Australian Nursing and Midwives, Term Paper Example

Question 1 A. Outline the Purpose and Significance of the National Competency Standards (150-200 words)

1. National Competency Standards
   • Purpose
     1. Prepare Nurses and Midwives with educational courses to help enroll and register them for work.
     2. Prepare Nurses and Midwives and educate them on new standards and procedures.
     3. To establish that Nurses and Midwives have a clear understanding and are competent in their field.
     4. To ensure that Nurses and Midwives have completed all education requirements and have been re-informed if they have not worked after a certain period of time.

• Significance

1. 1. Helps Nurses and Midwives understand:
      1. Professionalism
         1. Meet standards that aggress with certain professionalism when working as a nurse or midwife.
      2. Ethics
         1. Meet standards that corresponds with a Code of Ethics
      3. Critical Thinking.
         1. Understand how to evaluate situations.
      4. How to Communicate
         1. Understand that communication is key to medical field.
      5. How to Manage
         1. Understand how to manage work and be a leader
      6. Promote Public Health
         1. Understand how to promote the use of public health systems.
      7. Community Service
         1. Understand the importance of reaching out to community.

1B. Explain their content and meaning.

The National Competency Standards for nurses and midwives is a set of standards that are used to increase the performance of nurses and midwives in the Australian Healthcare system.  In addition, the most important part of these standards is to ensure that nurses and midwives are able to acquire and keep their license in order to practice in Australia.  The standards are meant to guide the nurses and midwives so that they are aware of their ability to perform in this field and meet all education requirements.  They require the nurses and midwives to enroll in classes that help them with many tools that keep them sufficient in their field, such as professionalism, ethics, critical thinking, and communication, management, and Public Health care and community service.  In regard to ethics, the standards help the nurses and midwives understand the protocol and the ideal ethics that are needed in order to reach certain professionalism; therefore, the ethical portion of the standards helps the nurses and midwives evaluate themselves and see where there could be room for improvement.  Overall, the focus of these standards are to evaluate and ensure that all nurses and midwives have the education and knowledge that is necessary in order to practice on patients and perform their job to the standards put forth by the Australian Nursing and Midwife Council.

Task 2: A: The Australian Health Professional Regulatoryauthority (Ahpra)
B: The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (Nmba) (200-250words)

The Australian Health Professional Regulatory Authority (AHPRA) is an organization that regulates health care professions, such as nursing and midwives in Australia.  The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) is an organization that is specific to nursing and midwifery; however, the AHPRA and NMBA work together in order to help the nursing and midwife profession.   The AHPRA goal is to support the NMBA in order to maintain and protect the nursing and midwife profession.  The NMBA itself has a multitude of functions such as maintaining and registering nurses, midwives, and students, implemented protocols, standards and guides, investigating complaints on nurses and midwives, making assessments on current nurses and midwives, and evaluating the course required for nurses and midwives.  The AHPRA then monitors the NMBA and facilitates them.  Like the NMBA, there are multiple support lines and website in which health care professionals can obtain information and ask questions.  The only difference between the AHPRA and NMBA is that the AHPRA supports nine other agencies just like the NMBA.  In addition, the AHPRA, itself, is monitored and maintained through National Laws.  Therefore, any health care agency or profession that is monitored through the AHPRA, is following National Laws.  Overall, the NMBA is basically a division of the AHPRA.  The AHPRA overlooks the NMBA and the NMBA turns to them for support.

Task 3: (in your own words, Outline the Rule of the Australian Nursing Federation (100-150words)

I. Australian Nursing Federation

a. Rules

1. Acts to enhance education of nurses.

2. Protect nurses.

3. Develop leaders in the nursing profession.

• Leadership programs.

4. Improve employee benefits.

5. Find employment for nurses.

• Act as a mediator for job opportunities.

6. Facilitate nursing practices to increase their working standards.

• Educate Nurses

1. 1. 1. Classes

7. Provide education for nurses.

8. Help advance nurses through furthering their education.

9. Provide research, publish journal articles.

10. Help support finances for benefits.

• Grants, insurance, employee benefits.

11. Obtain grants for Nursing education funds.

12. To help any member of the Nursing Federation with any type of need.

Task 4:( in your own words

A:Outline the Responsibilities of a Registered Nurse in Relation to Continuing Professional Development.

