Accountability of the Nursing Professional
Accountability of the Nursing Professional
Nathan Munson
Grand Canyon University: NRS 430V
February 20, 2011
Cynthia Yascavage
ACCOUNTABILITY OF THE NURSING PROFESSIONAL Nursing professionals are viewed by the public as one of the most trusted and caring professions in the world. This status is achieved in the nursing profession by way of accountability. Accountability is the base of all practice and provides a platform for nursing to expand practice, gain trust, and provide excellent up to date care. Accountability continues to maintain and uphold nursing as a professional practice. Professional nursing takes on accountability by implementing through evidence based research and provision of quality care, and continuing to provide up to date care based on this idea. Evidence based practice for nursing is defined as taking current research from a trusted source and implementing the findings in their practice and decisions (Moby’s medical, 2009). As time goes on and practice and medicine evolve, so must accountability of the nurse to use and implement evidence based practice. Research continues to show a trend of increased positive outcomes of patients based on studies. Organizations can not “hold the hand” of the nurse and force them to implement change in their practice. The importance of accountability by the nurse is essential to caring of patients. National guidelines can reflect standards, and policies can be changed to reflect current research developed from evidence. The issue is actually changing the nursing practice to reflect current evidence based research. One example is nasogastric (NG) tube placement verification. Current research shows that the method for verifying placement is with an x-ray, not with auscultation of an air bolus as previously practiced (Metheny & Titler, 2001). Accountability is placed on the nurse to continue to improve and implement these changes in their practice. One safety practice that
Nathan Munson
Grand Canyon University: NRS 430V
February 20, 2011
Cynthia Yascavage
ACCOUNTABILITY OF THE NURSING PROFESSIONAL Nursing professionals are viewed by the public as one of the most trusted and caring professions in the world. This status is achieved in the nursing profession by way of accountability. Accountability is the base of all practice and provides a platform for nursing to expand practice, gain trust, and provide excellent up to date care. Accountability continues to maintain and uphold nursing as a professional practice. Professional nursing takes on accountability by implementing through evidence based research and provision of quality care, and continuing to provide up to date care based on this idea. Evidence based practice for nursing is defined as taking current research from a trusted source and implementing the findings in their practice and decisions (Moby’s medical, 2009). As time goes on and practice and medicine evolve, so must accountability of the nurse to use and implement evidence based practice. Research continues to show a trend of increased positive outcomes of patients based on studies. Organizations can not “hold the hand” of the nurse and force them to implement change in their practice. The importance of accountability by the nurse is essential to caring of patients. National guidelines can reflect standards, and policies can be changed to reflect current research developed from evidence. The issue is actually changing the nursing practice to reflect current evidence based research. One example is nasogastric (NG) tube placement verification. Current research shows that the method for verifying placement is with an x-ray, not with auscultation of an air bolus as previously practiced (Metheny & Titler, 2001). Accountability is placed on the nurse to continue to improve and implement these changes in their practice. One safety practice that
References: Hood, L. (2010). Leddy & Pepper’s conceptual bases of professional nursing (7th edition): Philadelphia, PA: Lipppincott Williams & Wilkins. Maynard G, Stein J. Preventing Hospital-Acquired Venous Thromboembolism: A Guide for Effective Quality Improvement. AHRQ Publication No. 08-0075, August 2008. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. Retrieved February, 16 2011 from: http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/vtguide/ Metheny, N.A., & Titler, M.G. (2001). Assessing placement of feeding tubes. American Journal of Nursing, 101(5), 36-45. Mosby 's Medical Dictionary, (8th edition)(2009), Elsevier. Retrieved February 14, 2011 from http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/evidence-based+practice