Professionalism in Health and Human Service Delivery - Essay Example

Professionalism in Health and Human Service Delivery Student’s name Institution The nursing profession has experienced exponential growth since its introduction as a critical component of health care. Nursing has come to be a very organized profession with its own range of procedures and frameworks which guide practice. However even with the developments and advancements seen in the nursing care profession it is clear that there remains a lot to be done in order to enhance the quality of nursing care (Quality Improvement Council, 2004). Professionalism in nursing care is an important term which has dominated discussion with regard to what is expected of the nursing care professional. The modern day nursing professional is faced with the task of providing quality service in an efficient manner. The number of persons seeking medical attention has gone up putting a lot of strain on professionals who are expected to serve as many people as possible. As such there needs to be a framework to find a balance between quality and quantity of service (Australian Council on Healthcare Standards, 2012). In order to have a definition of professionalism in the context of health and human service delivery it is important that the concept of professionalism is defined. There is no set definition of the concept of professionalism since different author have different conceptions of the term. Watson in Higgs and McAlister (2012) asserts that professions refer to occupations which have succeeded in gaining high status and autonomy in given societies as a result of a claim to specialized expertise in which they have gained a certain amount of monopoly control. Professionalism may also be defined as a combination of conduct and qualities deemed critical to professional practice. These will include knowledge, skills, behavioral qualities, competence, and values such as integrity, honesty, ethical probity and the capability of working well with patients, colleagues, patients, and representatives of the public (Cooke & Philpin, 2008). Professionalism in health and human service delivery refers to the application of the aspects of professional aspects expected of the professional nurse in the provision of service and the relationship between them their colleagues and the public. Lasala and Nelson (2005) assert that professionalism in health care depends on the nursing health care professional’s appearance, behavior, dress, and communication skills which portray a certain image for the nursing practitioner. It is very important to note that the concept of autonomy is inherent in the definition of the term professionalism. However since the 1970s there has been debate on what actually constitutes the proper definition of the nursing professional in health and human service delivery. While professionalism in nursing care has been defined in the context of autonomy in actual practice professional nursing is not autonomous. Even as the nursing professional is expected to have certain attributes, qualities and ethics, the nursing professional is essentially under the control of the doctor. Medicine has delegated some functions of health care to nursing but the essence of medical practice such as diagnosis still remains in the domain of doctors and not the nursing professional (Allen and Hughes in Higgs and McAlister 2012). Professionalism in the context of health care is a critical component of professional practice since aspects of ethics and legal liability have to be taken into account by the nurse. The provision of health care is a fundamental component for the enhancement of human quality of life. Professional practice is guided by a set of criteria which are aimed at making the provision of professional nursing care safe and effective not only for the practitioner but also for the persons receiving health care service. Since nursing I deemed a professional occupation the traits of professional practice apply to it. As such nursing is expected to have the following traits; skills based on theoretical knowledge, emphasis on altruistic service, provision of education and training, adherence to a code of conduct, testing of member competence, and the existence of a professional body (Lasala &Nelson, 2005). There are several key professional bodies and agencies of professional practice which guide nursing practice in Australia. These bodies and standards include code of professional conduct for Nurses in Australia, Code of Ethics for Nurses in Australia, Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, NMBA National Framework for the Development of Decision-Making Toll for Nursing and Midwifery Practice, The ICN Code of Ethic for Nurses, and the NMBA Competency Standards for Nurse Practitioners Registered Nurse and Enrolled Nurses. These agencies and standards are critical in guiding nursing practice. The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia is responsible for the regulation of nursing practice in Australia including the writing of codes of ethic, codes of professional conduct, reentry to practice, competency standards, professional practice guidelines, decision making framework, professional boundaries, and guidelines for registration standards. The code of ethics for nurses in Australia was developed in order to guide nursing professionals in Australia. It identifies key ethical standards and values expected of the nursing professional, offers a reference point on which nurse may reflect upon in their day to day professional practice, guides decision making, and lastly makes the community aware of the standard of human rights and ethical values that are expected of the nursing professional (The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, 2013). The Code of Professional Conduct for Nurses sets out an outline of standards of conduct expected of the nursing professional, inform the community of the standards of professional conduct expected by the nurse and lastly acts as a yardstick for consumers employers and employees to gauge professional conduct. Since these codes apply to nurses, nursing students persons receiving care, employers, and regulatory agencies they impact nursing practice by making the nursing professional accountable to a range of stakeholders thus making them more professional in practice. That nursing students are exposed to the standards in college makes it easier for them to implement them. The involvement of the community in the implementation makes it possible for them to put pressure on the nursing professional to act according to what is expected of their professional practice (The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, 2013). The practice of professional nursing is guided by the need to offer quality care and service in a safe, ethical and legal context. In order to achieve there are various frameworks which have been put in place to guide the professional from an inter-professional and individual perspective. An understanding of the ethical safety and legal frameworks which guide practice is important in the provision of care. Provision of health care and service means that the clinical nursing professional ensures that their practice is founded upon the principles, standards and codes of conduct prescribed by international and national agencies regulating practice. The ethical legal frameworks are also critical since the subject of health care quality and service provision impacts the practice of the nurse through legislation on care that