Vital Notes on Accountability is a concise, accessible guide which provides students and newly qualified staff with an understanding of key issues in professional practice. Nurses are accountable for their own practice and require a thorough understanding of their core responsibilities which underpin everyday practice in the health service today.

This introductory text in the ‘Vital Notes for Nurses’ series sets out a framework for accountability which consists of four ‘pillars’ - legal, ethical, employment and professional accountability - against which clinical issues can be considered.

* Presents legal, ethical, employment and professional issues in an accessible way
* Explores accountability, professional regulation, sources of funding and treatment in the health service
* Examines complaints, human rights, negligence, consent, and confidentiality
* Explores further applications in accountability
* Each chapter includes learning objectives, scenarios and case studies

Helen Caulfield is a Solicitor and Policy Advisor at the RCN. She is a member of the Law Society Personal Injury Panel and a leading expert on regulation and health law effecting nursing.