Unit of competency Outline

Date retreived
22/07/2026 9:57 AM AWST

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Apply legal and ethical parameters to nursing practice

Apply legal and ethical parameters to nursing practice

Unit of competency
National Code
HLTENN041
State Code
ODI36
TGA Status
Current
DTWD Status
Approved
Current Release Number
3.00
Current Release Date
07/12/2021
View on TGA
State Implementation and Classification
Approved Date
29/10/2021
Field of Education
060399 - Nursing, N.e.c.
Original Release Date
29/10/2021
Nominal Hours
50
Description
This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to work within legal and ethical parameters in professional nursing practice, including supporting rights and meeting duty of care requirements.This unit applies to enrolled nursing work carried out in consultation and collaboration with registered nurses, and under supervisory arrangements aligned to the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) regulatory authority legislative requirements.The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State/Territory legislation, Australian Standards and industry codes of practice.No occupational licensing, certification or specific legislative requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.
Notes
Elements and Performance Criteria
1. Practise within scope of professional nursing practice.
  • 1.1. Identify legislative requirements relevant to professional nursing practice and explain how these requirements impact own nursing practice.
  • 1.2. Comply with requirements of legislation related to nursing practice and identify implications of non-compliance.
  • 1.3. Apply codes of ethics, codes of conduct and the enrolled nurse standards for practice.
  • 1.4. Function within scope of jurisdictional requirements for enrolled nurse professional nursing practice.
  • 1.5. Respond to each person in accordance with organisational policies and procedures, including responding appropriately and sensitively to complaints.
  • 1.6. Complete documentation in accordance with State/Territory legislation and organisational policies and procedures.
  • 1.7. Monitor and record compliance with legal obligations and requirements.
2. Apply legal framework to nursing practice.
  • 2.1. Apply concepts of negligence, duty of care and vicarious liability to professional practice as an enrolled nurse.
  • 2.2. Obtain consent before undertaking treatment and procedures.
  • 2.3. Apply principles of restraint including correct intent and application of restraint.
  • 2.4. Use and interpret common legal terms associated with nursing practice.
  • 2.5. Write nursing practice reports according to legal requirements and organisational expectations and requirements.
  • 2.6. Observe privacy and confidentiality requirements in accordance with legislative requirements and organisational policies and procedures.
3. Apply ethical concepts to clinical practice.
  • 3.1. Identify and describe ethics and its place in nursing practice.
  • 3.2. Apply ethical practice in own interactions with the person, families or carers and colleagues.
  • 3.3. Identify contemporary ethical issues and potential conflicts of interest that may impact nursing practice.
  • 3.4. Identify, document and report potential ethical issues in accordance with organisational policies and procedures.
  • 3.5. Develop and implement strategies to resolve ethical issues within own nursing practice in accordance with role parameters.
4. Support the rights, interests and needs of the person, families and carers.
  • 4.1. Comply with legal responsibilities and duty of care requirements in care activities and interactions with the person, families and carers.
  • 4.2. Encourage person to exercise their right to make informed decisions about their care.
  • 4.3. Demonstrate respect and support for dignity of the person, families and carers.
  • 4.4. Advocate for the person, families and carers in accordance with jurisdictional enrolled nurse scope of practice.
5. Apply open disclosure processes.
  • 5.1. Reflect on and apply the principles and processes of open disclosure in own work in a health care environment.
  • 5.2. Identify the roles of other health care workers in relation to open disclosure.
No information
No information
Replaces
State Code National Code Title Type
AWA09 HLTENN008 Apply legal and ethical parameters to nursing practice Unit of competency
State Code National Code Title Type
BGW5 HLT54121 Diploma of Nursing Qualification