Professional Boundaries

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Introduction

Nurses frequently work in situations where the boundaries of the nurses are being tested. Their respond to these “tests” is a matter of nurses and professional integrity, by virtue of the power inherent in their professional role are expected to do the right thing even it is not always clear what “doing the right thing” might look like. Similar to the fence around one’s yard or the walls around one’s house, metaphorically boundaries mark the parameters of the professional role. (Baron, 2001; Wysoker, 2000).

According to Holder & Schenthal (2007), a broad definition of professional boundaries is the “limit which protects the space between the professional’s power and the patient’s vulnerability”. Professional boundaries are the spaces between nurses and patients, nurses and doctors or even nurses with others multi inter professional health worker. The power of the nurses comes from the professional position, increase of knowledge, advance of role and accountability. Establishing boundaries allow the nurse to control this power differential and allows the safe connection in other to meet patient needs.

The government policy makers shown that nursing service are provided and to affect the career pathways and education. The policies are impacting on professional roles and boundaries in health care service. Nurses are becoming more individually on their own practice and they have been at the vanguard of new role development. The nursing profession has also been challenges by advances technology in health care. By becoming more knowledgeable about policy, legal and ethical standard decision-making, nurses can conquer these challenges. The demand of policy, legal and ethical standard would promote greater knowledge, acco...

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...ere taken to protect nurses. Common practice here is medical directive. Medical directive means a medical instruction given to paramedic regarding medical management or procedure to perform to patient. The document should include the procedures approved that can be performed by nurse and endorse by the head of department. These documents also have to audit frequently to ensure it is updated and relevant with the current situation and demands.

As conclusion, crossing a professional boundaries bring a lots of benefits and weaknesses. However, nurses must remember they are nurses all the time thus it is vital to seek advice early when problem around professional boundaries arise and as for the medical profession, they have to value nurse’s knowledge and expertise in order to shares experience, knowledge and skills for future development of healthcare practitioner.

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