Professional Issues in Nursing Assignment Sample

Reducing Medication Errors in Nursing Practice

Introduction to Professional Issues in Nursing

This assignment emphases on a case study along with keeping in view the NSW policy that states a number of ways to deal such situations keeping in view how and what and why the encountered situation occurred and converges focus on a case that revolved around a lady named Sumintra prasad, a worker at mental health facility of western Sydney local health district, who is one of the accused members for the case. The case was registered by a visitor who came to see her husband admitted in one of the acute wards of the hospital. Sumintra prasad was on duty at the end thus a witness as well as an accused one. The case study further elaborates the happenings along with who and how many people were involved or can come under the umbrella of investigation. The case study describes the steps taken and recorded responses of the involved participants, with outcomes and observations made. Further, it concludes the factors influencing the case and how it effected the way the case proceeded with what results and how they were effected (Fortinash & Worret, 2014). To conclude this case study in the light of NSW policy and the decisions the assigned committee might take, this case study is thoroughly analyzed keeping in the light, the unprofessional factors found along with the exercises that were stated to be put in practice to resolve the rising professional errors and reducing the chance of occurrence of such incidents.

Body of Professional Issues in Nursing

This case study covers a case story where a female named Sumintra prasad is one of the accused people for a case that was reported by a female who visited mental health facility of western Sydney local health district. Her husband was admitted to an acute ward of this hospital, the lady requested to meet her husband, the request was processed by Sumintra prasad, who was on duty at the time. The patient required was found missing at first and then dead as the staff members looked for him, who apparently committed suicide in the bathroom of his ward.

Two people were put in main accusation that were Sumintra prasad and Pandya. There shifts changed at the time of death of the patient. Looking further into the details we find that Pandya left beforehand to another facility to instigate another shift of his duty, while Sumintra took over. Going through the passed circumstances, we saw that both Pandya and Sumintra lacked factors that caused such a fatal incident. They both were analyzed and voiced to increase and nourish their skills. The case further continued with collection of evidence and paperwork to continue and extract a conclusion of the case.

Since the manner and cause of the death of the patient was a matter of the coroner. According to the NSW policy, the professional standards committee was asked to inquire the conduct of Pandya and Sumintra that focused on how they performed on the day of incident and how they reacted towards the patient. Along with this when the case was processed the committee asked for more evidence and thus gathered statements from a number of people influencing the case. The chair of the committee attended to all the evidence provide at first and requested the commission to file and serve along the responses recorded of Mr. Robertson and Mr. Bryne. The submissions were received and considered.

Complaints against both the accused people held many points regarding their behavior and reaction towards their duties with accordance to the NSW. A detailed investigation on their deeds and how they respond to their work including the follow up of their timings during their shifts to the reaction towards the patients to whom they were appointed was recorded. In the light of these findings and observations the committee further defined some exercises to be implemented (World Health Organization, 2013). The person Pandya was warned with some precautions to be taken in account and practice. While the person named Sumintra was cautioned to be careful in the future. The case was closed with the number of exercises put in action that included no engaging activities for Pandya with an agency for nursing purposes to submitting paperwork to the commission for a record keeping of the accused person.

Professional Errors Found in The Case Study

The professional errors found in the case were separated according to the two main accused people in the case, the one with respect to Pandya was composed of five parts of the complaint that questioned unsatisfactory professional conduct. This complaint highlighted these five factors that included early departure without notifying the authority, early leaving the place appointed and not completing the assigned time, no handover, no undertaking of observations with no proper record keeping (Cloete, 2015).

These factors were kept in light when the committee investigated Pandya, in his statement he agreed that he did not tell the team leader of his early departure. Furthermore, Pandya did a double time shift that consisted of an overlap of time between his shifts thus resulting in an overtime shift of the first facility. The overtime was caused because of a time taking travel between the two places. The mismanagement of information exchange that included the permission grant for departure although Pandya did not let the team leader know but asked at 11:00 for permission that was responded vaguely causing a confusion (Nobahar, 2015). Further the professional error found was taking action upon assumptions by Pandya, it was also kept in light that Pandya failed to inform the team leader at the start of his shift caused a decline below standards that was expected but the team leader cannot provide a strong criticism only on that.

