What constitutes unprofessional behavior in nursing?

Many of it’s possible you’ll respond that you simply are counting on the definition of this phrase, referring to yours State Nursing Practice Act and Rules for its importance. Relying on practice and definition of principles is correct. Ideally, you’d cite examples of unprofessional conduct included in your statute and policies, similar to:

• Removal of controlled substances from the workplace
• Practicing outside the scope of employment and/or scope of practice as defined within the Nurse Practice Act
• Breach of confidentiality between nurse and patient
• Falsifying documentation kept in nursing practice
• Crossing skilled boundaries
• Being rude or insubordinate to others within the workplace

However, it can be crucial to do not forget that such examples are usually not exhaustive, but provide examples where behavior is perceived as unprofessional. Unprofessional conduct in nursing is a broad and fluid concept, which implies that other examples could be added to its general definition. Recently, the Covid-19 pandemic has caused many problems that you simply as a nurse have needed to cope with. Not only did you’ve gotten to cope with workplace safety (personal protective equipment shortages), adequate staffing and long working hours, but media coverage caused additional suffering for nurses and most of the people.

A specific problem was the spread of disinformation and conspiracy theories about Covid-19. Often these distortions are expressed by individuals and even state and federal government officials. Fabrications could be found on social media, blogs, press conferences, and more media related forums. Sometimes doctors, including licensed nurses, confirm distortions related to the Covid-19 pandemic.

As a nurse, you’ve gotten the fitting to your individual view on COVID-19, its effects and treatment. However, you furthermore may have an ethical and legal obligation to not spread disinformation. Disinformation is defined within the 2021 Regulation privacy policy published on the web site of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) as “distorted facts, inaccurate or misleading information, not supported by peer-reviewed scientific literature and contrary to information disseminated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).” The statement made clear that the U.S. Board of Nursing, the nursing profession and the public expect nurses to “follow the reality, principles ANA Code of Ethics for Nursesand the very best scientific standards in disseminating details about COVID-19 or other health-related conditions or situations.” Failure to achieve this, the statement continues, endangers public health. The statement informs all licensed nurses that providing incorrect or misleading information to the general public regarding “COVID-19, vaccines or related treatments” in any form, including on social media, could also be subject to disciplinary motion. You might say it is a dishonest tackle Covid-19 disinformation. You may also say that your First Nursing Advice violates your right to talk, but do not forget that no federal or state constitutional law is absolute freedom of speech. Fitness to practice as a nurse involves the responsibility to conduct oneself professionally in any respect times, each on and off the job, and to offer competent and secure care to patients.

Competent, secure care includes providing patients and their families with relevant and accurate treatment and nursing information that impacts their diagnosis and well-being. Because the general public trusts you, they usually tend to follow your recommendations or lack thereof.

Due to the responsibilities you assumed once you obtained your license to practice as a nurse, you can’t share misinformation about any diagnosis or treatment. Not only can doing so cause harm or death to those you provide nursing services to, but it may also end in the lack of your job and talent to practice. Moreover, it’s your responsibility to correct misinformation about COVID-19 treatments, as a lot of your colleagues have done with patients and with wider audiences, similar to in blogs and webinars on social media. Consider rigorously the implications of any information you provide to your patients about their care and treatment for COVID-19 or another disease to avoid accusations of unprofessional nursing conduct.