This assignment, it will discuss what accountability is, why it is important within adult nursing, looking into capacity in an analytical aspect, whilst maintaining confidentiality within the assignment. Enabling the reader to get a better understanding of capacity whilst looking at it through legal, ethical, and professional accountability. Capacity is both decision and time specific. We cannot decide what is in a persons best interests just because of their age, their looks, or how they behave. Capacity according to the NHS (2016) discusses that capacity is the ability to use and understand information to make a decision, and communicate any decision made. A person lacks capacity if their mind is impaired or disturbed in some way and this means the person is unable to make a decision at that time. If someone has to make a decision for a person because they cannot make it for themselves, they must decide what is in the best interests of that patient, get the patients family i
nvolved to understand the patients wishes and allow the patient to have some control in what they want and to listen to their needs. The NMC (2015) states accountability is the principle that individuals and organizations are responsible for their actions and may be required to explain them to others. The RCN (2016) mentions that accountability is also a part of the delegation. If you delegate a task out to a member of staff, both the registered member of staff and the member of staff being given the task must ensure that it is both appropriate and will not cause the patient any harm. Furthermore, the RCN (2016) states the importance of accountability within not just the adult field of nursing but all parts of nursing; is ensuring that we act within the best interests of our patients and about challenging our senior colleagues if they give us a task that we are not comfortable in performing confidently; ensuring that patient safety is our utmost fundament within our profession.