Professionalism and Accountability

"Part of professionalism is accountability, 
accountability to your actions and the outcomes of those actions." 

Mary Ann McLaughlin Ed.D., RN 

This is my tag line and I say it to my students all of the time.  I really try to have students understand professionalism and accountability.  I feel this is a very useful life lesson for them as future nurses.  I feel they need to understand why it is so important for them to act in a manner conducive to being a professional nurse each day. 

Nurse need to make decisions for their patients each and every day.  But what happens after we make those decisions?  The answer is that the patient then experiences the effects of our decisions.  I tell students even if the situation does not turn out the way we hope, we are still accountable to the outcomes of our actions.  Yes, we can say I learned from this situation and will know better next time.  However, saying this does not erase the consequences of our actions for our patients. 

As nurses we are charged with protecting our patients from harm, while advocating for them.  We need to choose actions congruent with the best possible patient care.  It is our duty to our patients.  I strongly believe this.

I also believe that professionalism and ethics are intertwined.  So even though I have entitled this blog, The Ethical Nurse, I feel that a nurse cannot be ethical, or choose to do the right thing (virtue ethics), without being professional and accountable as well.

Do other nurses and nurse educators feel this way?  Do you educate students this way?  As always, I welcome feedback and comments. 

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