Question

Outline the concept of professional accountability as it pertains to nursing. Provide examples of how a nurse demonstrates professional accountability in clinical expertise, the nursing process, and evidence-based practice.
Add references.

Answer 1

Professional accountability is the professional decision or action taken not because someone else have told them to do so, but having weighed up the alternative and consequence in the light of best available knowledge, the belief that this is the right decision to make.

The American Nursing Association's Code of Ethics explains professional accountability being “answerable to oneself and others for one's own actions.” Nurses not only have high clinical practice and ethical standards they also have willingness to accept professional responsibility.

Meeting the growing healthcare needs of patients who are living with chronic illnesses and complex disease processes, nurses must be professionally accountable for expanding the clinical skill set and consistently implementing gold standard evidence-based practice findings to guide the nursing interventions. Clinical competency requires active participation to attain and maintain the skills necessary to provide exceptional care for the patients. Be an active during each professional training session, this focused interaction allows to clarify key points that may impact patient safety and outcomes.

As patient advocates, we must exemplify cultural competence, with the goal of returning each patient to an optimal level of wellness, honoring the patient's wishes, and providing the highest level of comfort when the patient decides to transition to palliative care.

A nurse can demonstrate professional accountability in clinical expertise for example by ensuring that they are always properly giving intravenous antibiotics to a patient. Using their clinical expertise, they know they need to have an prescription from the treating doctor, to verify the correct dosage and dilution before administration and to give a test dose to the patient before the administration of full dose, then after half an hour later should inspect the tested site if no signs of allergy like redness, induration, wcan give the full dose of the medicine.

In the nursing process, a nurse can demonstrate professional accountability by using safe practices. Such as educating the patient of signs and symptoms of a drug allergic reaction, to notify staff if they have any questions and concerns immediately and reporting and intervening if there is a reaction.  

Professional accountability can be shown in the evidence-based practices (EBP). A nurse being educated and up to date on educations such as EBP and using it to help improve action and promote better patient outcomes.