The Australian & Midwifery Council defines professional boundaries as limits which separate the therapeutic behaviour that could reduce the benefit of nursing care to patients, families and communities. The nurse need to be aware of the boundaries when providing therapeutic cares which is consumer centred to clients. When a therapeutic relationship is moved to establish into a friendship or social relationship then the professional boundaries are transgression. The relationship can turn into non-therapeutic and potentially harmful to both the nurse and client (Ruth,Katie&Debra, 2009).
A boundary creates a sense of legitimate control in a relationship, where the nurse is responsible to set and maintain personal and professional boundaries by allowing safe therapeutic connection with clients. In this case, the nurse has breached the professional boundaries. This violate of Code of Ethics – Value Statement 1 and 2 –Nurses value quality nursing care for all people and nurses value respect and kindness for self and others. The value statement states the standard of nursing care, value, respect for self and others with moral worth, dignity of oneself and others.The nurse established a non-professional relationship, by remuneration, behaviour that not promoting effective professional relationship and practice. The nurse self-disclose personal information which is inappropriate, non-therapeutical, and not beneficial and best interest of the patient.
The nurse was not able to maintain her limitation, by developing personal qualities that promote in effectives of professional relationship and practice. The nurse has breached potential boundary violation by excessive self-disclosure, fostering a non-therapeutic relationship, and spending inappropriate amount of time with Karen who is not her patient.The nurse felt the need to tell her own story and did not consider the usefulness of this to Karen. The nurse lost her focus and added to the burden of overwhelmed Karen.
The nurse has failed to respect, acknowledging the knowledge, experiences, expertise and insight of her colleagues who are involved in Karen’s care. The nurse failed to take into account the informed views, feelings, preferences and attitudes of the colleagues. References: Elder, R Evans, K & Nizette D (eds) 2009, Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 2nd edn, Elsevier Mosby, Sydney, pg 76-79Australian Nursing & Midwifery Council 2010, 'A nurse's guide to professional boundaries', ANMC, viewed 27 July, ;lt;http://www. nursingmidwiferyboard. gov. au/documents/default.
aspx? record=WD10%2f1347;amp;dbid=AP;amp;chksum=bes7sYtZAWnmggO%2fzV0uBQ%3d%3d;gt;. Australian Nursing ;amp; Midwifery Council 2002, 'Code of ethics for nurses in Australia', ANMC, viewed 27 July, ;lt;http://www. nursingmidwiferyboard. gov. au/documents/default.
aspx? record=WD10%2f1352;amp;dbid=AP;amp;chksum=GTNolhwLC8InBn7hiEFeag%3d%3d;gt;.
