%0 Journal Article %A Adib-Hajbaghery, Mohsen %A Azizi Fini, Esmaeil %T Nurses and nursing students’ knowledge of professional laws and regulations %J Iranian Journal of Forensic Medicine %V 17 %N 1 %U http://sjfm.ir/article-1-282-en.html %R %D 2011 %K Nurses, nursing students, knowledge, professional laws, regulations, negligence, %X Background: Increasing the public awareness of health issues and patients rights, have exposed nurses to more calls to the court. Therefore, this study was conducted for evaluating of nurses and nursing students’ knowledge of professional rules and regulations. Methods: a cross-sectional study was conducted on 160 nurses and 65 last semester nursing students. Data collection using a questionnaire included of seven questions regarding demographic information and 20 questions regarding professional rules including job description, recording documentation, types of professional crimes and negligence, penalties and blood money, patients’ rights and primitive court tasks and how it should be treated. Data were analyzed using SPSS 11.5. Results: A total of 71.1% subjects were nurses and 28.9% were the students. Most of subjects have not been trained about professional laws and regulations and 95.6% expressed the need to more knowledge and education about professional rules and regulations. None of the subjects was fully aware of the professional rules, 47.6% had little knowledge on professional rules. There were no significant difference between the nurses and the students’ knowledge on professional rules. Conclusion: The knowledge of nurses and nursing students in the field of professional regulation is not good. This can put both nurses and clients at risk. Therefore immediate action seems to be necessary to promote nurses awareness about professional rules and regulations. %> http://sjfm.ir/article-1-282-en.doc %P 7-14 %& 7 %! %9 Research Article %L A-10-468-1 %+ Kashan University of Medical Sciences and Health Services %G eng %@ 1027-1457 %[ 2011