5.1 Introduction
Learning Objectives
- Explore the nurse’s role and legal and ethical responsibilities when providing care to patients with mental health disorders
- Describe resources for ethics and standards of care for nurses
- Discuss the elements of a malpractice lawsuit
- Describe how to uphold a patient’s rights in clinical settings
This chapter describes nurses’ legal and ethical responsibilities while protecting the safety and rights of patients receiving mental health care. After a brief review of ethical principles, a discussion of patient rights and legal considerations as applied to nursing care will be presented.
