Foundations of Evidence Based practice (B71P02)

What is accountability?

Accountability means that individuals are responsible for their actions and maybe asked to justify them

Responsibility means being answerable for ones own actions

The NMC (2008) state that Nurses and midwives hold a position of

responsibility and other people rely on them. They are professionally accountable to the NMC, as well as having a contractual accountability to their employer and are accountable to the law for their actions.

(NMC (2008) Accountability Advise Sheet. London, NMC.)

Why is it important in EBP NMC (2008) The Code: Standards of

conduct, performance and ethics for nurses and midwives

As a professional, you are personally accountable for actions and omissions in your practice and must always be able to justify your decisions.

You must always act lawfully, whether those laws relate to your professional practice or personal life.

Failure to comply with this Code may bring your fitness to practise into question and endanger your registration.

NMC (2008) The Code: contd.You must Provide a high standard of practice and

care at all times Use the best available evidence

You must deliver care based on the best available evidence or best practice.

You must ensure any advice you give is evidence based if you are suggesting healthcare products or services

You must ensure that the use of complementary or alternative therapies is safe and in the best interests of those in your care

Keep your skills and knowledge up to date

Implications for you

As a student You are not professionally accountable –

this lies with your supervising RN - you are learning the skills associated with this ready for registration

You are personally accountable for your actions or omissions and may be held to account for these by the university or by the law

Once qualified you become professionally accountable