Law for Nurses and Midwives (10^th Ed.)

Comprehensive, accessible and practical legal advice for students and practitioners

First published in 1985, Law for Nurses and Midwives continues to provide the most comprehensive and practical nursing text available to assist nurses and midwives to practise professionally and safely.

The book is designed to support the reader to apply relevant legal, ethical and regulatory principles to their day-to-day clinical practice. For example, when students are starting a surgical placement, they can find the latest practical legal advice on consent; when they are on a medical placement, they can refer to the chapter on medications.

This tenth edition is fully updated and incorporates legislative changes of all relevant practice areas in all states and territories in Australia. Ideal for students undertaking a diploma, bachelor’s or postgraduate degree, it will remain relevant throughout their careers as an invaluable reference guide that enhances the provision of safe, quality healthcare in Australia.

Key features

• Comprehensive and fully updated guide to the laws, codes and regulations that govern nursing and midwifery practice

• Includes relevant case law and hypothetical examples - shows how legal principles directly relate to daily clinical practice

• Legal, ethical and regulatory concepts introduced in an engaging way - easy to read and understand

• Includes practical considerations of ethical decision-making

• Logical sequencing and flow of information, with end-of-chapter review questions and key points boxes to support learning

• Cases and case examples throughout demonstrate concepts and application to practice

New to this edition

• Covers hot topics including voluntary assisted dying, changes to organ and tissue transplantation and donation, and updated discussion on codes of ethics and codes of conduct

• Provides the most comprehensive guide to mental health legislation of any text available for undergraduate and postgraduate nurses and midwives in Australia

• Instructor and student ancillaries including multiple-choice questions and answer guidance for chapter questions

• Content relevant to enrolled nurses

Instructor resources on Evolve:

• Case studies

• Model answers to end-of-chapter review questions

Student and Instructor resources on Evolve:

• Multiple-choice questions

• Introduction to the Law and Australia’s Legal System
• The Relationship Between Law and Ethics
• The international confederation of midwives code of ethics for midwives and the international council of nurses code of ethics for nurses

• Professional Regulation of Nurses and Midwives
• The Contract of Employment, Workplace Health and Safety, and Workers Compensation

• Consent to treatment (including the right to withhold consent, end-of-life planning, not-for-resuscitation orders, and the right to detain and restrain patients without their consent)
• Professional Negligence

• The administration of drugs
• Documentation and confidentiality of and access to patient records (including e-records, incident reporting and open disclosure)

• Mental health
• Coronial jurisdiction
• Human tissue transplantation