Each registered nurse, midwife and health visitor shall act, at all times, in such a manner as to:
- safeguard and promote the interests of individual patients and clients;
- serve the interests of society;
- justify public trust and confidence and
- uphold and enhance the good standing and reputation of the professions.
As a registered nurse, midwife or health visitor, you are personally accountable for your practice and, in the exercise of your professional accountability, must:
1. act always in such a manner as to promote and safeguard the
interests and well-being of patients and clients;
2. ensure that no action or omission on your part, or within
your sphere of responsibility, is detrimental to the interests,
condition or safety of patients and clients;
3. maintain and improve your professional knowledge and
competence;
4. acknowledge any limitations in your knowledge and
competence and decline any duties or responsibilities unless able
to perform them in safe and skilled manner;
5. work in an open and co-operative manner with patients,
clients and their families, foster their independence and
recognise and respect their involvement in the planning and
delivery of care;
6. work in a collaborative and co-operative manner with health
care professionals and others involved in providing care, and
recognise and respect their particular contributions within the
care team;
7. recognise and respect the uniqueness and dignity of each
patient and client, and respond to their need for care,
irrespective of their ethnic origin, religious beliefs, personal
attributes, the nature of their health problems or any other
factor;
8. report to an appropriate person or authority, at least the
earliest possible time, any conscientious objection which may be
relevant to your professional practice;
9. avoid any abuse of your privileged relationships with
patients and clients and of the privileged access allowed to
their person, property, residence or workplace;
10. protect all confidential information concerning patients
and clients obtained in the course of professional practice and
make disclosures only with consent, where required by the order
of a court or where you can justify disclosure in the wider
public interest;
11. report to an appropriate person or authority, having
regard to the physical, psychological and social effects on
patients and clients, any circumstances in the environment of
care which could jeopardise standards of practice;
12. report to an appropriate person or authority any
circumstances in which safe and appropriate care for patients and
clients cannot be provided;
13. report to an appropriate person or authority where it
appears that the health or safety of colleagues is at risk, as
such circumstances may compromise standards of practice are care;
14. assist professional colleagues, in the context of your own
knowledge, experience and sphere of responsibility, to develop
their professional competence and assist others in the care team,
including informal carers, to contribute safely and to a degree
appropriate to their roles;
15. refuse any gift, favour or hospitality from patents or
clients currently in your care which might be interpreted as
seeking to exert influence to obtain preferential consideration
and
16. ensure that your registration status is not used in the promotion of commercial products or services, declare any financial or other interests in relevant organisations providing such goods or services and ensure that your professional judgement is not influenced by any commercial considerations.
Notice to all Registered Nurses
Midwives and Health Visitors
The Code of Professional Conduct for the Nurse, Midwife and Health Visitor is issued to all registered nurses, midwives and health visitors by the United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting. The Council is the regulatory body responsible for the standards of theses professions and it requires members of the professions to practise and conduct themselves within the standards and framework provided by the Code.
The Council’s Code is kept under review and any recommendations for change and improvement would be welcomed and should be addressed to the:
Chief Executive/Registrar
United Kingdom Central Council
for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting
23 Portland Place
London
W1N 4JT
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