The evaluation of knowledge, attitude and utilization of patient rights of the patients and their relatives who applied to a univesity hospital and the residents

The Evaluation of Knowledge, Attitude and Utilization of Patient Rights of The Patients and Their Relatives Who Applied to A University Hospital and The ResidentsIn this study, we aimed to investigate the patients? and their relatives? who applied to the outpatient clinics of a university hospital in December 2008, knowledge and utilization of patient rights and the university hospital residents? knowledge and attitude about patient rights concurrently1101 patients and their relatives older than 18 years and 314 residents employed either internal medicine or surgery clinics were included to this descriptive study. During the data collection period, different surveys were applied to patients with their relatives and to residents. The questionnaires were containing descriptive features, general knowledge about patient rights, the patient rights law and utilization of patient rights or attitude about patient rights. The questionnaire for patients and relatives were applied by face to face intervention technique, but the residents fulfilled their forms under observationAccording to the survey results, 53.0% of the patients and their relatives didn?t have any knowledge about patient rights. Most of them said that they sometimes or seldom could choose their doctors. The majority told that doctors sometimes introduce themselves but other health workers never done this. They thought that their rights generally violated by nurses and doctors. The percentages of hearing and reading the patient rights law of the patients and their relatives were 12.6% and 2.3%; and of the residents were 12.6% and 7.0%, respectively. 70.1% of the residents haven?t been educated about patient rights and 61.5% of them thought that they needed education. Mean attitude point of the residents was found to be 32.9±4.6 (totally 44). When they were asked about what kind of applications handled about patient rights in their hospital and Turkey, mostly answered that nothing was done. Either the patients? and their relatives? or the residents? answer to the question about better application of the patient rights were educationConsequently, it is found that doctors know and advocate some patient rights but they don?t have enough knowledge about it and also patients don?t know their rights well so they can?t benefit from these rights enough. Public must be made conscious about patient rights; doctors? pre and post education programs must contain ?patient rights? subjects and in all public health institutes there must be ?patient rights units? and qualified personals have to be employed there as mentioned in the guidelines.Key words: Patient rights, knowledge and attitude, patient, resident.