Whistle-bowing can also empower nurses, however, with successful instances of whistle-blowing potentially inspiring others that had noticed wrongdoing and remained to afraid to speak out. A large part of the importance of whistle-blowing in the nursing profession stems form the fact that the cultures of many medical institutions and personnel seem to inhibit the pointing-out of misconduct, especially when it is nurses that try to call issues in operations to others' attention, and thus whistle-blowing is specifically the most needed where it will be the most actively discouraged and punished (Jones & Hoffman 2005). The more whistle-blowing occurs, the stronger and more empowered individual nurses will be in making the decision to point out issues in care provision and general conduct, and though this can have some negative repercussions in the form of communication issues and perceptions, the result of a better nursing force and a better and more accountable level of care are well worth the effort (Jones & Hoffman 2005; Fritko & Jackson 2005).
Whistle-Blowing, Patient Care, and the Nursing Code of Ethics
Nurses have a primary duty to be advocates for their patients' health and care, acting as intermediaries between the patient and other healthcare professionals when necessary (Lachman 2008). They can only do this effectively when they are allowed to point out issues in care without fear of significant reprisal, but whistle-blowing cases only serve to highlight the difficulty of this proposition (Hendren 2010). Whistle-blowing may improve the standards and quality of care, but it also indicates the need for continued patient advocacy (Hendren 2010).
The need for this advocacy is also made quite clear in the Code of Ethics for Nurses in Australia, published by the Australian Nursing Council, the Australian Nursing Federation, and the Royal College of Nursing. The first three value statements make the explicit role of whistle-blower an implicit duty of the nurse when faced with certain situations: nurses are to respect individuals' needs, protect patients' right to make informed decisions regarding their care, and ensure that the highest possible quality of nursing and overall care is provided (Code of Ethics for Nurses in Australia 2002). These three values each cover different aspects of situations when whistle-blowing...
Nursing Home Report on Conditions at Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust The following report is based on extensive observation of the conditions for patients living at the Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust. While some patients received moderate care, overall, the quality of care in this facility was appalling. All patients -- all people -- deserve to be treated with dignity, and this was far from the case. The
1). This is a problem that needs to be addressed by adding more training to the budget. The problem is, most hospitals' budgets are already spread too thin. Therefore, hospital administrators need to work harder to find sources to help fund their activities. Complete Honesty Nurses have more power and responsibility than ever before to ensure that they are making honest reports about their patients. They may be in a rush
whistleblowing that occurred in publicly traded corporations in the past year. Whistleblowing The term "whistleblowing" refers to an attempt made by an employee or ex-employee of a firm to warn the public regarding any serious danger(s) or wrongdoing(s) masked or created by the firm. Corporate and healthcare literature cites multiple definitions of the term, all of which highlight the significance of advocacy (or protection of somebody who is prone to being
In healthcare organizations, ethical principles have been emphasized mostly through procedures and mission statements. The numerous oaths (Hippocratic Oath) and declarations found in healthcare institutions have stated principles and values, and this has formed the basis for ethical practices. The works of such ethical principles include and are not limited to nonmaleficence, beneficence, confidentiality, respect for the autonomy of patients, and justice (Gabel, 2011). The ethical principles of an organization that
Nurses and Ethics of Code Regardless of what institution or department a person is in, there would be violation of the laws in the workplace. Healthy workplaces basically contribute to the job satisfaction of all the people who are working there. Let alone job satisfaction, it leads to and actually affects patient safety. (Browne, 2009) Now many scholars and experts are looking into the ethics of a workplace and how they
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