Unit of competency Outline
Date retreived
22/07/2026 8:21 AM AWST
22/07/2026 8:21 AM AWST
Whilst all efforts are made to provide accurate and timely information from the relevant source/documentation, please be aware that the information supplied may not be the most current version. The accuracy of the detail has not been confirmed by the Department and therefore should not be relied upon without first confirming the contents.
Apply legal and ethical parameters to nursing practice
Apply legal and ethical parameters to nursing practice
Unit of competency
National Code
HLTEN509B
HLTEN509B
State Code
D8214
D8214
TGA Status
Replaced
Replaced
DTWD Status
Replaced
Replaced
State Implementation and Classification
Approved Date
24/08/2012
Field of Education
060399 - Nursing, N.e.c.
Original Release Date
24/08/2012
Nominal Hours
30
Description
DescriptorThis unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required for an Enrolled/Division 2 nurse to perform within the legal and ethical parameters of professional practice, supporting client rights and meeting duty of care requirements
Notes
Elements and Performance Criteria
1. Perform within legal and ethical parameters of professional nursing practice
- 1.1 Apply a clear understanding of legal and regulatory acts/guidelines as they impact on nursing practice
- 1.2 Address the implications of current legislation as incorporated into nursing practice
- 1.3 Apply codes of ethics, code of conduct and Enrolled/Division 2 nursing competency standards in nursing practice
- 1.4 Function within the scope of jurisdictional Enrolled/Division 2 nurse practice
- 1.5 Handle client complaints sensitively and in line with organisation policies and procedures
- 1.6 Refer all requests for client information to a registered nurse as per state/territory legislation and organisation policies and procedures
2. Apply an understanding of the legal framework
- 2.1 Work with an understanding of how the law operates in relation to nursing practice with regard to legal processes, principle and penalties
- 2.2 Accurately apply concepts of negligence, duty of care and vicarious liability to professional practice as an Enrolled/Division 2 nurse
- 2.3 Apply a clear understanding of the requirement to obtain consent to treatment
- 2.4 Apply principles of restraint appropriately, with a clear understanding of their intent and use
- 2.5 Use common legal terms associated with nursing practice with a clear understanding of their meaning and implications for nursing practice
- 2.6 Apply the legal requirements and expectations in relation to report writing in nursing practice
- 2.7 Apply mandatory reporting processes in line with jurisdictional requirements
- 2.8 Apply client privacy and confidentiality practices in line with legislative requirements and organisation policies and procedures
- 2.9 When referral or request for test is received, ensure nature and requirements of test are correctly identified
3. Apply ethical concepts to clinical practice
- 3.1 Work with a clear understanding of the concept of ethics and its place in nursing practice
- 3.2 Demonstrate ethical practice in all interactions with clients, relatives and carers and colleagues
- 3.3 Identify, document and report any potential ethical issues as and if they arise
- 3.4 Maintain an awareness of contemporary ethical issues that may impact on nursing practice
- 3.5 Develop and implement strategies to resolve ethical issues within practice
- 3.6 Take responsibility for addressing ethical issues and legal requirements in line with own nursing role
- 3.7 Complete all documentation in accordance with state/territory legislation and organisation policies and procedures
- 3.8 Monitor compliance with legal obligations and requirements
4. Support the rights, interests and needs of clients and their families
- 4.1 Comply with legal responsibilities and duty of care in all care activities and interactions with clients and their families and carers
- 4.2 Support client rights, interests and decisions
- 4.3 Encourage the client to exercise their rights to make informed decisions regarding their care
- 4.4 Demonstrate respect and support for the dignity of clients and their families
- 4.5 Act as an advocate for client and family in line with jurisdictional Enrolled/Division 2 nurse scope of practice
5. Apply open disclosure processes
- 5.1 Work with an understanding of the principles and processes of open disclosure in a health care environment
- 5.2 Work with an understanding of the role of open disclosure within own role as an Enrolled/Division 2 Nurse
- 5.3 Work with an understanding of the roles of other health care workers in relation to open disclosure
RANGE STATEMENT
The Range Statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Add any essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts.
