation and venepuncture allow their staff members to advance their skills. When advancing their education, the professional bodies sometimes sponsor the willing trainees. This is done while paying them at the same time. Nurses are encouraged to participate in activities that enhance their performances in their careers and in the organizations. They can also share ideas with their workmates on improving their skills and intellects. Framework of Clinical Governance within the Health Care Sector The regulation of the social workers behavior along with the provision of training to them is a duty of the Community services council of Scotland. It is also charged with the duty of registering the workers to their social schemes. The council was formed under the care act legislation and was granted the power to perform the above activities (Gunther, 2011). The council uses issues like policy frameworks, legislation and guidance from the departments to ensure activities run normally. They also apply standards to support community care programs that deliver satisfactory services to their members. Governance in the nursing field across Scotland is under the control of the health service. The body recruits and pays the nurses and midwifes under their terms. The service controls issues affecting the field through the use of boards spread across the nation. This body is responsible for managing hospitals across the country while ensuring they provide quality products (Currie, 2005). The boards contract other nongovernmental organizations to work collaboratively with communal bodies in providing health care to their society. The chain of command among the nurses in a hospital shifts from the healthcare deputies, senior staffs, managers of wards to the senior managers of the wards. Code of Conduct Social workers in Scotland are required to be competent enough to be able to work across a variety of fields. They are also required to display confidence in the performance of their activities, be supple and adaptable, and show some commitment towards making improvements. They are responsible for providing social services to the members of their communities without discrimination. Social societies have the disadvantage in that most of them are non profit making (Shaw, Ruckdeschel and Orme, 2009). This limits their ability to grow and expand their activities to cover diverse fields. For referral purposes, the social workers go to the Communal services council. It is also the responsibility of this council to supervise the actions and performances of the social workers. The nursing profession in Scotland requires that nurses should display high standards in their practices and confidence in the performance of their activities. Their activities are monitored by the council of nursing and midwifery. Nurses are required to show respect for their patients while safeguarding their private affairs (Boschma, 2005). The regulatory body controls the behavior of the nurses in their job place. Their referral and supervision while training is a job carried out by this body. It is also the duty of the regulatory body to set the minimum standards required for joining the profession. Ethical Issues and Professional Boundaries The social work field in Scotland specifies in their conduct code that the workers should protect and promote the interest of the users of their services. These workers are charged with promoting the independence and determination of the users in getting their services. Social workers ought to display respect for their users rights while offering protection from any harm they could face (Bryce and Humes, 2003). The code also requires that the social workers foster among themselves the culture of responsibility. They should raise the awareness of their users on their constitutional rights regarding the use of these services. Social work falls under the social services sector and is controlled by the community services council of Scotland. The nursing profession provides that nurses should be able to apply the set standards to access their performances and consult with more skilled nurses when complex situations arise. They should be able to recognize unsafe practices and be able to correct the situations (Booth and Schofield, 2011). Nurses are charged with the responsibility of ensuring that health services are administered in the areas they are accountable for. This is according to their conduct code which also specifies that they should give equal treatment to all their patients. The nurses are supposed to respect the customs and values of their patients in the course of performing their duties. Nurses are also required to apply their engagement and communication skills to ensure their patients are served adequately. The nursing conduct code stipulates that the nurses should always select the most appropriate tools for their use while ensuring their patients safety. It states that nurses should have the capabilities of establishing priorities when attending to individuals or groups of patients. This activities carried out by the nurses should have their basis on the condition of their patients. The code specifies that all nurses should be able to pass on vital information to their colleagues when performing their duties. This ensures that all the nurses in an institution have the latest information concerning their activities. Nurses are finally charged with the responsibility of ensuring safe environments for patients undergoing surgery procedures. The nursing profession falls under the health sector under the control of the service for national health. Conclusion Both nursing and social work sectors fall under different segments of the economy and use different strategies in the normal duties. However, both sectors deal with care for patients and both require to make improvements on their strategies and policies. This study has given me greater insights into the operations of the two sectors. The report differentiates the functions and roles of the two divisions in the health sector. References Booth, D., and Schofield, I., 2011. Evidence Informed Nursing with Older People, John Wiley and Sons, New York. Boschma, G., 2005. Faculty of Nursing on the Move, Nursing At the University Of Calgary, University of Calgary Press, Calgary. Bryce, K., and Humes, M., 2003. Scottish Education, Post-Devolution, Edinburg University Press, Edinburg. Currie, M., 2005. Fever Hospitals and Fever Nurses, A British Social History of Fever Nursing, A National Service, Routledge, New York. Gunther, S., 2011. The Recent History Of Child Protection In Scotland And The Impact Of Intra Familiar Child Abuse Inquiries Such As Orkney On Today’s Child Protection Work, GRIN Verlag, Brussels. Hothersall, S., and Bolger J., 2010. Social Policy for Social Work, Social Care and the Caring Profession, Scottish Perspectives, Ashgate Publishing Ltd, Glasgow. Linsley, P., Kane, R., and Owen, S., 2006. Nursing For Public Health, Promotion, Principles And Practice, Oxford University Press, London. Park, H., Murray, P., and Delaney, C., 2006. Consumer- Centered Computer Supported Care For Healthy People, IOS Press, Glasgow. Scott, G., 2005. Exploring Social Policy in the New Scotland, The Policy Press, London. Shaw I., Ruckdeschel R., Orme J., 2009. The SAGE Handbook of Social Work Research, SAGE Publications Ltd, New York. Read More