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Accountability issues in an English emergency department: A nursing perspective
Alfonso Rubio-Navarro1, Diego Jose Garcia-Capilla2, María Jose Torralba-Madrid3
1Emergency Department, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester LE1 5WW, United Kingdom.
This study explores nursing accountability in emergency departments, revealing how staff interactions, shortages, and ethical dilemmas impact care. Understanding these factors is crucial for improving patient and nurse outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Nursing
- Healthcare Management
- Medical Ethics
Background:
- Nurses in emergency departments face daily challenges regarding accountability.
- Their experiences offer insights into clinical practice decisions impacting professionals and patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore nursing staff perceptions of ethical, legal, and professional accountability.
- Focus on an English emergency department setting.
Main Methods:
- Ethnographic content analysis.
- Analysis of 34 semi-structured interviews with registered nurses.
Main Results:
- Identified five key coding categories: nursing care, staff interactions, accountability, decision-making, and ethics/values.
- Highlighted issues like nursing shortages and multidisciplinary team conflicts.
- Observed varying approaches to individual and institutional accountability.
Conclusions:
- Nursing accountability is influenced by factors such as staffing levels and team dynamics.
- Understanding these influences is vital for enhancing patient care and nursing practice.
- Recognized the evolution of nursing models and value progression as significant.
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