As outlined below Nursing Council is currently consulting on the new Code of Conduct. 
Board member Nicola Russell will be collating feedback from members.  
Please comment directly via the College forum (make sure you sign into members
area first) or email responses with the subject line "Code of Conduct feedback" 
to the College office at admin@nurse.org.nz

PLEASE PROVIDE ALL FEEBACK BY 31 JANUARY 2012.

Dear colleagues

Draft Code of Conduct for consultation

The Council is undertaking a major review of how it sets standards of ethical conduct for nurses and ensures the ethical fitness of the nursing workforce to protect the public.    The Council will be consulting on the new Code of Conduct with nurses, employers and the public until 24 February 2012.  Click here to download the draft Code and consultation documents from our website.  The Council will finalise the Code following feedback in April 2012.  It will be widely distributed to nurses, employers and nurse educators. 

The Council views the new draft Code as one part of a strategy to provide more guidance to nurses on appropriate professional behaviour.  The Council has recently consulted on Draft Guidelines: professional boundaries which provide more detailed advice on appropriate relationships with health consumers.  In addition the Council will be working with educators and professional organisations to develop more detailed guidance on social media and a guideline on conduct for student nurses.

The Council will be requiring all nurses to complete professional development on professional boundaries and the Code of Conduct when these documents are finalised as part of the continuing competence requirements.

The Council believes that nurses have a key role in ensuring public safety because nurses have professional values and standards of behaviour which they apply in their every day practice.  The development of ethical comportment and professional identity and character are important components of undergraduate programmes.  Education standards will be reviewed to support and prioritise the development of ethical comportment in student nurses. Programmes for overseas nurses will have a greater requirement to develop their understanding of professional conduct in the New Zealand context.  The Council also intends to review the registered nurse competencies to align these with the new Code. 

Regards

Carolyn ReedChief Executive/Registrar