This document discusses professional responsibility and accountability in nursing. It defines professional responsibility as the moral and legal duties of a nurse to apply knowledge and skills to benefit patients and society without harm. Nurses have responsibility in many roles including as caregivers, advocates, counselors, leaders, managers, and more. Accountability means being answerable for one's actions and able to explain them. Nurses are accountable through legal, ethical, professional, and employment frameworks. Maintaining high standards of practice, competence, and quality care are important aspects of professional responsibility and accountability.

1. IF YOU WANT THE
CREDIT,YOU TAKE
THE RESPONSIBILITY

2. INTRODUCTION
• Most common type of moral responsibility that arises
from the special knowledge a person possesses.
• Mastery of a body of advanced knowledge, particularly
knowledge which bears directly on the well being of
others distinguishes professions from others occupation.
• Ex- engineer, doctor, nurses, lawyer etc.

3. WHAT IS RESPONSIBILITY?
 Responsibility means that it is on you to complete a task faithfully.
 You may or may not be accountable for the tasks you are responsible
for.
 “Responsibility refers to the duty or obligation to full fill one’s
commitments, obligations & duties in a reliable and accountable
manner.”
.

4. EXAMPLE –
 PERSONAL- This refers to doing things in your personal life
that set you up well for the future.
 PROFESSIONAL - This refers to being responsible in your
workplace & trustworthy for your employer
 ETHICAL- A catch all for any example of responsibility that
involves moral and ethical dimensions.

5. WHAT IS PROFESSIONAL
RESPONSIBILITY?
• Legal and moral duty of a professional to apply his
or her knowledge in ways that benefits his or her
client, and the wider society without causing any
injury to either.

6. BASIC DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
RESPONSIBILITY &
ACCOUNTABILITY
ACCOUNTABILITY RESPONSIBILITY
• The accountable person is the
individual who is ultimately
answerable for the activity or
decision.
• This includes yes or no authority
& only one person can be
accountable for the action.
• The responsible person is the
individual who actually complete
the task.
• Responsibility can be shared.
• The responsible person is
responsible for the action/
implementation.

7. BASIS OF PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY
Ensuring
integrity.
Contributing to
the knowledge
base
Applying
professional
knowledge
Balancing
stakeholder
interest.
Respecting
differences.

8. CHARACTERISTICS OF A PROFESSIONALLY
RESPONSIBLE PERSON
Master your work
Enhance your communication skills
Acts as a leader.
Honest and confidential.
Embrace a positive attitude.
Collaborate & cooperate with others.
Possess ambition.
Professionalism

9. RESPONSIBILITY OF A PROFESSIONAL NURSE
Nurse as a health professional
Nurse as a caregiver
Nurse as a counsellor
Nurse as a leader
Nurse as a manager
Nurse as a Director
Nurse as a designer
Nurse as a coach
Nurse as a Advocate

10. • Nurse as Caregiver –
As a caregiver the nurse managing the physical needs, preventing illness & treating
health conditions. To do this nurse must observe & monitor the patient & record any
relevant information to aid in treatment decision making process.
• Nurse as Advocate –
a nurse Advocate is someone who liaises Between patients & their physicians. They help
patients get a better understanding of their medical condition & help the make the right
decision for their health.
• Nurse as a Counsellor –
the nurse performs the role of counsellor to help people focus on a goal or outcome &
develop strategies that support self care and enable individual & their families to take
responsibility for about participate in decision about their health.
• Nurse as a Leader

11. • Nurse as a Manager – Responsible for functions of the unit
1) Staffing, employee satisfaction
2) Safety and quality
3) Customer satisfaction
4) Budgeting and managing finances
5) Managing human resources
6) Maintaining customer focus
7) Ensuring standards of care
• Nurse as a Director –
The responsibility of a nurse director include making decisions such as the hiring of
staff, developing a business plan & budget, implementing new policies, establishing
departmental goals.

12. • Nurse as a designer –
Nurses are very crucial in the process of health implementation. Nurse help in the
coordination of care from multiple providers. Nurses manages case loads of patients who
have intense care needs & also assist in successful transition process of patients from
hospital to other settings.
• Nurse as a Coach-
The term refers to a registered nurse who focuses on holistic health by enhancing the
overall wellness of their patients. Nurse coaches combines the skills they’ve learned in
the medical field with lifestyle coaching to help their patients elevate their mental,
physical, spiritual health.
• Nurse as a Health Professional –
a nurse focuses on the care on the care of individuals & their family to help them recover
from illness and maintain optimal health & quality of life.

14. DEFINITION
According to American Nursing Association
Courts Of Nurses define
• “Accountability means being answerable
to someone for something one has done.”
• It means providing an explanation to self, to
the client to the employing agency and to the
nursing professions

15. Characteristics of
Accountability
Obligation to report
back the result of
responsibility and
responsibilities
undertaken
Liability for proper
discharge of duties
Personal answer
abilities for result
Grows out of
responsibilities and
goes hand in hand with
it

16. Four pillars of Accountability
Professional
Accountability
Ethical
Accountability
Legal
Accountability
Employment
Accountability

17. Professional accountability
• Professional accountability is at the heart of
nursing practice
• It allowed nurses to work with an framework of
practice and follow principle to conduct that
maintain the patient trust and the individual
nurse and support for the nursing profession as
a whole

18. Professional accountability
Definition:-
Professional accountability means that each
individual nurse is answerable for his or her
conduct and action and is responsible for the
decision she/he make and how these effect the
people to whom she/ he owns a duty of care

20. Nursing professionals
is accountable for
• Establishing and maintaining standards that
promote safe and effective care
• Accountability involves responsibility that is being
able and willing to respond
• Accountability is one of the distinguishing
characteristics of a profession
• The professional nurse is accountable in several
domains professional, legal and ethical

21. Nursing personals are
accountable to
Providing safe and therapeutic environment for the
patient
Delivery component and personalized care
Maintaining accurate supplies of material and
equipment for smooth functioning of the ward or unit
Maintaining the interpersonal relationships
Protecting clients legal right and privacy

22. Nursing personals are
accountable to
Walking within ethical and legal boundaries
Keeping pace with changing health needs
and developing technology
Delivering care as per standards lay down
by profession securing bodies and institute
Delegating responsibilities appropriately
Contributing to development of the
profession

23. Ways to maintain accountability
Know the code of ethics and nursing
Providing quality nursing care, assure that the nurse
maintain account ability
Follow accurate technical skills and also should acquire
knowledge to her higher education
Through nursing audits and standards of practice
Have sufficient knowledge about legal aspects in nursing
Legal aspects knowledge will enable her to maintain
accountability towards the profession ,client and team members

24. Ways to promote Professional
Accountability in Nursing
• Be clear about professional role, responsibilities
and organisational goals
• Provide direction about how work should be
accomplished
• Develop clear standards and matrics against with
professional performance is measured
• Hold professional accountable for their behaviour
• Build a culture of accountability
• Well defined duties and job description

25. • Written policies protocols and procedures
• Nursing audit and standards of practice
• Proper delegation of responsibilities
• Proper training and education to the self
• Periodical evaluation of each individual’s nursing
practice
• Refine and modify outdated policies and procedure
• Conducive working environment