Professional Nursing Accountability: Our Ethical Responsibility
Ralaya L. Allen R.N.
Grand Canyon University: Professional Dynamics
08/27/11

Professional Nursing Accountability: Our Ethical Responsibility In healthcare, accountability can be regarded as a responsibility as well as a legal obligation. Patients have the right to be treated by well educated professional personnel such as doctors, nurses, and ancillary staff. Without accountability, there would not be consequences for unfavorable actions taken on the behalf of the patient. It is reverent in the physicians oath “do no harm"; this is a fundamental truth in all healthcare practices.
Professional Nursing Nurses have both an ethical and moral responsibility to their patients. According the American Nurses Association, "Ethics is central to the way we care, and to the way we envision ourselves as professionals..."(2011, p.1). A nurse’s moral responsibility is based from their own personal conviction of doing what is right for the patient.
Legal Obligation Today, healthcare regulations are governed by laws. All medical professionals are required to obtain and uphold adequate licensure and provide patient care per the current laws. The nursing licensure is dictated by the State Board of Nursing. In Nevada, completion certification must be presented to the State Board of Nursing from a state approved nursing program. The student must also pass a full background investigation, as well as also pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). The State Board of Nursing also governs and dictates the scope of practice for all licensed professional nurses practicing in the state in which the credential is held. Nurses have the responsibility to provide care within their scope of practice by utilizing their knowledge base and acquired skills to make the best