Common Responsibilities of Nurses
The common responsibilities of nurses are the integral elements of nursing. Qualities that must be held or upheld by every nurse, regardless of their education level or their place of practice.
A nurse's role may encompass a variety of tasks dependent on the position. However, the responsibilites are not simply the tasks - not the bed-making... not the documenting... not the medicating. From Licensed Practical Nurses to Registered Nurses the responsibilities - the common responsibilities - do not change. They are:
The Responsibility of Professionalism
Remaining current, up-skilling as necessary, only working within the scope of practice, working as a team member... these are all common responsibilities of nurses and fall under the umbrella of The Responsibility of Professionalism. This also encompasses ensuring safe practice by adhering to Occupational Health and Safety guidelines. Professionalism even means paying the fees to ensure continuance as a registered practicing member of the nursing profession.
Nursing as a profession has gained credibility through the implementation of its organisational policies. It is only adherence to these policies that drives the nursing profession forward, raising the bar. Mandatory registration demands safe practice. This is turn results in better Health Care. But it remains the responsibility of each and every nurse to adhere to the Standards as set out by their governing regulatory body.
The Responsibility of Patient Care
This means putting the needs of the patient first. Doing everything that is within one's scope to ensure the patient's primary health needs are met. And with the advent of an holistic approach to nursing, this Responsibility now stretches to encompass more than simply the health requirements of patients.
Nurses are now expected to help provide for the emotional and mental needs - as well as the physical health demands - of patients in their care. It is considered a joint responsibility, along with Allied Health and other professionals, where nurses assess the needs of the patient then provide the appropriate referrals to external sources, as deemed necessary.
The Responsibility of Ethical Conduct
Nurses come into intimate contact with more ethical dilemmas on a day-to-day basis than most people will cross paths within their lifetime; End-of-Life questions and practices, confronting diseases, controversial procedures. Remaining non-judgemental falls under the category of Professionalism as much as it does Ethical Conduct. Ethical Conduct also encompasses decision-making. This means not bending under the pressure of transitory or political views, to ensure that the level of care delivered is totally non-discriminatory.
The Responsibility of Confidential Practice
Patients have a right to confidentiality. It remains the responsibility of the Nurses caring for them to uphold this. Patient diagnoses and personal details are not public information. And patients should be able to expect that this information will not be shared. Nurses are bound by confidentiality and are not at liberty to disclose any identifying details about their patients. When debriefing about their day, or discussing their job, it again remains the sole responsibility of the Nurse to do so without discussing individuals.
Nurses - quite literally - hold Life in their hands. The responsibilities associated with that privilege extend far; far beyond bed-making and note-taking. The common responsibilities are not small, and they are not few. And they are essential to the very core of a nurse - of every nurse.
