Professional accountability means that while at work, a professional is accountable for his or a work. In nursing, the concept of professional accountability implies that nurses have to take responsibility for their omissions, judgments, and actions when providing patient care (Krautscheid, 2014). It also entails nurses being professionally competent and up to date with the existing and emerging health and nursing practices. By being professionally accountable, nurses adhere to the American Nursing Association’s code that states that nurses will assume accountability for their actions and judgments (Krautscheid, 2014). Professional accountability ensures that nurses work within their scope of practice and provide the best care possible. In their profession, nurses are accountable to the public, their professions, employers, patients, and themselves (Chesterton et al., 2021). Additionally, nurses should always maintain integrity in their practices, actions, and attitudes during nursing practice.
Nurses demonstrate professional accountability in several ways. For example, in clinical expertise, nurses can demonstrate professional accountability by properly transfusing blood to a patient. From their clinical expertise, nurses are aware that they need to have consent, order, and have two-licensed professionals and the patient verify the blood products prior to transfusion (Bielby et a., 2018). They are also aware that they need to stay with the patient for up to fifteen minutes after blood transfusion. Using the example of blood transfusion, in the nursing process, nurses demonstrate professional accountability through educating the patients on the symptoms and signs that they may experience in case of a transfusion reaction and remind them to notify the healthcare staff immediately in case of any questions or concerns for immediate intervention (Bielby et a., 2018). In evidence-based practices, nurses demonstrate professional accountability by learning and keeping up to date with the latest evidence-based practices in nursing practice and using them to improve and promote better patient care and outcome.
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References
Bielby, L., Peterson, D., & Spigiel, T. (2018). Transfusion education for nurses and transfusion practitioners in Australia. ISBT Science Series , 13 (3), 259-267.
Chesterton, L., Tetley, J., Cox, N., & Jack, K. (2021). A hermeneutical study of professional accountability in nursing. Journal of Clinical Nursing , 30 (1-2), 188-199.
Krautscheid, L. C. (2014). Defining professional nursing accountability: a literature review. Journal of Professional Nursing , 30 (1), 43-47.
