Inequalities in Nursing

Every health professional has a legal obligation to patients. Nurses as part of the health care team share an important role in the quality and safe delivery of patient care. They have the major responsibility for the development, implementation and continuous practice of policies and procedures of an organisation. It is therefore essential that every organization offer unwavering encouragement and resources to support their staff to perform their duty of care in every patient. On the other hand, high incidences of risk in the health care settings have created great concerns for healthcare organizations. Not only they have effects on patients, but also they project threat to the socioeconomic status. For this reason, it is expected that all health care professionals will engage with all elements of risk management to ensure quality and safe patient delivery. This paper will critically discuss three (3) episodes of care from the case study Health Care Complaints Commission [HCCC] v Jarrett [2013] Nursing and Midwifery Professional Standards Committee of New South Wales [NSWNMPSC] 3 in relation to Registered Nurse’s [RN] role as a leader in the health care team, application of clinical risk management [CRM] in health care domains, accountability in relation to clinical governance [CG], quality improvement and change management practices and the importance of continuing professional development in preparation for transition to the role of RN.

Ill health provides jobs for doctor’s nurses and specialists (P.Trowler, Investigsting Health welfare and Poverty, 1996 p.27) .

There are always also the implications that failure to fulfil your duties accordingly either you or your employers will be held accountable and therefore end up being penalised (K Checkland, 2004). In England all professionals in health and social care are held

In today 's world, many health care organizations encounter the most critical problem, such as chemically impaired nursing practice, on a daily basis. All areas of the nursing profession are affected by a chemical dependency and the cost associated with this problem is a great concern for the health care organizations. According to Church (2000), “nurse impairment affects the safety of the public, the nurse’s well being and the profession as a whole” (p. 2). The delivery of care provided by the chemically impaired nurse lowers the standards and the prestige of the whole profession, creates serious liability for the employer, lowers productivity, increases the turnover rate, decreases staff members morale, and increases the risk for medication error (Wennerstrom and Rhooda, 1996). People’s lives, function and lifestyle can be dramatically changed due to a medication error caused by a chemically impaired nurse (Cook, 2014). The chief nurse executive (CNE) is frequently confronted with the problem of impaired nurse, furthermore, the CNE is responsible for the policy and decision making involving this issue (Hughes, 1995). The purpose of this paper is to examine nurse executives response to allegations of a chemically impaired nurse.

On January 19th, 2009, Ian Andrews was given a seven-month suspension from the nursing profession. A year prior, Andrews was working as a full-time practical nurse at a mental health and addictions hospital located in Ontario. The client affected by Andrews ' actions was an elderly individual, who was diagnosed with autism and presented occasional periods of rage and fury. The client’s care plan involved managing periods of aggressiveness through staff support and the use of restraints, as necessary. On the day of the incident, staff nurses noticed that upon the client’s grunt, Andrews punched the client in the face several times, as the client tried to cover his face. Andrews then took the client into the bathroom where thudding noises were heard. Upon arrival, the nurses noticed Andrews standing over the client uninjured, with the wall covered with traces of blood and a broken faucet resting in the sink. Later in the evening, Andrews ' left a progress note within the client 's chart which described that the client had injured himself due to a period of restlessness. Upon patient assessment, a wound was noted on the client’s bottom lip along with minor lacerations present at the back of the client’s head.

Principles of safeguarding and protection in health and social care HSC 024 2 3 26 31/05/2015 A/601/8574

Explain patterned inequalities in health and illness. Evaluate sources of evidence with regards to class, gender, ethnicity and age

Since the Mid Staffordshire trust was investigated by Robert Francis in 2009 regarding the lack of care given to the patients; there has been many changes implemented within the NHS to improve the care and safety of the patients. Some of the recent changes include the whistleblowing policy, implementation of the 6 c’s and the CQC. These were all put into place to try and stop any further problems similar to the Staffordshire scandal in the future. All nurses and midwives must be registered to Professional body in order to practice which could be the NMC. Another way to ensure the safety and best care for the patients is to

Nurses have a professional responsibility to ensure that safe boundaries are kept in the relationship between patient and Nurse. It is these boundaries that provide the nursing profession with integrity, and according to Baca (2010, pp.195) it is essential these boundaries be maintained because of the difference in power between the nurse and patient. However, boundary violations can occur, when a nurse crosses from the zone of helpfulness to over involved, the ANMC (2011 pp.3) believes that when a violation occurs a nurse is behaving unprofessional manner and misusing their power in the patient nurse relationship. This misuse of power can be categorized into 3 types; boundary crossing, boundary violation and the extreme form of sexual misconduct. Often by mistake a nurse could cross the boundary without thought, a

As known from recent issues in the media, lack of communication can prove fatal for example the case regarding Kane Gorny, 22, a keen sportsman who was so desperate for water he phoned police. “Kane was undoubtedly let down by incompetence of staff, poor communication, lack of leadership, both medical and nursing, and a culture of assumption” (Dr Shirley Radcliffe). If the nurses had communicated and listened to Mr Gorny they would have been able to prevent neglect thus preventing his death. Mr Gorny was not only failed by medical staff but also by police forces as we are made aware that he had phoned but as there was no assault found they left but if the police that were present had questioned medical staff once again Mr Gorny’s death would have been prevented. (The Guardian, 2012) Thus proving that without communication mortal incidents can happen because communication also involves listening, understanding and responding, which was not evident in this situation as Mr Gorny was not listened to and did not get a response to his plea. (Pease, 2000).

“The definition of a health professional is a person who works to protect and improve people’s health by the diagnosis and treatment of illness to bring about a complete recovery from mental, physical and social perspectives, either directly or indirectly (Kurban, 2010, pg. 760).” Nurses in the community today have acquired an increasing responsibility to intervene with medical decisions. In the past, there were clear differences between nurses and doctors. It was more common for a nurse to be supervised directly under the physician. They are not just performing Doctor’s orders anymore. The nurse role in patient care has been widely expanded. Allegations against someone can be one of the most stressful moments of their careers. Negligence

classes are perhaps not as clear as they used to be. But it is just as

The United States is world renowned for having the best health care if not the most accessible. Citizens have at their disposal a plethora of hospitals, physicians, and therapists to improve their well-being. Statistical data was taken back in 2010 under the Central Texas Region and studied health care coverage and income in regards to the community. The data displayed in the surveys heavily suggest that income/ health in general have a high correlation. The issue that arose with the given data imply that those who are on the lower end of the income spectrum subsequently have no health care coverage and poorer health than those with higher income. In any case with high correlation there are a number of factors influencing the statistical evidence, and in this case sociological barriers are present in regards of inequality and health care.

The Behavioural or Cultural Explanation: places emphasis on the individuals and the consequences of their behaviour, when they choose to eat, drink and live healthily the inequalities will be reduced.

This paper will reflect upon and explore a critical incident which occurred whilst attending a clinical placement.