Nurses' Perception of Legal Responsibilities Towards Patients: A Study at Achimota Hospital

                                             ABSTRACT  

 Nurses have legal and professional responsibilities toward patients to promote a high standard of care. However, in the course of performing the duty of care owed to the patient, omissions and breaches may result. Nurses ought to have the requisite knowledge about the legal responsibilities to ensure adherence to professional standards. This study sought to assess the perception of nurses about their legal duties in caring for patients. The exploratory qualitative approach was employed. The in-depth face-to-face interviews involved 17 participants who were professional nurses working at Achimota Hospital, Ghana. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed to derive six (6) themes and twenty-eight (28) sub-themes. Findings suggest participants had inadequate knowledge about legal concepts and laws governing their practice. Participants were conscious of their professional responsibilities and noted professional competence, protecting privacy, providing physical care, documentation, communication and protecting patient‘s right as some of the duties owed to the patient. Participants had experiences with legal breach, identified reasons for such breaches, appreciated the consequence thereof, and measures used in dealing with breach of the duty of care. Legal suits and liabilities minimise if nurses are well trained and supervised to deliver quality care and to ensure safe practices informed by scientific evidence.