Legal implications of task rearrangement for nurses in the Netherlands.
The central question in this article concerns the implications of developments in the rearrangement of tasks in health care, particularly for nurses in terms of their duties and responsibilities. Attention is focused on the transfer of medical tasks from physicians to nurses. An investigation was carried out on the impact of the rearrangement of tasks from the perspective of health care law on the legal framework of the nursing profession. From case law it can be concluded that a number of specific conditions have to be met, such as mentoring, supervision and audit, orders and instructions, clear agreement about task allocation, comparing information, and making certain that the person who is given the instruction is sufficiently competent and experienced to carry it out. Although the rearrangement of tasks fits into the existing legal framework, changes in the health professions have to be met more flexibly.
de Bijl
Nicole P Y M
NP
Maastricht University, Department of Health Law, PO Box 616, 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands. N.debijl@zw.unimaas.nl
D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D008008:Licensure, Nursing / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D009426:Netherlands; D024802:Nurse's Role; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D032024:Personnel Delegation / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019555:Physician-Nurse Relations; D017009:Professional Autonomy; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D017749:Total Quality Management / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence