NRSG139 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Critical Thinking, Self-Assessment, Therapeutic Relationship
Professional agency as a Sociological concept
Agency:
The capacity individuals have to shape their social world
The ability of people, individually or collectively, to influence their own lives and the society in
which they live
Professional agency:
Professionals exert influence, make choices and take stances that affect their work or
professional identity, is purposeful and bound
Agency in nursing:
The power of the nurse to engage in the deliberate action that is nursing
Professional capabilities and accountability
RCN define nursing as:
● The use of clinical judgement in the provision of care to enable people to improve,
maintain or recover health, to cope with health problems and to achieve the best
possible quality of life, whatever their disease or disability till death
Professional capabilities are defined by our nursing governing bodies
Accountability
● Means that nurses answer to the people in their care, the nursing regulatory
authority, their employers and the public. Nurses are accountable for their decisions,
actions, behaviours and the responsibilities that are inherent in their nursing roles
including documentation
Health practitioner regulation national law
● AHPRA
● NMBA
● Registration
Professional practice
● Scope of practice:
○ The roles, functions, responsibilities, activities and decision making capacity
that nurses (or nursing students) are educated, competent and authorised to
perform
○ A nurse’s scope of practice is influenced by the specific setting, legislation,
policy, education, standards and the health needs of the population
● Standards of practice
Professional practice
● Code of conduct
● Social media
● Professional boundaries
● Code of ethics (including respect)
Management of patient/client information
● Documentation
find more resources at oneclass.com
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Document Summary
The capacity individuals have to shape their social world. The ability of people, individually or collectively, to influence their own lives and the society in which they live. Professionals exert influence, make choices and take stances that affect their work or professional identity, is purposeful and bound. The power of the nurse to engage in the deliberate action that is nursing. Professional capabilities are defined by our nursing governing bodies. Means that nurses answer to the people in their care, the nursing regulatory authority, their employers and the public. Nurses are accountable for their decisions, actions, behaviours and the responsibilities that are inherent in their nursing roles including documentation. The roles, functions, responsibilities, activities and decision making capacity that nurses (or nursing students) are educated, competent and authorised to perform. A nurse"s scope of practice is influenced by the specific setting, legislation, policy, education, standards and the health needs of the population.