Furthermore, the attitude of the team leader towards the duty was one of the many professional errors and fell below the standards significantly. Pandya did not made sure if the situation would be controlled on his departure and that it had the availability of required staff or not. The NSW policy also applies to the allocation and management of staff members that are required for some emergency situation or to cover the shortage of staff that is given in emergency management-accommodation policy of NSW. Even if the confusing in put aside and assumed that pandya was given the permission still it requires him to let the team leader know that he is to depart now (Huston, 2013). Sumintra prasad actions were also taken in accordance and the committee came to know that her care and conduct during her duty fell below the standards quite significantly causing a decline expected. The first professional error was that she was inappropriately assigned the behavioral observations records. Sumintra did another unprofessional act was filling in the charts on very basic and quick knowledge of the patients and her observations for those patients were not up to the mark. Another professional error was that prasad left the floor to handover when there was a need for more staff members there. The committee did a detailed investigation in prasad’s case just like pandya’s and found that her conduct might not prove to be the best option available but her decision was not that below the standards significantly as that of pandya (Mårtensson & Jacobsson, 2014). Overall the complaints and investigation is concluded with the aspect that although the complaint is not made out particular but her conduct does not fall under professional errors list. these findings were done in harmony to the NSW policy.

Changes that Might Occur as A Result of Practices Implemented

The exercises that are listed to be put in power seem to work and put an example forth for people to learn the importance of their duties and that they should fulfil them according to what it requires, the committee asked pandya not to involve with agencies for nursing purposes neither he can be in charge of shift, ward or unit nor he can act as a team leader since he lacks responsibility. This set an example for people who do not take in account the importance of their duties. The NSW policy holds one of the many policies that focuses of the importance of duties being performed by the individuals, how they should react to their duties and fulfil the tasks they are assigned to the best of their efforts and knowledge.

Further the restriction of double shift since an overlap can cause fatalities and incidents like this again. Furthermore, taking in consideration his experience and deeds, he can only pursue being a nurse under the circumstances this would lead him to learn and acquire more knowledge and gain experience (Robson & Haddad, 2013).

The continuous commencement to the committee under the supervision of a clinical nurse consultant approved by nursing and midwifery of council of south wales will acquire him to provide better knowledge of nursing.

Submission of a copy of his committee’s reasons for decision to his clinical nurse consultant will help a better understanding of issues between the both and provide with the better ways to communicate and resolve issues regarding his training (Jirojwong & Johnson , 2014).

Pandya is asked to confirm in writing to the nursing and midwifery council so that the points he undertook could be put in observation whether he is fulfilling them or not. This will help to maintain a record of his progress.

Pandya’s case was put under investigation to check whether pandya can practice anywhere in Australia other than south wales. This will help to check whether he can apply somewhere else for a better job or not.

Further more, Sumitra prasad was cautioned and told to be careful in the future regarding her duties and carry steps that will help in betterment of the ways she can perform the tasks assigned. The committee let her go with the advice to maintain good level of conduct and acquire better knowledge to fulfil her duties, she was asked to focus and emphasize more over what and how she is performing her tasks in accordance with what it requires (McCarthy & Trace, 2018).

Conclusion on Professional Issues in Nursing

This case study kept in the light of NSW draws us to the conclusion that mere small misunderstanding and negligence of small factors can lead to happening of fatal incidents.

Just as pandya and prasad neglected small factors while performing their duties they came out to encounter death of one of the patients and had to face all the difficulty with a proceeding of case to be faced.

The team leader and other involved who also did not do their jobs up to mark fueled the reasons for such a fatality. The accused ones were given with a list of exercises to be implemented to reduce and eventually uproot factors that can become causes for such accidents.

The committee took steps that will help both mainly involved people to continue in a better way in their future while this will also in reduction of such incidents that can merely happen just because of negligence of the staff members.

References for Professional Issues in Nursing

Fortinash, K. M., & Worret, P. A. H. (2014). Psychiatric mental health nursing-E-book. Elsevier Health Sciences.

Cloete, L. (2015). Reducing medication errors in nursing practice. Cancer Nursing Practice, 14(1).

Nobahar, M. (2015). Professional errors and patient safety in intensive cardiac care unit. Journal of Holistic Nursing And Midwifery, 25(3), 63-73.

Huston, C. J. (2013). Professional issues in nursing: Challenges and opportunities. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Mårtensson, G., Jacobsson, J. W., & Engström, M. (2014). Mental health nursing staff's attitudes towards mental illness: an analysis of related factors. Journal of psychiatric and mental health nursing, 21(9), 782-788.

Robson, D., Haddad, M., Gray, R., & Gournay, K. (2013). Mental health nursing and physical health care: A cross‐sectional study of nurses' attitudes, practice, and perceived training needs for the physical health care of people with severe mental illness. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 22(5), 409-417.

Jirojwong, S., Johnson, M., & Welch, A. (2014). Research methods in nursing and midwifery. Pathways to evidence based practice.

McCarthy, B., Trace, A., O’Donovan, M., Brady-Nevin, C., Murphy, M., O'Shea, M., & O'Regan, P. (2018). Nursing and midwifery students' stress and coping during their undergraduate education programmes: An integrative review. Nurse education today, 61, 197-209.

World Health Organization. (2013). WHO nursing and midwifery progress report 2008-2012.

Remember, at the center of any academic work, lies clarity and evidence. Should you need further assistance, do look up to our Nursing Assignment Help

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