Survey of nurse's knowledge of patient's bill of rights in Birjand University of Medical Sciences during 2011

This survey aimed to investigate the nurse's knowledge of patient's bill of rights in teaching hospitals affiliated to Birjand University of Medical Sciences during 2011. This is a descriptive and cross-sectional study in which 161 nurses working in hospitals of Birjand University of Medical Sciences were surveyed. The data collection tool comprised a questionnaire including demographic information and knowledge questions. SPSS 16.0 was used to analyze the data, using descriptive statistics and frequency tables. The majority of participating nurses showed adequate knowledge of patient's rights in the field of health services disregarding the racial, religious, and cultural issues involved. Participants, on the other hand, had the least trust regarding the medical staff confidentiality and the presence of people not directly involved the treatment process. Comparisons between nurse's knowledge scores and other variables including gender, marital status, educational level, and occupation were fulfilled. Regarding the importance of Patient's bill of rights, authorities are demanded to provide adequate theoretical and practical guides for nurses and set additional sanctions for elevating the medical education system in country.