Boundaries of Professional Practice 

Background

There are a number of areas of potential overlap between nurses' and midwives' professional and personal relationships.  Examples may include self-disclosure, personal intimacy, and financial transactions, while relationships with former patients or clients is an area which may pose particular difficulties.  It is considered that guidelines developed in consultation with members of the professions, across a range of practice settings, will be meaningful to nurses and midwives in fulfilling their professional responsibilities and maintaining the trust and integrity inherent in a professional relationship.

In May 1998, the Board invited tenders for a project to develop regarding the boundaries of professional practice.Applications were evaluated with a view to selecting a consultant to undertake this project on behalf of the Nurses Registration Board. The successful tender was submitted by a team from the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Newcastle, under the leadership of Professor Margaret McMillan. The project was completed in July 1999.