Professional Accountability

Professional Accountability

The American Nursing Association Code for Nurses (ANA code) is similar to the University of Phoenix Professional Responsibilities of BSN student. The one difference that I have noticed is that the ANA code is directed towards the nursing profession while the Professional Responsibilities of a BSN student is directed towards the individual. I believe that the goals of each are the same and if followed each will have the same outcome. I will compare the ANA code standard 11, "The nurse collaborates the members of the health professions and other citizens in promoting community and national efforts to meet the health needs of the public," with the Professional Responsibility of BSN student standard 12, "Assume responsibility for continued learning and growth as an individual professional nurse and contributing citizen" (BSN, 2000). Growth and the ever changing nursing profession and with the ever-changing communities in which we live have resulted in the increased need for ethical standards. The healthcare system is now turning patients out of the hospital more rapidly than before, which is impacting the community. This change has affected healthcare and how nurses are able to administer patient care.

Comparison of Standard

In my opinion the ANA code standard is very similar to the Professional Responsibilities of BSN student standard. In order to meet the ANA code standard 11, I believe the BSN student standard 12 must be met. A nurse must have continued learning and growth as an individual, professional nurse and citizen in order to be able to collaborate with other health professions and citizens to meet the healthcare needs of the public. A nurse must possess the ability to collaborate with citizens, patients, families and other healthcare members in order to affect the quality of healthcare (Garity, 2006). I believe if a nurse is able to meet the BSN student standard 12 then he or she will be able to successfully meet the ANA code standard 11.

Demonstration of ethical principles in each standard

I believe that I meet BSN student standard 11 in several ways. I am in the process of furthering my nursing education by obtaining my BSN, and I attend offered educational classes at my employment facility to further my nursing practice education, as well as being very active in attending seminars, workshops and symposiums off campus. I am also very active in my community with church, volunteer needs of the church and volunteer needs of my employment facility. I am able to meet the ANA code standard 11 through the department for which I work. Our department collaborates with multiple members of the healthcare team in performance improvement committees. These committees are started to assess certain patient care process' and to work together with other health professions to improve these process' which will in turn help me and our facility to meet the healthcare needs of the public. The case management department in which I am employed is also responsible for the collection, aggregation and analysis of data and submitting this data to vendors for national comparisons. This allows us to review our processes