Are you taking your nursing license for granted? Have you thought much about your practice lately? If you are required to document, do you think your documentation requirements are just busy work with no real value to you or anyone else? Have you reflected lately on why you practice as you do? Would you feel comfortable if a nurse like you were caring for your most significant other? Are you blaming your inability to get your work done on managed care – as you have too much to do? If a jury reviewed your practice would you be found innocent of all clinical or administrative charges alleged against you? Are you accepting only assignments that you could reasonably be expected to complete each day in a quality way? If you have duties of assignment, could you stand successfully against allegations of assigning an unqualified, poorly prepared and oriented staff member who has been accused of providing substandard care? Do you utilize the plan of care process properly each and every time you give, assign, or supervise care? If you supervise are you really evaluating quality in every aspect of your supervision? Have you thought about your clinical and/or administrative responsibility adequately when you have had responsibility to assess and reassess a patient? Did you and/or those assigned revise the care to be in line with the reassessment? Can you prove it? Are you doing your part to maintain a safe environment for your patient/clients, visitors and/or staff? Etc. etc…if not, you could lose your license to practice.
To be sure you are on the right clinical and/or administrative track:
 | Check out the determinants for findings of unprofessional conduct in your state |
| Review the standards of practice in your state’s practice act |
| Reorient yourself to all your agency’s policies and procedures to be sure that you are safely practicing. |
| Present yourself professionally in every encounter – from dress, to practice, in communication, to role modeling. |
| Be of good professional conduct and character. |
| Follow your state’s mandated standards of practice each and every time. |
| Recording Clinical Actions |
| Legal and Documentation Issues |
| Legalities of Documentation |
© 1999 Dr. Gloria Jo Floyd / 23640 Scenic Loop Road, Bldg. #2 / San Antonio, TX 78255
