Thomas Paine, a famous revolutionary writer and philosopher, once said, “A body of men holding themselves accountable to nobody ought not to be trusted by anybody.” This quote pretty much applies to every position of responsibility in life. Where an individual is assigned a particular responsibility, putting them to account is necessary. Individuals may fail to fulfill their duty to the best of their ability if they are not answerable to a higher authority. And hence, both these concepts of responsibility and accountability go hand in hand.
Nurses, doctors, and other healthcare practitioners serve humanity from a position of responsibility. The lives of numerous people are in their hands, and they must exhibit the utmost caution and care when dealing with them. Self-accountability is crucial, along with answerability to the profession and the organization they work for.
Nurses play a vital role in the healthcare system. Their skills and expertise are critical for effective patient care management. They play a huge part, so they also need to exhibit a high sense of responsibility. If you are an aspiring nurse, reading further will help you understand how to demonstrate accountability when working as a healthcare provider.
- Make The Patient A Priority:
When working as a nurse, you will have to deal with different patients. They will have various problems, which may also, at times, include psychological trauma. As a nurse, you must always make the patient a priority. It may seem daunting and quite exhausting, but your primary concern should always be your patients. The nursing profession involves demonstrating a lot of care and giving undivided attention. Even though the doctor may deal with more crucial decision-making regarding a patient’s medical condition, the nurses spend more time looking after them. Therefore, the first and foremost point to remember when focusing on accountability is to keep your patients happy and thriving while under your care.
- Uphold The Accountability Standards Of Your Profession:
Each profession has its own set of rules and regulations to ensure that practitioners meet a certain standard. Organizations and associations often determine these rules and regulations. Breach of a statute may immediately throw you out of the association, and you may be stripped of your membership. Likewise, the nursing association will also have a standard that you have to meet to stay in the profession. For example, if you get a post-masters-certificate in nursing, you are considered a nursing association member once you qualify. The professional body may ask you to demonstrate a certain level of care, professionalism, integrity, and other standards as they may deem necessary. Here, the profession may put you accountable, and you will also have to abide by these rules if you wish to continue in the given discipline.
- A Little Self-Accountability Goes A Long Way:
Wise people say that our conscience is our best guide. When something feels right and makes you happy, it usually is the correct thing to do. The nursing profession involves taking care of people. At the end of each day, ask yourself. Hold yourself accountable and analyze if what you did was the best you could have done or not. If you do not get a thoroughly satisfying answer, vow to make a positive change. The first person you should be answerable to is yourself.
- Do Not Forget To Take Care Of Yourself Along The Road:
As a parent, you often get told to take care of yourself. The idea is that if you are not well yourself, how will you take care of your children. The same concept pretty much applies to nurses too. Just swap children here with patients. And we also agree, it is true that if you are not well yourself, you cannot take care of the people around you. ‘You cannot pour from an empty cup,’ they say. Therefore, if you feel you need to give your best in your profession, stay healthy!
Maintain a proper routine. Eat right and adopt constructive hobbies. Focus on doing things that make you happy or relaxed. Nursing is an exhausting profession. You may feel depleted, mentally and physically. And this is why you must give the right amount of attention to your mental and physical well-being as well. Your health will impact your job, and if you wish to demonstrate strict professional accountability, you need to stay fit and energetic!
- Demonstrate Accountability As Demanded By Your Employer:
Like an educational body, employers will also have a set of company codes that you will have to adhere to strictly. These may require you to make company values a priority alongside patient care. They may highlight rules regarding how to deal with patients and the nurses’ roles in the organizational structure. Since a healthcare professional’s slight mistake can severely tarnish an organization’s reputation, the accountability standards are often strict and rigid. A nurse should adhere to the company code of conduct and avoid the slightest carelessness when complying with their employer’s guidelines.
Conclusion:
The role played by healthcare practitioners is quite critical. They deal with individuals’ lives, and people place trust upon them to handle their health problems. Consequently, doctors and nurses must show a relentless amount of care and attention when dealing with patients. Nurses have a more significant role to play in patient maintenance and upkeep. They have to interact with patients more and deal with them far more than the doctors or other practitioners. As a result, they need to demonstrate sheer professional accountability and fulfill their duty with integrity.
