Nursing Practice

Know the laws foverning your work. Know the Practice of Nursing. Keep yourself updated on regulation changes. As a Registered Nurse you are responsible and accountable for the care you provide. That responsibility is not shared unless you document that you reported it to management, it is solely your responsibility.

Washington State Nursing Quality Assurance Commission Says . . .

There are no clear cut answers or solutions to many questions asked about assignments, questions about delegation of assignments and refusal of assignments. There are, however, laws, rules and regulations of which all nurses should be aware when trying to resolve assignment issues. Unprofessional conduct is grounds for disciplinary action against a nursing license.
 
Some of the grounds that relate specifically to assignments are:

Failure to utilize appropriate judgment in administering safe nursing practice including failure to supervise those to whom nursing activities have been delegated.

Incompetence, negligence or malpractice which results in injury to a patient or which creates a risk that a patient may be harmed.

Performing acts beyond the scope of practice for which the nurse is licensed.

Performing nursing techniques or procedures for which the nurse lacks knowledge, experience, and education without instruction, supervision and/or consultation.

Delegating nursing care, functions, tasks, responsibilities to to others who the nurse knows or has reason to know  lacks the ability or knowledge to perform responsibilities which are to be performed only by licensed persons.

Leaving a patient care nursing assignment without notifying personnel so that reasonable arrangements for continuation of care can be made when continued nursing care is required by the condition of the patient.
 
 Staffing Assignment Report Form        JCAHO       

Washington State Board of Nursing