Abstract
There are legal implications attached to every nursing activity from the making a cup of tea for the patient, to the application of plaster-of-Paris. Today’s nurse practices in a much more legalistic working environment than previously. A number of factors are attributable for this including:
1.A new ‘patient consumerism’ is evident;
2.Patients are more aware of their rights and appear less deferential;
3.Record court damages of over £1 million for medical negligence injuries have been awarded bringing intense publicity to medical negligence issues;
4.The number of successful medical negligence claims against doctors has risen. Subsequently doctors’ subscriptions to their defence societies showed in 1988 an 87% increase;
5.Chronic under-staffing.
1.A new ‘patient consumerism’ is evident;
2.Patients are more aware of their rights and appear less deferential;
3.Record court damages of over £1 million for medical negligence injuries have been awarded bringing intense publicity to medical negligence issues;
4.The number of successful medical negligence claims against doctors has risen. Subsequently doctors’ subscriptions to their defence societies showed in 1988 an 87% increase;
5.Chronic under-staffing.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Developing Your Career in Nursing |
| Editors | Desmond Cormack |
| Publisher | Springer |
| Chapter | 5 |
| Pages | 48-61 |
| ISBN (Print) | ISBN-10: 0412321300 |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Jan 1990 |
Keywords
- Law
- Accountability
- Rights