NURSES PROTECT PATIENTS' LEGAL RIGHTS AT NURSING CLINICS

Abstract

Background: Nurses are vital to patient rights. Not only do nurses provide clinical services. They must also comprehend patient rights and their legal and ethical implications. Due to new legislation and a complex health system, nurses need legal expertise. This helps them perform professionally and protect patients. Purpose: This study examines nurses' involvement in patient rights protection, identifies practical challenges, and suggests managerial assistance and legal training to improve patient legal protection. Methods: Nurses' views on patient legal protection were examined using a descriptive qualitative constructivist approach. Ten participants from three East Java clinics were chosen. Selected themes were identified using inductive thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews and verbatim transcriptions. Results: This study focused on nurses' legal protection, ethical knowledge, and implementation issues. This systematic classification and categorizing topics show how Indonesian nurses utilize legal and ethical concepts in clinical practice. Conclusion: Nurses advocate for patient rights, but workload and management support are issues. Legal training and policies are needed to protect nursing clinic patients.