Nursing students' right to refuse to treat patients and the relationship between year of study and altitude towards patient care

Abstract

Nursing students are taught the nursing code of ethics and how to deal with ethical questions and dilemmas. After graduation, they are expectedto adhere to this code, but as students do they? We examined student nurses' and their instructors' position regarding students' obligations in treating patients. In order to identify the students' perspectives towards these obligations, students and instructors were asked if a student has the right to refuse to treat a patient. A cross-sectional descriptive design was used in examining 162 academic nursing students and 16 faculty members' attitudes towards refusing to treat a patient. The results of this study indicate that significant relationships exist between clinical and ethical knowledge and the perception of obligations to ensure and protect patients' rights. Clinical and ethical knowledge are significantly related to the development of ethical conduct in nursing students.