Code of Ethics for Nurses in Australia-Free-Samples for Students

Question: What relevance could it have for you as a Mental Health Nurse? Does it matter? What about the relevance of the consumer/carer voice regarding these issues? Answer: The biggest group of professionals in the mental health care system are the nurses. In order to give best quality care to the migrants or refuges, the nurse needs to be culturally competent (Giger 2016). According to the Code of Ethics (Code of Ethics for Nurses in Australia 2017), nurses need to be culturally competent and culturally responsive care to every person requiring or receiving nursing care. Australia is experiencing increase in the population diversity with 22 million population count (Australian Human Rights Commission, 2013) and out of them 60% are from overseas migration. The statistical analysis revealed that one out of four Australians are born overseas and 20% of the total population speak language other than English. However, whether it is immigrants or indigenous population, all of them have equal right to enjoy optimised mental health care. Indigenous population in Australian continent lacks adequate access to mental health services. In order to provide a comprehensive mental health service irrespective of the population, the following measures must be undertaken: While providing mental care to the indigenous people, a family member of the affected person must be present throughout the counselling Clinicians are requested not to have a judgemental approach while counselling these people The nursing professionals must increase the horizon of their thought process and have their own worldview Nurses are recommended to listen attentively, forbidden from applying stereotype approach, respect rights to privacy of the patient and make proper use of knowledge from interactions with the Aboriginal community on use of culturally appropriate terms. The proper implementation of these recommendations will generate sensitivity and inclusion into the mental health system and all immigrants, refugees and indigenous people will be carefully heard and provided culturally appropriate care (de Almeida Vieira and Fernandes 2016). References Code of Ethics for Nurses in Australia. (2017). [ebook] Australia: Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, p.7. Available at: https://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/Search.aspx?q=code+of+ethics [Accessed 18 Aug. 2017]. de Almeida Vieira, A.P.T. and Fernandes, A.B., 2016. Cultural competence in mental health nursing: validity and internal consistency of the Portuguese version of the multicultural mental health awareness scaleMMHAS.BMC psychiatry,16(1), p.149. Giger, J.N., 2016.Transcultural Nursing-E-Book: Assessment and Intervention. Elsevier Health Sciences.