Question

How does the ANA’s Code of Ethics address a nurse’s responsibility to health care quality?

Describe why the nursing shortage is a major national issue in the United States. How could a nursing shortage in other countries around the world affect the nursing shortage in the United States?

Did California take the right approach in passing the law that mandated minimum nurse staffing ratios? Explain your answe

Did California take the right approach in passing the law that mandated minimum nurse staffing ratios? Explain your answ

Answer 1

1. Nurse's responsibility to healthcare quality

Code of ethics is a set of rules and regulations that governs the conduct of a member of a profession, laid by the professional agencies or regulatory bodies of the profession. According to American Nurses Association (ANA), Nurses have a major responsibility in maintaining the healthcare quality . She is having the responsibilities of :

* Protect , promote and advocate patient's health , safety and rights of the patient such as privacy and confidentiality

* Practice with compassion and respect and consider each patient with dignity, worth and as a unique person.

* Emphasise to promote health and optimal patient care.

* Nurses should be accountable and responsible for nursing judgement, decisions and actions

* For safe and quality health care, nurses has to establish, maintain and improve ethical environment that is conducive for nurses as well as for patient's.

* To improve health care quality, nurse has to engage in scholarly inquiry, research and professional development that facilitate the general and health policies.

* To reduce health disparities, promote health diplomacy and to protect human rights, nurses have to collaborate with other health professionals and to public .

2. Nurse's shortage in the United states :

Nurse's shortage is major national issue in the US. The nation is already in shortage of nurses , in addition to that there is a sharp increase in aging population of the country . This will increase the demand of nurses in the coming years. As the shortage of nurses may lead to increased occurance or errors , high morbidity and mortality rates among patients and burn out or dissatisfaction among nurses, the nation has to take immediate steps to fill the vacancies with qualified nurses.

Shortage of nurses in the other countries also may affect the nursing shortage in US as the other countries may attract the nurses from US as well as from countries like India ,from where nurses are migrating for better opportunities in nursing . Due to inter - country shortage , countries are actively recruiting the nurses by offering more salary and facilities.

3. California's law on nurse's ratio

California took a right approach in passing the law that mandated minimum nurse staff ratio. Now CA is the only one state with nurse - patient ratio low and statistics show that nurse - injuries are reduced to more than 30 % and there reported better patient outcomes. The law ensured one nurSe for every 5 patients.