A digital member survey confirms the draft of the professional code of conduct that has been drawn up.

Nursing in Rhineland-Palatinate has been regulating its profession independently since 2020. This is made possible by Germany's first professional code of conduct (BO). It is binding, and the rights and obligations it contains are enforceable. Overall, the BO provides information about independent and autonomous professional decision-making scope; it shows which limits must be observed and where the right or even the obligation to object exists, for example, if the security of supply is threatened. This is particularly important when conflicts arise.

Core elements confirmed

The Rhineland-Palatinate Chamber of Nursing was and is committed to involving its members in the development of the professional code of conduct. In a large-scale survey, the developed core elements of the professional regulations were presented in the summer of 2019. Members were invited to contribute their assessment via the chamber magazine, two special newsletters and Facebook: Well over 1,000 participants took advantage of this opportunity.

Overall, the results confirm the draft developed so far. The result confirms the high expectations of the members for the professional code of conduct: Many hope for help in their everyday professional life. The inclusion of the professional duties and tasks from the Heilberufsgesetz in the professional code of conduct also met with approval. And: the participating nurses clearly emphasized the importance of the international connectivity of the nursing profession and supported the orientation towards the International Council of Nurses (ICN).

"However, it also became clear in the survey that not every member is informed in detail about the practical benefits of BO, nor is every member familiar with the reserved activities," says Andrea Kuhn of the Ludwigshafen University of Applied Sciences, responsible for the conception and implementation of the survey.

Where do we go from here?

After the adoption of the professional code by the representative assembly, the Rhineland-Palatinate nursing will subject the professional code to ongoing practical testing starting in 2020. "Feedback from chamber members will ensure needs-oriented adjustments to the chamber's own professional regulations," says Andrea Bergsträßer, board member of the RLP State Chamber of Nursing and chairwoman of the AG Berufsordnung.

Source: cf. Kuhn, A. & Bergsträßer, A. (2019): Practical test from 2020. survey of professional regulations. In: Pflegekammer, No. 16, p. 13.