Professional and Ethical Issues in Nursing - Essay Example

"Professional and Ethical Issues in Nursing" is a wonderful example of a paper on care.
Clinical placement is an activity that seeks to foster a patient-caregiver relationship by introduces nurses to the working environment. There are numerous duties, responsibilities, and roles of a nurse in the different clinical placement settings. Specifically, each placement has specific duties and responsibilities to be discharged. The nurse’s roles are monitored, governed, and controlled by codes of conduct and ethics. Professional conduct, therefore, becomes crucial in nursing practices and caregiving procedures (Burnard, et al. 2004, p.123).

Placement in the medical ward is one of the primary duties and responsibilities I have been charged within my line of work. Working in the medical ward has primarily involved serving elderly patients. This is a sensitive social category to deal with and their needs need to be highly observed if the desired outcome of promoting their health welfare is to be effectively realized. In this regard, therapeutic communication and the consequent relationship is a fundamental aspect to consider in the context of this placement.

Therapeutic communication and the resultant relationship are highly influenced by professional conduct. There are rules and regulations that govern nursing practices alongside set codes of conduct that nurses should observe while discharging and delivering their services to the patients. Ethics of professionalism come in handy, and failure to observe these provisions have consequences (Gaston & Mitchell, 2005, p.2252-2260). It is important to point out that patients are entitled to quality healthcare indiscriminately, but on the same note, treatment and care cannot be forced on patients. They, therefore, have to consent to such issues prior to the state of being in sound mind.

There are instances where patients’ rights have been ignored, but there are priority considerations made at such instances. There are patients who are not in a position to make informed decisions about treatment and care due to their state of mind or health complications.  In such instances, their parties are involved; say close relatives, lawyers, or guardians. In emergencies, however, the primary objective is to save the patient’s life and the consent procedure may not be observed.

Nursing practices are characterized by numerous activities that require nurses to demonstrate professionalism. Their conduct significantly influences the outcome of caregiving and healthcare in general (McGilton, et al. 2003, p.151-156). The nurse is required to understand the diversity and dynamism of patients. In this regard, different patients should be handled differently by considering every aspect of their lives in the context of nursing. There are broad aspects to consider in inpatient treatment and care provision. Failure to take into account such aspects may jeopardize nursing practices and the nursing profession at large. It is for the nurse to understand that there are barriers to overcome, limits to observe, and results to achieve in nursing practices by coordinating all variables involved. This cannot be realized without professional conduct.

Nurse-patient communication is essential at every level of any given nursing practice. The relationship between the two is fostered by effective communication. There are barriers to communication between nurses and patients (Foster & Hawkins, 2005, p.698-702). Overcoming such barriers in a bid to provide an effective environment that promotes both patient and nurse welfare may be challenging. However, it is the role of the nurse to ensure that a favorable therapeutic relationship is maintained so that the desired results of nursing practices are realized.

Every aspect of nursing practices requires significant application of professional conduct. The relationship between nurses and patients does not only enhance the patient’s welfare but also improves operations and performances of nurses in their line of duty. Any given category of patients calls for the application of specific codes of conduct and ethics. Nursing the elderly is primarily based on strong therapeutic relationships and communication plays a fundamental role in that pursuit. Professional conduct however applies to all nursing practices prior to the desired outcome (Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario, 2002).