Learning objective

PPE learning outcome

Code of professional
conduct for nurses in
Australia
Conduct Statement 2

Professional

Learning outcome 9

responsibility

Practise safe and ethical Nurses practice in

To develop and

nursing care within a

accordance with the

understand the scope of

context of a primary

standards of the

practise a student nurse

health care framework.

profession and broader

has and the different

Learning outcome 1

health system.

staff designations and

Engage in clinical

their roles relating to

decision making that

administration of

promotes safe

scheduled medications.

professional nursing
care for individuals
across the life span and
within the perioperative
setting.

2.3 Nurses primary

responsibility is to provide
safe and competent
nursing care. Any
circumstance that may
compromise professional
standards, or any
observation of
questionable, unethical or
unlawful practice, should
be made known to an
appropriate person or
authority. If the concern is
not resolved and
continues to compromise
safe and competent care,

nurses must intervene to

safeguard the individual
and, after exhausting
internal processes, may
notify an appropriate
authority external to their
employer organisation.

Safety procedures

Learning outcome 12

Conduct Statement 2

Student nurses must

Apply the principles of

Nurses practice in

identify, practise and

work Health and Safety

accordance with the

differentiate between

(WH&S) and other

standards of the

the clean and aseptic

relevant policies in

profession and broader

technique and use

practice in a range of

health system.

accordingly.

settings.
Learning outcome 11
Evaluate nursing actions
and clinical decision
making to promote
holistic care for
individuals across the
life span and within the
perioperative setting.

2.1 Nurses are

responsible for ensuring
the standard of their
practice conforms to
professional standards
developed and agreed by
the profession, with the
object of enhancing the
safety of people in their
care as well as their
partners, family members
and other members of the
persons nominated
network. This
responsibility also applies
to the nurses colleagues.

Routes and types of

Learning outcome 3

Conduct Statement 1

To have a sound

Apply ethico-legal

Nurses practice in a safe

knowledge of the

principles and safe

and competent manner.

administration process

professional nursing

and the limitations in

care when administering

regard to 2nd year

therapeutic substances.

medications that can

be administered
according to year of
study

nursing medication
administration.

1.2 Nurses are aware that

undertaking activities not
within their scopes of
practice may compromise
the safety of persons in
their care. These scopes
of practice are based on
each nurses education,
knowledge, competency,
extent of experience and
lawful authority.

Student learning

Learning outcome 10

Conduct Statement 4

Student nurses must

Reflect upon nursing

Nurses respect the dignity,

acknowledge that

practise and identify

culture, ethnicity, values

people come from a

areas for development

and beliefs of people

variety of different

and growth of self and

receiving care and

cultures and

others.

treatment, and of their

backgrounds and their

Learning outcome 5

colleagues

beliefs should not affect

Utilise an evidence-

nursing care provided.

based approach to

Issues

assessment, planning,
implementation and
evaluation of nursing
care.

4.1 In planning and

providing effective nursing
care, nurses uphold the
standards of culturally
informed and competent
care. This includes
according due respectand
consideration to the
cultural knowledge,
values, beliefs, personal
wishes and decisions of
the persons being cared
for as well as their
partners, family members
and other members of
their nominated social
network. Nurses

acknowledge the changing

nature of families and
recognise families can be
constituted in a variety of
ways.

Privacy and

Learning outcome 4

Conduct Statement 5

Student nurses must

Apply ethico-legal

Nurses treat personal

acknowledge that any

principles when

information obtained in a

information that is

providing nursing care

professional capacity as

disclosed to them about

for individuals within the

private and confidential.

a patient is not to be

perioperative setting.

5.1 Nurses have ethical

Confidentiality

shared in social media,

and legal obligations to

peers and in

protectthe privacy of

conversation as it is

people requiring and

breeching confidentiality

receiving care. This

and can involve

encompasses treating as

deregistration from

confidential information

AHPRA.

gained in the course of the

relationship between those
persons and nurses and
restricting the use of the
information gathered for
professional purposes
only.

References
Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency - Codes and guidelines.
(2016).
Ahpra.gov.au. Retrieved 13 May 2016, from
http://www.ahpra.gov.au/Registration/Registration-Standards/codesguidelines.aspx
Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. (2008). Code of professional
conduct for nurses in Australia. Retrieved 25 April 2016, from
http://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/documents/default.aspx?
record=WD10%2F1353&dbid=AP&chksum=Ac7KxRPDt289C5Bx
%2Ff4q3Q%3D%3D