Read the scenario and address the discussion question:
Scenario
Nurse Lope is starting a busy shift in which she was finishing report on Mr. Johnson. During report, Nurse Jim who was finishing his shift also gave Nurse Lope a medicine cup containing three of Mr. Johnson’s unopened medications that he reported were recently retrieved from the medication dispenser. Nurse Lope was told that these were supposed to have been given 30 minutes ago and asked if she could give them during bedside hand-off. As Nurse Lope planned to stay in Mr. Johnson’s room to complete his vital signs and assessment, she agreed with this plan.
When she opened Mr. Johnson’s electronic medical record to administer these medications, she noticed that these medications were scheduled to be given 3 hours ago. Additionally, one of the medications had a barcode that was not scanning to Mr. Johnson’s chart. Nurse Lope proceeded to administer these medications so that she would not be late on the next round of medications, which included some of the same ones. It was later discovered that the medication that was not scanning was for another patient and should not have been given to Mr. Johnson.
Discussion Question
Outline the concept of professional accountability as it pertains to nursing. Examine the actions of Nurse Jim and Nurse Lope. Discuss how you would approach this scenario if you were in Jim’s and Lope’s position. Based on your analysis of how nurses demonstrate accountability in clinical practice, the nursing process, and evidence-based practice, explain how you would handle this situation if you were the nurse manager overseeing Jim and Lope.
Initial discussion question posts should be a minimum of 200 words and include at least two references cited using APA format. Responses to peers or faculty should be 100-150 words and include one reference. Refer to “RN-BSN Discussion Question Rubric” and “RN-BSN Participation Rubric,” located in Class Resources, to understand the expectations for initial discussion question posts and participation posts, respectively.
American Association of Colleges of Nursing Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education
This assignment aligns to AACN Core Competencies 2.2, 2.5, 2.6, 9.4.
Professional accountability in nursing encompasses the responsibility to provide safe and competent care while adhering to ethical standards and legal obligations. It involves being answerable for one’s actions and decisions, as well as taking ownership of one’s professional duties and behaviors. Nurses are expected to uphold professional accountability by ensuring patient safety, maintaining confidentiality, advocating for patients’ rights, and engaging in continuous professional development.
In the scenario described, Nurse Jim demonstrated a lack of professional accountability by handing over medications that were overdue without verifying their administration times. Nurse Lope also displayed a lapse in accountability by administering medications without confirming their scheduled times and verifying their accuracy. Despite noticing discrepancies, Nurse Lope proceeded with administering the medications out of concern for timing and to avoid potential repercussions.
If I were in Nurse Jim’s position, I would take responsibility for the oversight by acknowledging the mistake and promptly informing Nurse Lope and the nurse manager. I would emphasize the importance of verifying medication administration times and ensuring accuracy before handing over medications to the incoming nurse.
As Nurse Lope, I would refrain from administering medications without confirming their scheduled times and verifying their accuracy, especially when discrepancies are noticed. Instead, I would communicate with Nurse Jim and the nurse manager to address the situation and prevent potential harm to the patient.
As the nurse manager overseeing Jim and Lope, I would address the incident by conducting a thorough investigation to identify the root causes and contributing factors. I would provide education and training on medication safety protocols, reinforce the importance of professional accountability, and implement strategies to prevent similar errors in the future. Additionally, I would encourage open communication, transparency, and a culture of safety within the healthcare team to foster accountability and prevent adverse events.
References:
- American Nurses Association. (2015). Code of ethics for nurses with interpretive statements. Silver Spring, MD: American Nurses Association.
- National Council of State Boards of Nursing. (2015). The nurse practice act. Chicago, IL: National Council of State Boards of Nursing.