"Part of professionalism is accountability, accountability to your actions and the outcomes of those actions." (Mary Ann Siciliano McLaughlin, 2018) I always speak to my nursing students about accountability while imparting my tagline. I tell them that everyone, as a nurse, has a choice in the actions they take. I warn them that they need to be accountable to those actions and the outcomes of those actions. They cannot say if something does not go well, as a result of their actions, "oh well, I'll do better next time". Rather, they have to see the outcome and decide the next best course of action. So, if something they did, results in an outcome they did not expect, or an outcome that is harmful to the patient then they need to decide what action needs to be taken next to either resolve the issue or monitor the situation to minimize patient harm. I do tell my students, as nurses, the intention is never to harm patients. Rather, situations change or ...
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Showing posts from July, 2026