Question about patients' rights.

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I was reading the thread about the nurse allegedly hurting a patient, and was thinking about the topic. Instead of hijacking that thread, I thought I'd ask you all a theoretical question:

If a person doesn't know that they have rights, then do they actually have them?

I have my own opinion, but would like to hear yours.

(kind of like if the tree falls in the forest, but no one hears it, does it make a sound?)

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

Yes, the person still has their rights whether they know them or not.

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Yes they do, and it's our job to ensure that they know what their rights are. If I have a pt who seems unsure about a med or treatment, I explain the rationale and add, "You have the right to refuse if you really don't want to do this."

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Thank you, Tweety and TazziRN. I wonder how many nurses have told patients this?

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If you ever question whether someone has rights or not.....come work with the mentally/physically challenged.

They may not be able to "hear" their rights, "read" their rights or "exercise" their rights, but they have them.

Yes, people have rights whether they know them or not.

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LPN1974, Do these people's right depend on the honor and professionalism of their health care workers to respect their rights, even though they may not realize that they have them?

So, people have these rights, even if they do not know that they have them. If they do not know, then it is up to the nurses to advocate for their patients rights. But if they are alert, aware, and "all-together", I contend that they DO NOT have rights if they do not know that they have them.

It is close to being the same thing as being protected by laws, but if they do not know those laws, it is very easy for those people to be taken advantage of. They really have no recourse, unless they happen to know someone who has legal knowlege who will "fill them in."

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Yes they do, and it's our job to ensure that they know what their rights are. If I have a pt who seems unsure about a med or treatment, I explain the rationale and add, "You have the right to refuse if you really don't want to do this."

:yeahthat: It's comforting to know that you respect the dignity of your pts enough to make them aware of their rights. :yelclap:

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Specializes in Med/Surg/Ortho/HH/Radiology-Now Retired.

Patients DO have rights, regardless.

And... they also have a RIGHT to kNOW!

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LPN1974, Do these people's right depend on the honor and professionalism of their health care workers to respect their rights, even though they may not realize that they have them?

So, people have these rights, even if they do not know that they have them. If they do not know, then it is up to the nurses to advocate for their patients rights. But if they are alert, aware, and "all-together", I contend that they DO NOT have rights if they do not know that they have them.

It is close to being the same thing as being protected by laws, but if they do not know those laws, it is very easy for those people to be taken advantage of. They really have no recourse, unless they happen to know someone who has legal knowlege who will "fill them in."

Not just on the honor or professionalism of the health care workers, but the law says these people have rights.

All I can say is just try abusing one of these people or taking their rights away and see how far you get.

A person can go to jail over abusing these people and their rights....I've seen it happen.

The people I help to take care of not only have the health care workers to advocate for them but they have families, also, and in the case of NO family, they still have a guardian {court appointed}. These people are there to advocate for their rights.

Another case that a patient was severely injured, where I work, and yes, his rights were violated. Just because he didn't personally know of his rights didn't mean he didn't have them. If we use the rationalization that you have, then we could just say, "Hey, this child doesn't know any better so we can say no abuse was performed here and no one has to be held responsible."

But the law doesn't think like that. There were violations to his rights, and people were held responsible.

That's why laws are in place to make sure these people's rights are not violated.

Anyway, that's how I feel about it.

I don't want to get into further debating over it, I feel it would be pointless, so I'm stopping here. ;)

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Specializes in Theatre.

everyone has rights but that does not meant that those rights are respected by others. Abuse of rights does not negate those rights. Everyone also has responsibilities. If someone is not aware of their rights, or not able to ensure their rights are respected it is then the responsibility of others who are aware to rectify the situation. Ignoring our responsibilities does not negate those responsibilities.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.
Thank you, Tweety and TazziRN. I wonder how many nurses have told patients this?

I frequently tell my patients they have a right to refuse and to question their treatment plan.

I give a handout for them to read at admission, but confess don't go over patients rights and responsibilities word for word with them.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.
LPN1974, Do these people's right depend on the honor and professionalism of their health care workers to respect their rights, even though they may not realize that they have them?."

Yes.

So, people have these rights, even if they do not know that they have them. If they do not know, then it is up to the nurses to advocate for their patients rights. But if they are alert, aware, and "all-together", I contend that they DO NOT have rights if they do not know that they have them.

It is close to being the same thing as being protected by laws, but if they do not know those laws, it is very easy for those people to be taken advantage of. They really have no recourse, unless they happen to know someone who has legal knowlege who will "fill them in".

Your right, if my rights are being violated and I don't know it, then it's as if those rights don't exist.

But it really doesn't mean they don't exist, it means they are being violated and I'm ignorant of them.

Just as being ignorant of the law doesn't make the law invalid. Being ignorant of your rights doesn't mean you don't have them.

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