Treatment of Older People Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Treatment of Older People - Essay Example Generally nurses are legally held responsible for their practice and they are also accountable for it. For instance, to practice as a registered nurse lawfully in the United Kingdom, the nurse is bound to hold a up-to-date and valid registration given by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). The Health Provision Act demands that standards of practice as well as the code of ethics should be assumed by a professional according to Chitty (2005). The ethical practice of nursing in the UK demands that nurses who have been registered with NMC should practice with respect, honesty and integrity while complying with the NMC code of ethics. Secondly the registered nurse is supposed to report unskilled practice of nursing or any unprofessional conduct by any person to the right person, professional body or relevant agency. Thirdly, the registered nurse works towards saving and enhancing the rights of the patients to privacy, autonomy, respect, dignity as well as to access of information. Th e registered nurse should also adopt responsibility to ensure a professional and therapeutic relationship with patients. Furthermore, the registered nurse advocates for environment that possess an organizational as well as individual support systems. The environment should also have resource important to competence, safe and ethical nursing practice. Nurses sustain principles of equity and fairness which are required by the legal system so as to assist people to get share of health services and resources equal to their needs while promoting social justice. It is illegal for nurses to discriminate while providing nursing care whether on basis of culture, race, social, and ethnicity, marital or religious beliefs among others. The legal system requires that nurses should consider fair allocation of resources which is under control and based on individual needs of those under care as suggested by Brent (2001). Nurses are required by the legal system to put into first consideration the i nterest people under their care. This involves assisting people and groups to gain access to the right healthcare of their choice. It is upon the nurses to advocate for appropriate and ethical care at the community and organizational level. This is achieved through participating in development, implementation and the continuous review of policies as well as procedures which provide quality care for individual. It is according to the legal system, that nurses should uphold health policies as well as decision making procedures that are steady with prevailing information and research. There is the need for nurses to advocate for fairness as well as inclusiveness in allocation of health resources. The legal system also holds it that nurses should be aware of the general health concerns including environmental issues, violation of individual rights, violence, world hunger and homelessness among others. Role of nurses in health policies The role of the nurses in health policies is guided by their expertise as well as their healthcare knowledge on the basis of training, experience and practice. According to the policy it is their responsibility to ensure honesty and ethics in their practice. The nurses have the responsibility of exerting a considerable control over the health care policy, the policy makers as well as congress generally. Following the prevailing shortage of nurses it is upon the