Journal Reflection: The Nurse Is Responsible And Compassiona ✓ Solved

Journal Reflection 1provision 4the Nurse Is Responsible And Account

Cleaned Assignment Instructions:

Reflect on the following nursing provisions:

• Provision 4: "The nurse is responsible and accountable for individual nursing practice and determines the appropriate delegation of tasks consistent with the nurse’s obligation to provide optimum patient care." Imagine you are the head nurse in a senior living facility with 36 residents. You are on night shift, and your colleague was in an accident en route to work. You are now responsible for 36 residents and four CNAs. One CNA is close to graduation from nursing school. Would you allow this CNA to help administer 30 patients' 9 PM medication? Is delegating this task appropriate, given that medication administration is within RN scope? Which is more important: delegation of tasks or timely medication administration for patient safety?
• Provision 5: "The nurse owes the same duties to self as to others, including the responsibility to preserve integrity and safety, maintain competence, and pursue personal and professional growth." Imagine you are a nurse six months pregnant. You notice one of your patients is receiving high-dose chemotherapy, which is contraindicated for pregnant women. You ask the charge nurse to reassign you, but he refuses, citing staffing and acuity concerns. Who is ethically correct—the charge nurse ensuring appropriate care or you the nurse advocating for safety? Build an argument supporting your position.
• Provision 6: "The nurse participates in establishing, maintaining, and improving healthcare environments and conditions of employment conducive to quality care through individual and collective action." How can a nurse contribute to the values of the nursing profession both individually and collectively?
• Provision 7: "The nurse participates in advancing the profession through contributions to practice, education, administration, and knowledge development." Why is the advancement of nursing included in the code of ethics? How do ethics and professional advancement relate?
• Provision 8: "The nurse collaborates with other health professionals and the public in promoting community, national, and international efforts to meet health needs." To what extent are medical personnel responsible for community, national, and international health? Discuss the roles of individuals, hospital systems, and governments in each context.
• Provision 9: "The profession of nursing values maintaining the integrity of the profession and its practice, and shaping social policy." Define integrity in nursing. Can personal and professional integrity be separated? Why or why not? Briefly discuss how ethics influence social health policy, especially concerning vulnerable populations.

Sample Paper For Above instruction

Introduction

Nursing ethics underpin every aspect of professional practice, guiding nurses in decision-making, accountability, and advocacy. These ethical principles are articulated through the American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics, which provides a framework for maintaining integrity, ensuring safe patient care, and fostering professional growth. This paper discusses core nursing provisions, including delegation practices during staffing crises, ethical responsibilities of nurses concerning self and patient safety, professional contributions, advocacy roles, and the importance of integrity in nursing practice.

Provision 4: Responsibility and Delegation in Patient Care

Provision 4 emphasizes that nurses are responsible and accountable for their practice and for appropriately delegating tasks. In a scenario where a nurse is the sole staff member on night shift caring for 36 residents, including a CNA close to graduation, the decision to delegate medication administration must consider legal scope of practice, patient safety, and timeliness. While CNAs can assist with certain tasks, medication administration—especially for high-risk medications—remains within the RN's scope of practice, as mandated by nursing regulations (American Nurses Association [ANA], 2015). Allowing an unlicensed assistive person to administer medication would be unsafe and potentially illegal.

Timely administration of medication is crucial for patient safety; delays can lead to adverse events or deterioration. Delegation involves assigning tasks to competent personnel, but only within their scope of practice. In this context, the RN must personally administer or supervise medication to ensure safety. Delegating this task to the CNA could compromise patient safety and violate legal and ethical standards (Blais & Hayes, 2016). Therefore, ensuring medications are given on time should take precedence, underscoring that delegation does not replace the nurse’s ultimate responsibility.

Provision 5: Self-Responsibility and Ethical Practice

Provision 5 underscores nurses' duty to themselves, including maintaining competence and integrity. As a six-month pregnant nurse caring for a patient on high-dose chemotherapy—a contraindicated task—there is a clear ethical obligation to prioritize safety. Performing such medication could harm both the fetus and the patient, violating principles of nonmaleficence. The charge nurse's refusal to reassign this patient neglects the nurse's obligation to do no harm, which is fundamental in healthcare ethics (Beauchamp & Childress, 2013).

