Discuss Nurse Practice Act related to abandonment - Essay Example

Running Head: Application of Nurse Practice Act on Abandonment Application of Nurse Practice Act on Abandonment A Reflective Paper goes here Professional Specialization Professor Name of you professor Application of Nurse Practice Act on Abandonment Nursing is a sacred profession, and a caregiver is expected to perform his roles beyond the call of duty. In this connection the abandonment, a misconduct in nursing profession, which may endanger a patient’s health or life is a serious professional negligence, may it be active (intentional) or passive (unintentional).

Nurse Practice Act (NPA) provides the basic legal framework to define the ideal nursing conduct, in a particular situation. Every state in America has its own version of NPA and there may be differences in the application and interpretation of a law for a specific Nursing Board. However, it is important to note every state does not include the patient abandonment in its version of NPA. Patient abandonment is usually safeguarded through Business and Professions Code, disciplinary actions, Common Law practices and administrative legislation prevalent is a state or country.

“On the other hand, not all laws governing the practice of nursing are found in "the Act" or its' regulations. Legal obligations common to various licensed healthcare professionals will apply to nurses.” (Erickson, p. 1, 2006). There is no concrete definition of abandonment because it can take forms and shapes, which are required to be interpreted within an available legal framework. In some cases, it may occur in denial of extra shift duty or an assigned task. However, nursing is a serious obligation either it is a normal shift duty or an extra one.

“Once a nurse has accepted a patient assignment, he or she is accountable for providing competent care to the assigned patients.” (Lewis, p. 118, 2001). The patient care is the primary responsibility of a nurse which cannot be ceased at personal desire and there has to be a suitable replacement in place before any such withdrawal. The other aspect of the issue is the acceptability of abandonment by nursing boards under certain conditions. A nurse is only supposed to function under certain professional guidelines and have equally secured rights for personal safety and healthy workplace environment.

If abandonment is attributed to a genuine risk pertinent to a nurse’s personal physical, psychological or emotional safety, the issue is required to be addressed separately under the acceptable abandonment category. “There are some circumstances in which it is acceptable for a nurse to withdraw from the care setting or to refuse to provide care” (Willson & Kathy, p. 12, 2008). However, the legality of such withdrawal or refusal has to be determined by a competent authority. NPA provides sufficient cover to patient abandonment through indirect legislation and can support the strict disciplinary actions in cases where sufficient evidence is available.

The Common Law which addresses the issue through common practices, ethics, rituals and social pressure also safeguard the abandonment to a great extent. However, the shortage of qualified caregivers at hospitals and other medical facilities is a major contributing factor in patient abandonment. The role of a nursing supervisor is of core importance to ensure a continuous care for patients and a safe scheduling of duties to avoid any violation of Nurse Practice Act, which safeguards the right of patients as well as of nurses.

References Lawis, Anne. Shea. (2001). What Contributes Patient Abandonment. Advances in Neonatal Care, 1, 118-119. Retrieved from http://journals.lww.com/advancesinneonatalcare/Citation/2001/12000/What_Constitutes_Patient_Abandonment_.12.aspx Erickson, Kavin. (2006). The Nurse Practice Act – A Closer Look. Retrieved from http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Nurse-Practice-Act---A-Closer-Look&id=122402 Willson, Barb., & Kathy, Commons. (2008). What is Client Abandonment. Nursingbc, College of Registered Nurses of Columbia (CRNBC).

12-13 Retrieved from https://www.crnbc.ca/Standards/Lists/StandardResources/clientabandonment.pdf