Legal, Ethical, and Professional Issues in Adult Nursing

Legal, Ethical and Professional Issues in Adult Nursing

Nursing and Midwifery

1.      Exploring the legal, ethical and professional issues relating to a scenario chosen by the student from clinical practice

2.      The student will need to complete relevant learning outcomes. These will need to have been achieved and signed off by the student's clinical mentor

This module discusses legal, ethical and professional issues applicable to healthcare and clinical practice. The module will cover legislation and policy relevant to both primary and secondary care settings. A summary of some of the content covered appears below.

Professional issues: professional regulation and codes of conduct, accountability, policy (national and local policies) and political agendas that impact upon the role of the adult nurse.
Legal and Ethical issues: decision making, autonomy and accountability, duty of care, standards of care, negligence, the 'Bolam Test' and its application to practice, consent, competence to consent, the right to life and death (legal and ethical perspectives), confidentiality, record keeping, data protection, human rights, child and older person protection, deprivation of liberty.

LO1       Analyse the legal, ethical and professional issues that occur in clinical practice

LO2       Discuss the application of legal, ethical, and professional knowledge in relation to adult nursing

LO3       Achievement of the Practice Learning Outcomes