As professionals, nurses are accountable for their own actions in safeguarding human rights. National nurses associations have a responsibility to participate in the development of health and social legislation related to patient rights. Nurses Rights Nurses have the right to practice in accordance with the nursing legislation of the country in which they work and to adopt the ICN Code for Nurses or their own national ethical code. Nurses also have a right to practice in an environment that provides personal safety, freedom from abuse and violence, threats or intimidation. National nurses associations need to ensure an effective mechanism through which nurses can seek confidential advice, counsel, support and assistance in dealing with difficult human rights situations.
Nurses deal with human rights issues daily, in all aspects of their professional role.
Nurses may be pressured to apply their knowledge and skills in ways that are detrimental to patients and others. There is a need for increased vigilance, and a requirement to be well informed, about how new technology and experimentation can violate human rights. Furthermore nurses are increasingly facing complex human rights issues, arising from conflict situations within jurisdictions, political upheaval and wars. The application of human rights protection should emphasise vulnerable groups such as women, children, elderly, refugees and stigmatised groups. ICN has developed Health and Human Rights fact sheet addressing the major areas where human rights impacts on the health of populations, including public health, health care reform, access to care and gender perspectives.