Research Summary and Ethical Considerations
The Importance of Maintaining a Patients’ Dignity
Naomi L. Coleman
Grand Canyon University: NRS-433V
November 4, 2012
The Importance of Maintaining a Patients’ Dignity
Dignity is defined as bearing, conduct, or speech indicative of self-respect or appreciation of the formality or gravity of an occasion or situation. One of the most important aspects of nursing care is to maintain a patient’s dignity while caring for that patient. This is a very important part of cultivating respect between the healthcare professional and the patient. It allows the patient to maintain their privacy both emotionally and physically. Little things included in a nurse’s care to their patient like knocking on a door before …show more content…
Reference Page
Ballie, L., & Gallagher, A. (2012). Raising awareness of patient dignity. Nursing Standard, 27(5), 44-49.
Article Attachment
Raising awareness of patient dignity
Baillie L, Gallagher A (2012) Raising awareness of patient dignity.
Nursing Standard. 27, 5, 44-49. Date of acceptance: July 25 2012.
Nurses’ behaviour is an important factor in considering whether patients experience dignified care. However, nurses may not always be aware of how their behaviour affects patients. Nurses have a professional duty to respect patients’ dignity (International Council of Nurses 2006,
Nursing and Midwifery Council 2008) and studies have indicated that nurses rate dignity as an important value (Johnstone et al 2004, Rassin
2008). However, in the UK many reports (Patients
Association 2009, Francis 2010, Health Service
Ombudsman