Nurse Patient Boundaries Essay

Analysis The nurse-patient relationship boundaries are mainly achieved through a bond which is special and is build through trust, mutual understanding, respect, and compassion. There is a code of Ethics for nurse according to the National Council of state boards of Nursing (NCSBN) that states that’ Nurses maintains and recognizes boundaries that establish limits to relationships appropriately when acting within one's role as a professional. There should be space between the power of nurses and the vulnerability of patients. (Sigridur 650) Below are categories of boundaries that have been majorly observed in the relationship o nurses and patients. These may include; violation boundary, crossing boundary and sexual misconduct.
Violation boundary
Violation boundary occurs when the nurses cross the patient boundary inappropriately. Some nurses do it with reasons that are not arguable to the patient's therapeutic. These may include over the keeping of patient in the hospital while there is a caregiver who can do it. Another one may include disclosing patient’s information which may interfere with someone’s privacy. Crossing boundary According to the nurse's code of ethics, there is a boundary in which they should observe it with a lot of caution as it may lead to termination of a contract.
This happens where a deviation of boundary happens because of therapeutic purposes. An example to this is whereby a nurse discloses the patient's personal information for reassurance, also when a nurse accept gifts from patients or relatives for good work done (Julie, 89) Some minor boundaries may be crossed by nurses for purposes of the well being of the patient. Like a nurse employed in a hospital may decide to visit the patient for the check-up or a home health nurse may offer to help in dishwashing for the patient especially when monitoring their condition. (Sigridur 649)Trivial boundary crossing may sometime cause a lot of trouble leading to unprofessionalism.
Sexual misconduct According to NCSBN, this may likely happen when a nurse engages in conduct with the patient of a claim from the patient arises of being handled u sexually. Some nurses after having a close relationship with a patient seem to be overtaken by emotions whereby it ends with the nurse proposing to the patients or acting emotionally. (Julie, 90)This is wrong and may lead to a punishment of one's license being
taken.
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As these continue to happen a relationship may be build whereby a nurse is more aggressive with that patient and always wants only him/her to attend the patient. Sometimes when a claim of that particular patient is mentioned the particular nurse always arises in defend. This may bring calls for alarm because when action is not taken it may lead to boundary crossing and also may bring attention to the employer and the board.
Patient’s early signs of misconduct may include a patient seeking to know much about a particular nurse from other nurses, the patient only responding to one a particular nurse and also requesting to be attended by that nurse. (Wendy 104)

Confrontations to this misconduct In order to safeguard nursing profession, after a nurse has been caught and accused of misconduct legal action has to be taken appropriately. Nurse’s needs to be careful as these may lead to loss of a job, their licenses may be invoked and it is not a good show to the other patients around. According to nurse’s code of ethics when the set laws have been breached, claims and allegations have to be reported to their seniors whereby the seniors forward the allegations to the board. When doing the report the senior or manager has to make it clear by indicating times of misconduct, places of misconduct any verbal communication recorded and also have witnesses who shall stand to verify all these. (Wendy 106)
After forwarding them to the board, it is the duty of the board members to sit and discuss the way forward. If the victim is found guilty one's license can be
suspended. Conclusion
All profession should adhere to the set rules and regulations that govern their profession. Nurses should be very much alert in their relationship with their patients since after it all the nurses are the ones who suffer