Professional accountability is related to the issue of nurses being trusted by the public as professionals capable of delivering their services in the best way possible. It also has to do with the confidence that people have on nurses. Professional accountability is a subject of professional codes, internationally and nationally. This conceptual paper defines professional accountability in nursing, describes how nurses demonstrate professional accountability in practice.
Nurses are expected to be accountable to their patients. As a result, nurses should ensure that their services lead to the outcomes of their patients and their families. In this regard, the nursing process and clinical expertise are important opportunities for nurses to uphold accountability to their clients. The potential of risk arises if the nursing interventions are not carried out with competency. It could be in the form of harm to the patient. Failure to perform certain actions amounts to omissions and can harm the patient. Nurses take responsibility for errors they commit, including acts of omission that are detrimental to the patient’s health.
Nurses’ professional accountability is shown when nurses establish standards upon which to base nursing care. Consequently. Evidence-based practice is an essential concept within professional accountability. Nurses collect, process, and implement scientific knowledge to improve nursing care, patient outcomes, and the work environment. For example, patients ought not to suffer from care-related infections. Nurses implement research findings for infection-control in the healthcare environment.
In conclusion, professional accountability is a crucial concept in the nursing practice. Nurses are accountable to patients and their families. The nursing professional codes gives high prominence to professional accountability. Nurses demonstrate professional accountability in their routine duties in the health care environment. Evidence-based practice is an important tool for enabling nurses to be accountable.m