Importance Of Accountability In The Nursing Profession

Accountability and Its Implications on Respect for the Nursing Profession

When looking after the well-being of others there are many factors that contribute to the satisfaction of patients. The nurse must ensure that they are providing appropriate care to the patient as well as reflecting on how their actions towards the patient can affect both the patient and themselves. Nurses are trusted professionals that must understand the definition of accountability and how this definition influences the way they perform nursing tasks. Accountability entails taking ownership for one’s actions, reporting these findings to a superior, and accepting the legal implications associated with the offense (Battié & Steelman 2014). The purpose of defining accountability

It requires caring people to devote themselves to provide proper care to others while being subjected to workplace hazards, extended working hours, and disrespect from patients and personnel. Reflecting historically on how the media has misconstrued the nursing profession helps develop the argument that there is a lack of respect among society for the nursing profession. Nursing was once not seen as a profession, but as a task delegated to those seen as unfit to perform in any other areas. It was a servant’s position that required little training and few, if any, compensation (Thomas & Richardson 2016). These early perceptions of the nursing field possibly influenced the improper portrayals of nurses in novels, television, and movies in the early 1970s. During this time nurses were not portrayed as health professionals or seen as important members of the healthcare team; rather, they were portrayed as unintelligent and promiscuous subordinates to the doctor (Price & McGillis Hall 2014). Present day, nurses are still seen as inferior to doctors despite their growing presence as advanced providers in the positions of nurse practitioner and nurse

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