professionals must adhere to (Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, 2011). Provision of quality care and service must be analyzed from both the individual and inter-professional framework. The individual framework operates from the perspective of the effectiveness of the individual professional towards the provision of quality care and service. The nursing professional is expected to always improve their competencies and knowledge in order to be able to offer quality service (Trede Ellis & Jones, 2012). Safety in the context of health care calls for the health care professional to be well versed in safety standards and procedures which have been set out by professional practice agencies. The individual framework also has ethical and legal aspects which have developed in the recent past. Aspects such as autonomy and involvement of patients in the care they receive rather than only focusing on practitioner opinion has become a critical component that is legally enforceable if there is a breach by the nursing professional. The inter-professional framework of nursing practice is also a critical component of professional nursing practice. The relationship between the nursing professional, their colleagues, and the community is very important in the provision of quality care and service. The adherence to safety, ethical and legal standards is critical for inter-professional practice. In such a framework the provision of care and service entails the adherence to safety and ethical standards through collaboration of professional agencies and health care providers (Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, 2011). These agencies ensure that aspects of ethics and legal frameworks regarding practice such as integrity, honesty, accreditation of the institution and the nurses has been adhered to. The inter-professional framework also includes the collaboration between health professionals in order to ensure safety, ethics and legal frameworks are adhered to through following set procedures such as counterchecking of medications offered in the context of health continuum (Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, 2011). One of the most important and inherent aspects of a profession is the need to have an agency which monitors the quality of service offered by the professionals. The nursing profession has a range of professional agencies which set out standards and codes of conduct for its members. The nursing profession is guided by standards set by national and international agencies. International agencies such as ICN offer critical guidance to professional nursing practice and thus act as a good reference point for professional nurses and students on what is expected of them (Cooke & Philpin, 2008). International agencies offer broad based guidelines regarding clinical nursing practice norms and also offer guidance on changing trends in care. However the standards and codes of conduct, ethics and legal obligations quoted by international agencies may not be in line with local and state legislation and regulation. Nevertheless they offer a good reference point for the making of state and local regulations of professional practice. The national industry and professional agencies play the most critical role in the monitoring of quality of care and service in nursing. There are several industry and professional agencies in Australia which regulate professional nursing practice in Australia. The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, Victorian Quality Council, Australian Council on Healthcare Standards and the Quality Improvement Council. These agencies have different ways of monitoring health care in Australia. They are responsible for the establishment of a database of patients and nursing professionals. A database of professionals ensures that all practicing professionals have the required qualifications (Australian Council on Healthcare Standards, 2012). It also has records on the accreditation of health facilities and service records. They offer guidance and training materials for different levels and categories of healthcare professionals. The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia is the most comprehensive of the agencies and offers guidance on standards ethics and code of conduct for nursing in Australia. These agencies monitor standard by ensuring continuous quality improvement through offering courses on changing standards of practice and refresher courses. The professional agencies are involved in developing standards through allowing its members to participate in the process aimed at developing nursing practice. Accreditation is a key component of the way the professional agencies monitor health care services. The Quality Improvement Council and the Australian Council and Healthcare Standards are critical in the evaluation of the continuing development of nursing professionals and offering of evaluation and tests for professionals in the various fields of nursing (Quality Improvement Council, 2004). These agencies not only offer accreditation for professional nursing practice but also offer continuing evaluation and modules of study for further advancement for professional nurses. As such these organizations from time to time offer courses to their members who intend to advance their professional careers or who need to attain knowledge on different areas of practice (Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, 2011). Conclusion Professionalism in health care is a critical aspect for nursing professionals. Professionalism in health care and services is valuable to a range of stakeholders such as the patients, the regulators, the nurses and the government. An analysis of professionalism in health care shows that this is a complex issue yet important aspect which every professional ought to be well versed in. It is only through knowledge of professional nursing care and service code of conduct and standards that nurses may be more effective in their practice. Knowledge of the ethical, legal, and safety standards that health care may be made more effective for all the stakeholders. Through the various agencies which set standards and guidelines, professional nurses and the practice of nursing is made more effective for nurses and the patients. References Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. (2011). Windows into safety and quality in health care 2011. Retrieved from http://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/publications/windows-into-safety-and-quality-in-health-care-2011/ Australian Council on Healthcare Standards (2012). Australian Council on Healthcare Standards. Retrieved from http://www.achs.org.au/Home/ Cooke, H., and Philpin, S. (2008). Sociology in Nursing and Healthcare. Sydney: Elsevier. Lasala, K., and Nelson, J. (2005). What Contributes to Professionalism. Medsburg Nursing, 14(1), 63-67. Quality Improvement Council (2004). Quality Improvement Council: Continuous Quality Improvement and Accreditation in Health and Community Services. Retrieved from http://www.qic.org.au/ The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. (2013). Codes Guidelines and Statements. Retrieved from http://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/Codes-Guidelines-Statements/Codes-Guidelines.aspx Trede, F., Ellis, E., , & Jones, S. (2012). Communication and duty of care. In J. Higgs, R. Ajjawi, L. McAlister, F. Trede, & S. Loftus (Eds.), Communicating in Health Sciences (3rd ed., pp. 24-33). South Melbourne: Oxford University Press. Read More