Accountability--its implications for theatre nurses.

The United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting (UKCC), in its revised Code of Professional Conduct (June 1992) states that, 'As a registered nurse ... you are personally accountable for your practice', and goes on to identify sixteen clauses which define how we are now obliged to exercise that accountability. The inclusion of the word 'personally' in the revised text places the responsibility for professional development and standards of care firmly in the hands of the individual practitioner. The aim of this paper is to explore the relevance of professional accountability to the nurse practitioner in the operating department, and how the care she gives, the skills she uses and her relationships with other members of the theatre team, are affected by its implications.