Clients may include:
Child
Adolescent
Adult
Older adult
Professional colleagues
Visitors
Health practice settings may include but is not limited to:
Aged care
Respite centres
Short stay centre
Long stay centre
Community setting
Medical clinic
Acute hospitals
Private hospitals
Public hospitals
Rural/remote settings
Legal and regulatory frameworks which may include:
National/state Acts of Parliament with impact on nursing practice e.g.. Nurses Acts, Mental Health Act, Drugs and Poisons Act/s.
Privacy legislation
Equal employment legislation
Occupational health and safety Act/Regulations
Statutory nurse regulatory authorities regulations
Freedom of information Act
Disability Services Act
Antidiscrimination legislation
Criminal Acts
Regulatory bodies may include:
Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council (ANMC)
State or territory nurse regulatory authority
Professional standards of practice include:
ANMC code of conduct
ANMC code of ethics
ANMC national Enrolled/Division 2 nurse competency standards
State/territory Nurse Regulatory Nurses Act
State/territory Nursing and Midwifery Regulatory Authority standards of practice
Scope of nursing practice decision making framework
Residential Aged Care Service Standards
Management of client information includes:
Legal documentation
Computerised records
Freedom of Information legislation
Privacy Act
Confidentiality
Common legal terms associated with nursing practice must include:
Common law
Statute law
Civil law
Negligence
Duty of care
Vicarious liability
Consent
Restraint
Confidentiality
Assault and battery
Defendant
Plaintiff
Doctrine of precedent
Legislation
Regulation
Harassment
Expert witness
Negligence and duty of care must include:
Damages
Foreseeability
Breach of duty of care
Omissions
Acts
Reasonable
Standard
Issues of life and death may include:
Refusal and withdrawal of treatment
Power of attorney
Guardianship
Living wills and advanced directives
Not for resuscitation orders
Clients rights in health care may include:
Access to healthcare
Confidentiality
Dignity
Respect
Discussion of ethical issues may include but not be limited to:
Abortion
Tissue transplantation
Reproductive technology
Organ donation
Euthanasia and assisted suicide
Restraint
Open disclosure
Mandatory reporting
Quality of life
Conscientious objection
Child abuse
Consent
Artificially prolonging life
Refusal of treatment
Stem cell research
"Not for resuscitation" orders
Cultural and religious issues
Documentation and report writing requirements may include:
Legible/date/time and sign (print name)
Written in black or blue ink
Approved abbreviations
Concise, accurate, relevant, contemporary
Correct spelling and chronological
Errors line through not erased, write error and initial
No spaces between entries
Objective data not subjective data
Confidentiality
Models of documentation
The Range Statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Add any essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts.
Clients may include:
Child
Adolescent
Adult
Older adult
Professional colleagues
Visitors
Health practice settings may include but is not limited to:
Aged care
Respite centres
Short stay centre
Long stay centre
Community setting
Medical clinic
Acute hospitals
Private hospitals
Public hospitals
Rural/remote settings
Legal and regulatory frameworks which may include:
National/state Acts of Parliament with impact on nursing practice e.g.. Nurses Acts, Mental Health Act, Drugs and Poisons Act/s.
