[Rights: the rights of the patient]

Medical development has made rights a crucial problem. Basic to the question of patient rights is the fundamental principles that a patient maintains his rights in any health service situation. The patient retains the right to be free from any physical harm, privacy and freedom of movement. Because the nurse is continuously involved with the patient and is responsible for monitoring the patient's progress and carrying out the doctors orders, she is the obvious person to give attention to the rights of the patient. The ICN also points out that nurses must not only ensure patient rights during political uprisings, wars and imprisonment but nurses should also react in the everyday work situation where exploitation or mistreatment of patients may take place. Every nurse is obliged to know, understand, support and protect the moral and legal rights of clients.