Code of professional conduct for Advanced Scrub Practitioner - Essay Example

of professional conduct for Advanced Scrub Practitioner of professional conduct for Advanced Scrub Practitioner Advanced scrub practitioners usually provide skilled and competent assistance to surgeons, under the guided supervision of the surgeons. The ASPs do not necessarily perform any form of surgical interventions but mainly follow the directions of the surgeons in providing assistance during surgical procedures (Al-Hashemi 2007, p. 76). In executing these roles, ASPs are guided by a code of professional conduct which points out that ASPs are professionally and personally accountable and responsible for all their actions during the execution of their roles.

In complying with the code of professional conduct, ASPs are required to always act in ways that are meant to safeguard and promote the wellbeing and interests of clients and patients. The code of professional conduct also requires ASPs to acknowledge and respect the dignity and uniqueness of each patient they handle (HPC 2008, p. 6). They must provide professional care to patients regardless of the nature of their health issues, personal attributes, religious beliefs, ethnic origin, or any other factor.

ASPs are required to work as a team with the rest of the surgical team in ensuring the success of surgeries because the wellbeing of the patients always comes first. The code of professional conduct in relation to the role of ASPs is meant to give direction on issues relating to their involvement with patients in making healthcare decisions, the need to collaborate with patients and fellow staff, the need to recognize limits of their knowledge and competence, the requirement to maintain and increase professional competence and knowledge, the need to maintain patient confidentiality, and the responsibility of reporting to the relevant authority anything that may pose threat to patients in the care environment (NMC 2008, p. 12) ASPs must take all these into account in the course of their roles or risk facing legal and ethical lawsuits (UKCC 1992).

References Al-Hashemi, J 2007, ‘The role of the advanced scrub practitioner’, Journal of Perioperational Practice, vol. 17, no. 2, pp. 76-80. Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) 1991, Code of ethics for nursing, CNA, Ottawa. Health and Care Professionals Council (HPC), 2008, Standards of conduct, performance and ethics, HPC, London. Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), 2008, Code of professional conduct, performance and ethics, NMC, London. Spilsbury, K 2009, ‘Mapping the introduction of assistant practitioner roles in acute NHS (hospital) trusts in England’, Journal of Nursing Management, vol. 17, no. 5, pp. 615-626. United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing and Midwifery and Health Visiting (UKCC), 1992, Code of professional conduct, UKCC, London.