B:Outline Ways in Which You Would Meet These Responsibilities(200-220words)

I. Registered Nurses and Continuing Professional Development

a. Important in Australia

b. Goal to Educate and Ensure Nurses have the knowledge

1. Remain Current with Health issues

c. All Nurses must meet the Continuing education standards

d. After a Nurse is initially registered with a State in Australia, the individual is already registered within the National Registration and Accreditation

i. There are Four different registrations:

1. General
2. Limited
3. Non-Practicing
4. Student

ii. Registration must be renewed annually by May 31.

iii. The National Registers of Practitioners contains the registration details for each Nurse or Midwife and are sent reminders.

e. Nurses must enroll and complete at least 20 hours of continuing education per year.

i. Nurses with scheduled medicines endorsements or midwife must have at least 10 hours in their endorsement area.

ii. Must keep written documentation indicating that the nurse completed the education.

1. Dates, Hours, leaning needs, effective learning strategies

II. How Do I meet Responsibilities as a Nurse?

a. Make Sure I am registered by the required date of May 31 through the registration board.

b. After registering, participate in the program of study.

i. Apply online for continuing education programs.

ii. Keep all necessary documentation.

TASK 5: The Australian Nurses Federation has produced guidelines for registered nurses and midwives who delegate aspects of nursing and midwifery care to other nurses, assistants in nursing or midwifery or other unlicensed workers. Briefly explain the ANF guidelines to delegation by registered nurses and midwives. http://www.anf.org.au/pdf/policies/G_Delegation_RNs.pdf) (22-220words)

There are established guidelines that have been implemented for registered nurses and midwives that delegate issues for nursing and midwifery for other registered nurses or registered midwives.  The guidelines include that the registered nurses or midwives who delegate must assess nurses and midwifery care and develop a plan of care to help delegate the plan of care for the nurse or midwife.  In addition, the nurse or midwife who is delegating must put the patient’s interests first during the assessment.  Another guideline set forth indicates that the nurse does not require an assistant and each registered nurse or registered midwife is responsible for their own behavior or practice; therefore, the nurse is solely responsible for their delegation of actions during nursing or midwifery care.  An additional guideline states that the nurse or midwife must follow-up with the ANF in order to keep up with new policies and procedures.  The guidelines also state that the registered nurse or midwife employer are ultimately responsible for making sure that their nurses and midwives are competent in delegating the plan of care.  In addition, the employer is responsible for making sure that their working policies and protocols are up to date with the state or territory legislations.

TASK 6: Identify two types of ancillary staff working in the ward environment and outline ways these staff members can assist you with nursing care (100-150words)

I. Identify two Ancillary Staff:

a. Social Work Services

b. Case Management Services

II. How Can Ancillary Staff Help

a. Social Work Services

i. Support and Assist

1. Patient Needs
   • Physical
   • Emotional
   • Environmental
   • Spiritual
   • Family
2. Help Family Understand
3. Help Discharge Procedure
   • Develop a Plan for home
     1. Medical treatment
     2. Rehabilitation

b. Case Management Services

i. Nurses who work with physician

• Help create in-hospital treatment

ii. Work with outside consultants to help patient.

• Consult treatment team

1. Physicians
2. Nurses
3. Social Workers

iii. Help with Discharge Procedure

• Develop a Plan for home
  1. Medical treatment
  2. Rehabilitation

References

ANF. (2005).  Competency Standards for nurses in general practice.  Web. Retrieved from: www.anf.org.au/nurses_gp/resource_03.pdf

ANMC (Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council).  (2009).  Continuing Competence Framework for Nursing and Midwives.

ANF. (2011). Australian Nursing Federation Delegation by Registered Nurses and Registered Midwives.  Web. Retrieved from: www.anf.org.au/pdf/policies/G_Delegation_RMs.pdf

AHPRA.  (2012).  Australian Health Practioner Regulation Agency.  Web. Retrieved from: www.ahpra.gov.au/

Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. (2010)  Continuing professional development registrations standard.  Web. Retrieved from: www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/Registration-Standard.aspx.

Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia.  (2010).  Recency of practice registration standard. Web. Retrieved from: www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/Registration-Standard.aspx.