PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT

A code of ethics or behavior indicates a certain group's acceptance of the responsibility and trust with which it has been invested by those who have gone before.  Each student nurse who joins the work, benefits and history of registered nursing inherits the responsibility, trust and obligation to adhere to the standards of professional and ethical practice. Because the nurse works to inspire the consumer’s confidence, it is vital that the nurse treat all clients/patients and colleagues professionally with respect and dignity. The nurse should avoid personal gain.  The nurse must abstain from inappropriate personal relationships with any client/patient.

The nurse must understand and apply the following concepts of professional boundaries:

Professional boundaries are the spaces between the nurse's power and the client/patient's vulnerability.  The power of the nurse comes from their professional position and their access to private knowledge about the client/patient. Establishing boundaries allows the nurse to control this power differential and provide a safe connection to meet the client/patient's needs. 

Boundary violations can result when there is confusion between the needs of the nurse and those of the client/patient. Such violations are characterized by excessive personal disclosure by the nurse, secrecy or even a reversal of roles. Boundary violations can cause delayed distress for the client/patient, which may not be recognized or felt by the client/patient until harmful consequences occur.

Sexual misconduct is an extreme form of boundary violation and includes any behavior that is seductive, sexually demeaning, harassing or reasonably interpreted as sexual by the client/patient.  Sexual misconduct is an extremely serious violation of the nurse's professional responsibility to the client/patient.  It is a breach of trust! 

Learning Environment The educational period is one in which behaviors will be examined and reinforced. Given the sensitive nature of classroom content and the importance of a learning and testing environment free from distraction for nursing courses, persons not enrolled in the course may not come to class, learning laboratory or clinical. This includes both adults and children.

Maintaining professional relationships with hospitals and other agencies, whose facilities we use, requires thoughtfulness and appropriate ethical conduct by both instructors and students.

Revised Fall, 2007

The following are a few highlights of recommended behaviors for those in the nursing field:

• Pleasant, considerate and dignified behavior toward clients/patients, doctors and co-workers is to be maintained at all times.
• When introducing self to a client/patient for the first time, the student should use last name and identify self as a student in the Nursing Program at Del Mar College.  Use of the client’s formal title (Ms., Mr., Dr., or other) should be included.
• Never underestimate the importance of first impressions with staff or patients. Your appearance and communication are very important.
• The nurse safeguards the patient’s right to privacy by judiciously protecting information of a confidential nature and sharing only that information relevant to her/his care. There should be no discussion of a client/patient other than that needed for learning purposes.  (This cannot be stressed too strongly.)  Any lapse in this area will be looked upon as a serious failure in behavior on the part of those assuming the responsibility of a nurse.  Assignments and care plans will carry only the client/patient's initials so that information about a client/patient is not distributed to others through carelessness.
• Personal or family problems of the nursing student should not be discussed with the client/patient under any circumstances. The person by simply being ill has enough problems.
• Students should make maximum use of clinical laboratory time for learning, much of which must be self-directed.  This means keeping in mind overall objectives and the limits of time and clients/patients, plus making oneself available and seeking out experiences when extra opportunities for learning and practice occur.
• Consideration must be shown for agency co-workers at all times who may be quite busy.  This is done by not blocking halls or doorways; giving others a seat when they need to write and collect data for patient assignment at times other than change of shift periods.
• Because of the sadness often associated with illness, loud talking and laughing on the part of any worker is inappropriate in the hospital. Since noise in stairwells can also be heard on the unit, talking when going to or coming from an assignment should be restrained.
• Even a student in nursing may be besieged by friends and family to become a resource person about medical problems. (Their opening sentence usually is, "You're a nurse...")  Learn to avoid giving advice, which is beyond your education and responsibility. You can admit, with courtesy, that medical diagnosis and treatment are not in your field; suggest that a physician's advice might be timely.
• Please keep the nursing office and the registrar’s office informed of any change in name, address and telephone number.