Unit of competency Outline

Date retreived
23/07/2026 9:19 PM 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
HLTENN008
State Code
AWA09
TGA Status
Replaced
DTWD Status
Replaced
Current Release Number
1.00
Current Release Date
08/12/2015
View on TGA
State Implementation and Classification
Approved Date
22/06/2016
Field of Education
060399 - Nursing, N.e.c.
Original Release Date
22/06/2016
Nominal Hours
30
Description
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to within work 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 regulatory authority legislative requirements. The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State/Territory legislation, Australian New Zealand standards and industry codes of practice.
Notes
Elements and Performance Criteria
1. Perform within scope of professional nursing practice.
  • 1.1 Identify legal and regulatory requirements including Acts and guidelines, and explain how these requirements impact own nursing practice.
  • 1.2 Comply with requirements of current legislation related to nursing practice and identify implications of non-compliance.
  • 1.3 Apply codes of ethics, codes of conduct and the content of enrolled nurse competency standards for practice in own nursing practice.
  • 1.4 Function within the scope of jurisdictional requirements for enrolled nurse practice.
  • 1.5 Respond to each person in accordance with organisation policy and procedures, including responding appropriately and sensitively to complaints.
  • 1.6 Refer outside requests for a person’s information to a registered nurse.
  • 1.7 Complete all documentation in accordance with State/Territory legislation and organisation policy and procedures.
  • 1.8 Monitor own compliance with legal obligations and requirements.
2. Apply knowledge of the legal framework to nursing practice.
  • 2.1 Demonstrate knowledge of relevant law, including legal processes, principles and penalties in own nursing practice.
  • 2.2 Accurately apply concepts of negligence, duty of care and vicarious liability to professional practice as an enrolled nurse.
  • 2.3 Obtain required consent to treatment from each person before undertaking treatment or processes.
  • 2.4 Apply principles of restraint appropriately, demonstrating the correct intent and application of restraint.
  • 2.5 Use correct common legal terms associated with nursing practice, and correctly interpret their meaning and implications for nursing practice.
  • 2.6 Apply legal requirements and organisation expectations and requirements in writing reports in own nursing practice.
  • 2.7 Apply mandatory reporting processes in line with jurisdictional requirements.
  • 2.8 Observe the person’s privacy and confidentiality requirements in accordance with legislative requirements and organisation policy and procedures.
  • 2.9 Interpret referrals or requests for tests on receipt, ensuring the nature and requirements of tests are correctly identified, and seek clarification where required.
3. Apply ethical concepts to clinical practice.
  • 3.1 Identify and describe the concept of ethics and its place in nursing practice.
  • 3.2 Demonstrate ethical practice in own interactions with the person and their family or carers and colleagues.
  • 3.3 Maintain own awareness of 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 organisation 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 and their family.
  • 4.1 Comply with legal responsibilities and duty of care requirements in all care activities and other interactions with the person, their family and carer.
  • 4.2 Support the person’s rights, interests and decisions.
  • 4.3 Encourage the person to exercise their right to make informed decisions about their care.
  • 4.4 Demonstrate respect and support for the dignity of the person and their family members.
  • 4.5 Advocate for the person, their family or carer in accordance with jurisdictional enrolled nurse scope of practice.
5. Apply open disclosure processes.
  • 5.1 Research and reflect on the practice of open disclosure and how it applies to own role as an enrolled nurse.
  • 5.2 Apply the principles and processes of open disclosure in own work in a health care environment.
  • 5.3 Identify the roles of other health care workers in relation to open disclosure.
No information
No information
Replaces
State Code National Code Title Type
D8214 HLTEN509B Apply legal and ethical parameters to nursing practice Unit of competency
Replaced By
State Code National Code Title Type
ODI36 HLTENN041 Apply legal and ethical parameters to nursing practice Unit of competency
State Code National Code Title Type
AYZ3 HLT54115 Diploma of Nursing Qualification