Awareness and observation of patients’ rights from the perspective of patients and nurses

Abstract

People have some rights to use it for living, patients are people and they should be aware of their rights. The purpose of this study was to determine the level of awareness and observation of patients’ rights and the factors affecting it from the perspective of the patients and nurses among all hospitalized patients and the nurses working at Bohlool hospital in Gonabad city. 100 patients and 100 nurses were selected as the statistical sample. Data were collected using the patients' rights questionnaire of bokai. The priority of the patients’ rights were as the followings: respect to patient privacy and secrecy principle (96% Moderate and Good), receiving desirable health services (92% Moderate and Good), access to an efficient complaints system (90% Moderate and Good), patient’s access to appropriate and adequate information (91% Moderate and Good), and the right to making choice and decision freely for the patients (76% Moderate and Good) in receiving hospital services, respectively. Also, there was a relationship between the level of awareness and observance of patients rights with demographic variables among the nurses. The results of the research showed that the lack of the patients’ awareness from their health and treatment rights and the enforcement lack of patients’ rights charter by the health and medical personnel can endanger health, life and safety of the patients. Therefore, the awareness and observance of these rights seemed necessary.