Provision 3
The nurse establishes a trusting relationship and advocates for the rights, health, and safety of recipient(s) of nursing care.
3.5 Protection of Patient Health and Safety by Acting on Impaired Practice
Nurses protect the patient, the public, and the profession from potential harm when practice appears to be impaired. Nurses extend compassion and caring to a colleague whose job performance may be adversely affected by mental or physical states, fatigue, substance misuse, or personal circumstances. Nurses in all roles should be knowledgeable about the risks and signs of impaired practice and are responsible for identifying and reporting signs of impairment. Nurses who report those whose job performance creates risk are acting in an ethically appropriate manner and should be protected from retaliation (e.g., exclusion, harassment, or bullying), reprisal (e.g., unfavorable personnel action), or other negative consequences. Nurses support remediation, recovery, and restoration to nursing practice, when possible. Care ought to be taken in identifying any impairment in one’s own practice and in seeking immediate assistance.
To protect patients, nurses follow policies of the employing organization and should be aware of guidelines outlined by the profession and relevant laws. Nurses in leadership roles should identify legal structures for intervention programs to assist nurses whose practice may be impaired. If workplace policies for the protection of impaired nurses do not exist or are inappropriate nurses may obtain guidance from professional associations, state peer assistance programs, employee assistance programs, or similar resources.