Question
What professional and ethical accountability does the nurse assume in all phases of the screening process from planning to follow-up? |
Answer
Professional Accountability
A screening process is a routine procedure in healthcare settings. For instance, it is normally used to determine an individual’s eligibility to participate in a medical study. Moreover, it is used to help healthcare workers to detect health problems or risks through a review of history as well as a medical examination. In both undertakings, nurses are required to undertake numerous procedures including measuring blood pressure, height, and weight, carrying out laboratory tests, and conducting follow-up procedures (Emmanuel & Emmanuel, 1996). As part of professional requirements, nurses have to assume a certain level of professional and ethical accountability throughout the screening process (College of Registered Nurses of British Columbia, 2005).
To begin with, during screening to determine one’s eligibility to participate in a medical study, a nurse has to always be truthful with a volunteer individual during the screening process as to whether they are eligible or not for the screening process and the reasons behind it. This has to be done in a compassionate way that protects the dignity and autonomy of the volunteer individual (Battie & Steelman, 2014). Moreover, as a nurse, professional accountability is always at the core of the entire screening process.
According to the American Code of Ethics, a nurse has to be answerable to oneself and to others for his/her actions (Donaldson, 2001; Lindwall & Von Post, 2013). Even after the screening process is over, the nurse still has to treat the patient just as carefully during the follow-up process to make sure that any arising complications are noted and treated early. Nurses should also create a platform where the individuals involved in the clinical trial trust them enough to share their concerns (Epstein & Turner, 2015). This not only makes the individuals comfortable but also makes it easy for the follow-up process to be expedited. All in all, professional and ethical accountability both constitute a crucial component of the nursing profession particularly in regards to the screening process.
References
Battié, R., & Steelman, V. M. (2014). Accountability in nursing practice: Why it is important for patient safety. AORN journal, 100(5), 537-541.
College of Registered Nurses of British Columbia. (2005). Professional standards for registered nurses and nurse practitioners: Accountability, knowledge, competence, ethics, service, and self-regulation. Victoria: College of Registered Nurses of British Columbia.
Donaldson, L. J. (2001). Professional accountability in a changing world. Postgraduate Medical Journal, 77(904), 65-67.
Emanuel, E. J. & Emanuel, L. L. (1996). What is accountability in health care? Annals of Internal Medicine, 124(2), 229-239.
Epstein, B., & Turner, M. (2015). The Nursing Code of Ethics: Its value, its history. OJIN: Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 20(2), 4-10.
Lindwall, L. & Von Post, I. (2013). From Practice to Theory-How the Basic Concepts Appears in a Perioperative Practice. International Journal of Caring Sciences, 6(3), 369-378.
