Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, place of residence, sex, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, language, or any other status. We are all equally entitled to our human rights without discrimination. These rights are all interrelated, interdependent and indivisible (www.ohcr.org) Mental health is a dynamic state in which thought, feelings and behaviour that in age-appropriate and congruent with the local and cultural norms is demonstrated. (Robinson, 1983)
Human rights in health care involve both recipients and providers. These rights include the right to choose or decline care, including the right to accept or refuse treatment or nourishment, informed consent, confidentiality and dignity. Nurses have obligation to safeguard people’s health rights at all times in all places. This includes assuring that adequate care is provided within resources available and in accordance with nursing ethics. Each psychiatric patient has to be respected as an individual and the aim of the treatment should be early restoration of the functioning of the individual.
Nursing has one of its important roles in the health care system to act as an advocate for the patient. To protect the patient rights, the nurses should be made aware of patient’s rights, ensure that ward procedure and policy does not violate patient’s rights, review periodically the rights, issues of violations and mechanisms that provide rights accountability and specifically review the changes in voluntary, involuntary status, civil or criminal commitment proceeding and treatment consequences.
Impact Factor
2022: 6.012
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