Supporting the argument, the nurse must advocate for the safety of themselves and the patient. Ethically, the nurse has an obligation to refuse unsafe care and escalate concerns appropriately. The refusal aligns with the obligations outlined in Provision 5 to preserve personal integrity and competence, recognizing that professional responsibility includes self-care and safeguarding patients from potential harm (American Nurses Association, 2011).

Provision 6: Contributing to a Positive Healthcare Environment

Provision 6 highlights the importance of nurses actively engaging in shaping healthcare environments that promote high-quality care. Nurses contribute both individually—by advocating for safe practices and fostering teamwork—and collectively—by participating in policy development and quality improvement initiatives (Kramer, 1974). For example, a nurse might participate in unit safety committees or lead efforts to implement infection control protocols. These efforts reflect individual commitment and collective action toward a culture of safety and excellence, aligning with the core values of the profession (ANA, 2015).

Provision 7: Professional Growth and Ethical Commitment

Advancement of the nursing profession, through innovation, education, and leadership, reinforces the ethical obligation to promote excellence in practice. Including this in the code of ethics emphasizes that ethical standards extend beyond individual patient interactions to broader contributions that uplift the profession (American Nurses Association, 2015). Ethics and professional development are intertwined, as maintaining competence and fostering innovation uphold the trust placed in nurses and improve healthcare outcomes (Benner, 1984). The progression of nursing knowledge and practices ensures the profession remains responsive to societal needs and ethical imperatives.

Provision 8: Collaboration in Promoting Health

Nurses are vital collaborators in efforts to address health needs at all levels. They shoulder responsibility at community, national, and international scopes. At the community level, nurses participate in health education and disease prevention initiatives (WHO, 2016). Nationally, they influence health policy, contribute to advocacy, and participate in public health programs (Harkness et al., 2018). Internationally, nurses support global health efforts such as disaster response and disease eradication campaigns (WHO, 2019). The roles of individuals include advocacy and direct care; hospitals contribute through program implementation; and governments formulate policies and allocate resources—highlighting systemic collaboration.

Provision 9: Integrity and Social Policy

Integrity in nursing involves honesty, accountability, ethical practice, and adherence to professional standards. It sustains public trust and ensures consistent, honest care delivery. Personal integrity reflects individual morals, while professional integrity encompasses adherence to ethical codes despite personal beliefs. While they are related, both need to align to maintain trustworthiness. A person could have personal flaws but uphold professional integrity if they consciously follow ethical standards at work (Kode, 2015).

Ethics shape social policy by providing guidelines for equitable, ethical healthcare systems, especially for vulnerable populations such as children, the elderly, or marginalized groups. Ethical considerations influence legislation and policies that promote justice, access, and quality in healthcare, serving societal needs beyond individual practitioners (Beauchamp & Childress, 2013).

Conclusion

In conclusion, nursing ethics are foundational to safe, competent, and equitable healthcare. Reflecting on the provisions demonstrates the importance of responsible delegation, self-care, professional growth, collaboration, and integrity. Upholding these principles ensures that nurses serve their patients ethically and contribute to the ongoing development of the nursing profession and healthcare systems.

References

• American Nurses Association. (2011). Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements. ANA.
• American Nurses Association. (2015). Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice (3rd ed.). ANA.
• Beauchamp, T. L., & Childress, J. F. (2013). Principles of Biomedical Ethics (7th ed.). Oxford University Press.
• Blais, K., & Hayes, J. S. (2016). Professional Nursing Practice (8th ed.). Elsevier.
• Harkness, S., et al. (2018). Nursing Advocacy and Policy Making: Enhancing Nursing Roles in Policy Development. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 50(2), 177-184.
• Kode, S. (2015). Personal and Professional Integrity Among Nurses. Journal of Nursing Ethics, 22(4), 526-534.
• Kramer, M. (1974). Reality Shock: Why Nurses Leave Nursing. Elsevier.
• World Health Organization. (2016). Global Strategy on Human Resources for Health: Workforce 2030. WHO.
• World Health Organization. (2019). Global Nursing Workforce Report. WHO.