Legal Services For NSWNA Members
Type: Union News Subject: Legal Issues
11 November 2009
The NSWNA is on hand to provide important legal services to members.
‘Nobody begins their nursing career expecting to appear before a court or tribunal, but the reality is that many nurses do. In most cases it is not because of personal misconduct, but simply because a nurse has been witness to a critical incident in which a patient has died or been seriously injured,’ said NSWNA General Secretary Brett Holmes.
‘The NSWNA has a full-time team of legal officers who represent and help members in Coronial Inquiries, Health Care Complaints Commission Inquiries and in the NSW Nurses and Midwives Board. The NSWNA is here to help nurses when they are at their most vulnerable.’ - NSWNA General Secretary Brett Holmes.
Nurses care for people when they are at their most vulnerable, and critical incidents are as commonplace in many wards and workplaces as medication trolleys and vital signs machines. They are a part of the job. Sometimes, though, they can turn the vulnerability stakes around, and nurses can find themselves thrown into an unfamiliar world of lawyers, tribunals and judges.
‘The NSWNA has a full-time team of legal officers who represent and help members in Coronial Inquiries, Health Care Complaints Commission Inquiries and in the NSW Nurses and Midwives Board. The NSWNA is here to help nurses when they are at their most vulnerable,’ said Brett.
NSWNA legal officers guide hundreds of nurses through unfamiliar legal terrain, but for every nurse who finds themselves in the uncomfortable chair of a court room, there are many more who attend seminars or access the Association’s other, less visible legal services. Every time a nurse or midwife needs advice or clarification about an issue, there is somebody at the NSWNA who can provide answers and advice.
‘Members are always coming to us with valid questions about their legal and professional concerns, like whether or not it is acceptable to receive money from a grateful patient, or what they should do if they suspect a senior nurse or doctor has done something wrong, or failed to do something that the member thinks is important,’ said Brett.
The NSWNA believes prevention is the best cure, which is why the Association organises dozens of seminars and conferences each year on legal and professional issues and co-produces resources and videos to educate nurses about the law. Members can find information about legal seminars in The Lamp, or on the Association’s website. In the coming months, the NSWNA will also be releasing and promoting a new video series, Law for Nurses and Midwives, which will be an additional educational tool for Australian nurses.
Law for Nurses and Midwives
The NSWNA is producing Law for Nurses and Midwives in conjunction with Patricia Staunton. The series will comprise seven chapters across five DVDs, and will explore and explain the Australian legal system, professional negligence, standards of care, compensation, professional misconduct, patient record taking and the importance of communication.
In addition to Patricia Staunton’s contributions, the series will also include insights from Joan Englert, who was President of the NSW Nurses and Midwives Board from 1990 to 2004, lawyer and barrister Yvonne Grant, and Bret Walker SC, who was President of the NSW Bar Association between 2001 and 2003 and is one of Australia’s leading barristers.
Join the NSW Nurses' Association
If you're a nurse in NSW, then this is your union.
Nurses must have a strong, active & relevant union to ensure ongoing improvements in their working lives.
Features and Updates
National Registration Info Package
Essential information for Nurses and Midwives on National Registration to download more »
HNEAHS 'Balanced Rosters' Study
Download the Hunter New England Area Health Service 'Balancing The Needs' final report here, plus all you need to know about the study. more »
Union Shopper - NSW directory of services, 2010
An online real view brochure of what Union Shopper has on offer in 2010. more »
NSWNA Notice Boards
Has your workplace got one? more »
New NSWNA Merchandise Now Available
Download the Information and Order Form
more »
Reasonable Workloads Guide
Find out more more »
2010 NSWNA Recruitment Incentive Scheme
Get a $20 gift card for every new member you sign up.
more »
