[Patients' rights in hospital nursing practice].

The purpose of this study was to describe and explain attitudes held by Finnish hospital patients (n = 302) and nurses (n = 253) concerning patients' rights to participate during hospital period. The data were gathered from surgical and medical wards of two hospitals by means of a questionnaire, developed by Kim (1983). The participation by the patient was considered in terms of the patients' rights (right to challenge professional authority, to participate, to obtain information, to make decisions). The results showed a rather positive attitude in both groups to patients' rights. The comparison of the groups resulted that nurses had a more favorable attitude toward all types of the patients' rights except for the right to obtain information.