Conflict of interest occurs when the needs and interests of an individual supersedes the needs and interests of another (Canadian Nurses Association, 2008; Gardner, 2010).
Expanding Scopes of Practice
Expanding scopes of practices or working to full scope has been causing a great deal of tension among healthcare professionals who are unwilling to change or delegate to other support personnel. For instance, some physicians do not support nurses trespassing on their turf (Gardner, 2010). Roles and procedures once deemed as physician only, nurses are now performing such as prescribing medication. Yet, other physicians see expanding scope for nurse as an opportunity to unload some of their more repetitive tasks to nurses (Pearcey, 2008).
There is a great variety of roles within healthcare disciplines. Do you support expanding scopes of practice related to your discipline – why or why not?
Role Model
Clinical nurse educators, whether in a staff development role or as a faculty team member, should act as role models. As a clinical instructor, the teacher is accountable to work within the university requirements and restrictions of their teaching contract. On occasion, part-time faculty may teach nursing students on the unit where they are employed.
Clinical nurse educators, whether in a staff development role or as a faculty team member, should act as role models. As a clinical instructor, the teacher is accountable to work within the university requirements and restrictions of their teaching contract. On occasion, part-time faculty may teach nursing students on the unit where they are employed.
Is it a conflict of interest for colleagues from the unit to ask the instructor to assist during a particularly busy day? Has this happened to you or someone you know during a clinical rotation?
