Professionalism and Ethics by Fiona Stuart-Wilson

Author:Fiona Stuart-Wilson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Professionalism, Ethics, Dental nurses, Dental care professionals, GDC requirements, Ethical dilemmas, Professional behaviour, Standards for dental professionals
ISBN: 9781856424868
Publisher: Andrews UK Limited 2016
Published: 2016-06-22T00:00:00+00:00

At first sight this might to some appear to cut across the idea of teamwork. Surely within teams one supports one’s colleagues and the idea of mutuality or working as a team means that that support is clear and evident? However, the GDC is clear that the purpose of teamwork is the best interest of the patient and supporting or covering up for a colleague who is not able to or declines to provide good care for patients for whatever reason is not indicative of following the Standards. This can provide a real dilemma for many nurses, particularly if the actions or behaviour they are concerned about are those of a senior colleague, their employer or indeed a close friend. However, choosing to do nothing is not an option. See what the GDC says next:

You have a responsibility to do this whether or not you are in a position to control or influence the organisation within which you work.

This puts the onus on every individual, regardless of their place within the hierarchy or the team. The GDC appears not to distinguish between an act of omission and an act of commission, and the professional’s first duty in this case must be to patients and their best interests.

However, the GDC goes on to say

A supportive team will encourage its members to bring any concerns or difficulties they have to the team at an early stage, where they can often be sorted out.

In fact the GDC has clear and specific guidance for those in a management or supervisory role on this very subject (and this includes many Head or Senior Nurses and managers as well as dentists and employers) and puts a clear onus on them to ensure that they are providing an appropriate environment in which teamwork can prosper and concerns are raised in a sensible manner. The GDC makes it clear that managers should actively encourage people to raise concerns.

If you employ, manage or lead a team, you should do the following.

Encourage all team members, including temporary team members, team members on different sites and locums, to raise concerns about the safety of patients, including the risks that may be caused by the way in which the team works.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.