Law and Ethics, Patients Rights in Practice

This paper, which describes a nursing students experience in a hospital setting, explores how patient’s rights outlined in the Queensland Health Public Patients Charter (2002), were followed by health care providers at Cairns Private Hospital. Incidences where health professionals demonstrated good practice with respect to patient’s rights will be examined. Hospital initiatives currently in place to ensure health professionals are able to help patients to achieve better health while working within the parameters set forth in the Public Patients Charter will be illustrated. In particular, those aspects observed by the student relating to patients privacy, confidentiality and any situations which warranted a limitation to patient privacy will be described and discussed with reference to patients rights. Situations in the hospital setting where the student nurse viewed health professionals informing patients about treatment options, encouraging patients to take action in decisions about their health, and gaining informed, voluntary consent prior to procedures will be discussed. An explanation of reasons for selecting privacy and consent as two essential concepts which health providers must understand will be illustrated. The legal and ethical responsibility of health care providers in relation to the aforementioned fundamental principles of achieving patient privacy and gaining informed voluntary consent will be examined with a clear emphasis on patient’ rights.
While on clinical placement, the student nurse observed health professionals maintaining patient privacy to a high standard by consistently shutting curtains around patient’s beds, lowering their voices when working with patients in rooms containing multiple beds, courteously requesting visitors to leave the room when procedures of a sensitive nature were preformed and closing patient’s doors to limit unwanted interference from hallways. In order to show patients respect, dignity and consideration,