Operational Standards of Nursing
Practice
Outline
Introduction
Objectives
Definition of concepts
Operational standards of nursing care
Summary
Standard of Nursing practice 06/25/2022
Session objectives
After completing this session, the trainees will be able to
• Define Nursing and nursing standard
• Describe the operational Standards of Nursing Care Practice
• Explain the purpose and importance of Nursing Care
Standard
• List the twenty three operational nursing care practice
standards.
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Definition of concepts
Nursing
Nursing is profession within the health care sector focused on the care of individuals, families , and
communities so they may maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life. They also take on
a vital roles of education, assessing situations, as supporting the patient and health professionals.
Nursing is the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities, prevention of illness
and injury, facilitation of healing, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of
human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, groups, communities, and
populations (ANA, 2015)
Nursing encompasses autonomous and collaborative care of individuals of all ages, families, groups and
communities, sick or well in all settings. It includes the promotion of health, the promotion of health, the
Standard of Nursing practice 06/25/2022
prevention of illness, and the care of ill, disabled and dying people (WHO, 2017).
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Definition of concepts…
Standard
• Standard is the benchmark of achievement which is based on a
desired level of excellence.
Nursing standard
• nursing standards are professionally developed expressions of
the range of acceptable variations from a norm or criterion.
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Introduction
• Nursing is a profession that ensures:
• the successful implementation of interventions that-
• welcome and nurture life,
• promotes or restores health,
• enables the means to a-
• peaceful, dignified and pain-free death
Patient-Centered Care! (ANA)
Std of Nursing practice 06/25/2022
That Sounds Like a Nurse!
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Introduction…
• Care coordination promotes:
• greater quality,
• safety, and
• efficiency in care,
• resulting in
• improved healthcare outcomes and is consistent with
• nursing’s holistic, patient-centered framework of
care (ANA, 2015)
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Source: Standard Continuum of Care Pathway, Deborah, 2011
Operational standards for nursing practice
•The first 10 operational standards are extracted from EHSTG
document, which all hospitals should fully implement to
ensure proper nursing care.
1.The hospital has established nursing/midwifery service
management structures and job descriptions that detail the roles
and responsibilities of each nursing and midwifery professional,
including reporting relationships.
2.The hospital has a nursing and midwifery workforce plan that
addresses nurse /midwife staffing requirements and sets minimum
nurse /midwife to patient ratios in each service area.
• The hospital should:
• 1.EsSets minimum nurse to patient ratios in each service areatablished management structures and job descriptions
• Detail the roles and responsibilities of each nursing professional, including reporting relationships
• 2.A nursing workforce plan 06/25/2022
• Addresses nurse staffing requirements
3. The hospital has written policies describing the responsibilities
of nurses and midwives for the nursing process including the
admission assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of
nursing/midwifery care.
4. All admitted and emergency patients/clients have a
nursing/midwifery care plan that describes holistic
nursing/midwifery interventions to address their needs. The plan is
regularly reviewed and updated as required.
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5. All hospital nurses/midwives comply with the professional
code of conduct and ethics which governs their professional
practice.
6. The hospital has established guidelines for verbal and written
communication about patient/client care that involves
nurses/midwives and their patients/clients, families, other case
team professionals of the disciples, including verbal orders and
timely documentation of accomplished activities
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7. The hospital has standardized procedures for the safe and
proper administration of medications by nurses or
designated clinical staff.
8. The hospital has established nursing/midwifery care practice
audit program, including the documentation of completed
audits and resulting practice improvements.
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9. The hospital implements regular nursing/midwifery eight
hours’ shift, hourly rounds, and central medication cabinet
or room.
10. The hospital has a centralized nursing/midwifery station set-
up in each ward with adequate space, equipment and
consumables.
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• Additionally, trainers and nurse practitioners should consider the
operational standards below at a regional/local level when
implementing the national guidelines to enable nurses to fully
address the holistic needs of patients under their care.
11. Hospitals should provide on a regular basis complete uniforms
for all nursing staffs who are assigned or allowed to work in the
facility.
12. Nurses ensure delegation of nursing care to nursing students
and assistants is appropriate, safe and in the best interests of the
person in the care of a nurse.
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13. Nurses should work with others to protect and promote the
health and wellbeing of those under their care.
14. Nurses should take part in the ongoing continuing
professional development (CPD) required by their
professional body and maintain a CPD portfolio.
15. Nurses should find solutions to conflicts caused by deep
moral, ethical and other beliefs arising from a request for
nursing service through dialogue with patients /employer and
or professional body
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16. All nurses should be in full uniform as designated by hospital
guidelines
17. Nurses should be open and honest, act with integrity and uphold
the reputation of their profession.
18. Nurses should care for all patients equally and without
prejudice to age, gender, and economic, social, political, ethnicity,
religious or other status and irrespective of their personal
circumstance.
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19. Nurses should not disclose confidential information relating
to their patients and /or about their matters and conditions unless
in line with the Ethiopian law and / as required by their
professional body /employing hospital.
20. Nurses should seek verbal or written informed consent from
their patients or their relatives/next of kin (for incompetent
patients) before any procedure.
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21. Nurses adhere to and provide information on infection prevention
practices to patients, clients, family members and other caregivers,
as appropriate.
22. Nurses may not receive gifts, favors or hospitality of any kind
from patients, caregivers, or visitors at any time including prior to or
after the provision of care.
23. Hospitals have appropriate arrangements to ensure nurses access
clinical supervision and support and participate in regular clinical
audit and reviews of clinical services
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Summary
• Operational Standards of Nursing Care Practice -
Describe
• Explain the purpose and importance of nursing care
standard
• List the twenty operational nursing care practice
standards under three main categories
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Importance of Standards
The outline professional expectations of nurses. Additionally, they guide
nurses on proper protocol and give them an objective standard to evaluate
other nurses with. Additionally, they provide consistency throughout the
profession so that patients receive quality care.
Legal Implications
If a nurse does not meet the accepted standards of practice, he or she may
be found negligent if his or her negligence caused a patient harm. In most
litigation, a nurse is accused of violating a standard of care in a negligence
lawsuit. In the medical profession, this is often referred to as malpractice.
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