Privacy legislation
Equal employment legislation
Occupational health and safety Act/Regulations
Statutory nurse regulatory authorities regulations
Freedom of information Act
Disability Services Act
Antidiscrimination legislation
Criminal Acts
Regulatory bodies may include:
Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council (ANMC)
State or territory nurse regulatory authority
Professional standards of practice include:
ANMC code of conduct
ANMC code of ethics
ANMC national Enrolled/Division 2 nurse competency standards
State/territory Nurse Regulatory Nurses Act
State/territory Nursing and Midwifery Regulatory Authority standards of practice
Scope of nursing practice decision making framework
Residential Aged Care Service Standards
Management of client information includes:
Legal documentation
Computerised records
Freedom of Information legislation
Privacy Act
Confidentiality
Common legal terms associated with nursing practice must include:
Common law
Statute law
Civil law
Negligence
Duty of care
Vicarious liability
Consent
Restraint
Confidentiality
Assault and battery
Defendant
Plaintiff
Doctrine of precedent
Legislation
Regulation
Harassment
Expert witness
Negligence and duty of care must include:
Damages
Foreseeability
Breach of duty of care
Omissions
Acts
Reasonable
Standard
Issues of life and death may include:
Refusal and withdrawal of treatment
Power of attorney
Guardianship
Living wills and advanced directives
Not for resuscitation orders
Clients rights in health care may include:
Access to healthcare
Confidentiality
Dignity
Respect
Discussion of ethical issues may include but not be limited to:
Abortion
Tissue transplantation
Reproductive technology
Organ donation
Euthanasia and assisted suicide
Restraint
Open disclosure
Mandatory reporting
Quality of life
Conscientious objection
Child abuse
Consent
Artificially prolonging life
Refusal of treatment
Stem cell research
"Not for resuscitation" orders
Cultural and religious issues
Documentation and report writing requirements may include:
Legible/date/time and sign (print name)
Written in black or blue ink
Approved abbreviations
Concise, accurate, relevant, contemporary
Correct spelling and chronological
Errors line through not erased, write error and initial
No spaces between entries
Objective data not subjective data
Confidentiality
Models of documentation
EVIDENCE GUIDE
The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the Performance Criteria, Required Skills and Knowledge, the Range Statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package.
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate this competency unit:
The individual being assessed must provide evidence of specified essential knowledge as well as skills
Observation of performance in a work context is essential for assessment of this unit
Consistency of performance should be demonstrated over the required range of workplace situations and should occur on more than one occasion and be assessed by a registered nurse
Context of and specific resources for assessment:
This unit is most appropriately assessed in the clinical workplace or in a simulated clinical work environment and under the normal range of clinical environment conditions
Where, for reasons of safety, access to equipment and resources and space, assessment takes place away from the workplace, simulations should be used to represent workplace conditions as closely as possible
Method of assessment
Observation in the workplace
Written assignments/projects
Case study and scenario as a basis for discussion of issues and strategies to contribute to best practice
Questioning verbal and written
Role play
Simulation - access to simulation clinical setting/environment (laboratory)
Access and equity considerations:
All workers in the health industry should be aware of access and equity issues in relation to their own area of work
All workers should develop their ability to work in a culturally diverse environment
In recognition of particular health issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, workers should be aware of cultural, historical and current issues impacting on health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
Assessors and trainers must take into account relevant access and equity issues, in particular relating to factors impacting on health of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients and communities
The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the Performance Criteria, Required Skills and Knowledge, the Range Statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package.
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate this competency unit:
The individual being assessed must provide evidence of specified essential knowledge as well as skills
Observation of performance in a work context is essential for assessment of this unit
Consistency of performance should be demonstrated over the required range of workplace situations and should occur on more than one occasion and be assessed by a registered nurse
Context of and specific resources for assessment:
This unit is most appropriately assessed in the clinical workplace or in a simulated clinical work environment and under the normal range of clinical environment conditions
Where, for reasons of safety, access to equipment and resources and space, assessment takes place away from the workplace, simulations should be used to represent workplace conditions as closely as possible
Method of assessment
Observation in the workplace
Written assignments/projects
Case study and scenario as a basis for discussion of issues and strategies to contribute to best practice
Questioning verbal and written
Role play
Simulation - access to simulation clinical setting/environment (laboratory)
Access and equity considerations:
All workers in the health industry should be aware of access and equity issues in relation to their own area of work
All workers should develop their ability to work in a culturally diverse environment
In recognition of particular health issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, workers should be aware of cultural, historical and current issues impacting on health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
Assessors and trainers must take into account relevant access and equity issues, in particular relating to factors impacting on health of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients and communities
Replaces
| State Code | National Code | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| C9220 | HLTEN509A | Apply legal and ethical parameters to nursing practice | Unit of competency |
Replaced By
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| D096 | HLT51607 | Diploma of Nursing (Enrolled/Division 2 nursing) | Qualification |
| J108 | HLT51612 | Diploma of Nursing (Enrolled-Division 2 nursing) | Qualification |