Intravenous Infusions Intravenous Infusions Ethical Issues Ethical Issues Antoinette Attard Antoinette Attard
Intravenous Infusions Intravenous Infusions
Ethical IssuesEthical Issues
Antoinette AttardAntoinette Attard
Intravenous InfusionsIntravenous Infusions
�� Is there any difference between oral and Is there any difference between oral and
intramuscular administration of drugs and intramuscular administration of drugs and
intravenous administration?intravenous administration?
�� Are there any ethical issues related to non Are there any ethical issues related to non
intravenous administration of drugs?intravenous administration of drugs?
Intravenous InfusionsIntravenous Infusions
�� A study carried out by Taxis & Barber A study carried out by Taxis & Barber
(2003) about the incidence & severity of (2003) about the incidence & severity of
intravenous drug errors identified the intravenous drug errors identified the
following errors:following errors:
Preparation ErrorsPreparation Errors
�� Preparation of wrong drugPreparation of wrong drug
�� Preparation of an unauthorized drugPreparation of an unauthorized drug
Preparation ErrorsPreparation Errors
�� Errors in solvent/Errors in solvent/diluentdiluent (use of (use of
wrong solvent / wrong solvent / diluentdiluent or wrong or wrong
volume)volume)
�� Preparation of wrong dosePreparation of wrong dose
��Omission of prescribed drugOmission of prescribed drug
Preparation ErrorsPreparation Errors
�� Preparation of wrong drugPreparation of wrong drug
�� Preparation of an unauthorized drugPreparation of an unauthorized drug
�� Errors in solvent/Errors in solvent/diluentdiluent (use of wrong (use of wrong
solvent / solvent / diluentdiluent or wrong volume)or wrong volume)
�� Preparation of wrong dosePreparation of wrong dose
�� Omission of prescribed drugOmission of prescribed drug
Administration ErrorsAdministration Errors
�� Administration to wrong patientAdministration to wrong patient
�� Fast administration of bolus dose through Fast administration of bolus dose through
a peripheral linea peripheral line
Administration ErrorsAdministration Errors
�� Fast administration of bolus dose through Fast administration of bolus dose through
a central linea central line
�� Incompatibility errorsIncompatibility errors
Administration ErrorsAdministration Errors
�� Administration to wrong patientAdministration to wrong patient
�� Fast administration of bolus dose through Fast administration of bolus dose through
a peripheral linea peripheral line
�� Fast administration of bolus dose through Fast administration of bolus dose through
a central linea central line
�� Incompatibility errorsIncompatibility errors
Medication ErrorsMedication Errors
�� Most of these could happen with other Most of these could happen with other
modes of administration. modes of administration.
�� It is therefore, essential that with all types It is therefore, essential that with all types
of administration of drugs, every effort is of administration of drugs, every effort is
made to reduce the possibility of made to reduce the possibility of
medication errorsmedication errors
ACCOUNTABILITYACCOUNTABILITY
�� Accountability can be defined as being Accountability can be defined as being
answerableanswerable for how one has carried out for how one has carried out
his / her his / her responsibilityresponsibility
CompetenceCompetence
�� A person is competent when that person A person is competent when that person
understands what s/he is about to understands what s/he is about to
undertake, and can anticipate any undertake, and can anticipate any
problems that may ariseproblems that may arise
CompetenceCompetence
�� No amount of courses or certificates can No amount of courses or certificates can
guarantee that a person is competent.guarantee that a person is competent.
�� It is only when one is capable of It is only when one is capable of
identifying what one is capable of doing identifying what one is capable of doing
and what are the limitations to one’s and what are the limitations to one’s
practice that a person is deemed to be practice that a person is deemed to be
competent.competent.
KnowledgeKnowledge
�� competent nurses are competent nurses are knowledgeable knowledgeable
nurses nurses –– not not only biomedical knowledge only biomedical knowledge
but a broader knowledge to enable but a broader knowledge to enable
effective decision making in effective decision making in partnership partnership
with patients.with patients.
Code Of EthicsCode Of Ethics
��Nurses are accountableNurses are accountable to:to:
Maintain and improve their professional
knowledge and competence
Acknowledge any limitations in their
knowledge and competence and decline any
duties or responsibilities unless able to
perform them in a safe and skilled manner
UKCC UKCC –– Scope of Professional Scope of Professional
Practice:Practice:
�� ““the nurse must ensure that any the nurse must ensure that any enlargement or adjustment of the scope enlargement or adjustment of the scope of personal professional practice must be of personal professional practice must be achieved without compromising or achieved without compromising or fragmenting existing aspects of fragmenting existing aspects of professional practice and care and that the professional practice and care and that the requirements of the Council’s Code of requirements of the Council’s Code of Professional Conduct are satisfied Professional Conduct are satisfied throughout the whole area of practice’ throughout the whole area of practice’ (UKCC 1992a, section 9.4)(UKCC 1992a, section 9.4)
Role ExtensionRole Extension
Nurses must be certified to Nurses must be certified to
perform any activity that is not perform any activity that is not
learned in prelearned in pre--registration registration
training. training.
Role expansionRole expansion
�� nurses undertake those activities that they nurses undertake those activities that they
are competent to perform.are competent to perform.
The expanded role of the nurse The expanded role of the nurse
entails the exercise of additional entails the exercise of additional
technical expertise.technical expertise.
Role ExpansionRole Expansion��AutonomyAutonomy
Informed ConsentInformed Consent
AccountabilityAccountability
��AuthorityAuthority
need for defined need for defined
parameters of authorityparameters of authority
Thank you for your attentionThank you for your attention