AN OVERVIEW OF THE MEDICOLEGAL AND ETHICAL ISSUE IN NURSING PRACTICE: THE NIGERIAN EXPERIENCE

Abstract

Nursing is a caring profession which is as old as the human existence and has overtime developed its language, rituals, art and science. Nursing in Nigeria has equally developed through the precolonial to post-colonial era and it has developed its code of practice, which has similarities with those of its foreign counterpart. The objectives of this paper is the overview of the medico-legal issue as well as ethical issues in nursing practices. Also, it examined the issues of negligence and malpractice in nursing practices. This paper used doctrinal method of research by analyzing the opinion of writers, case laws and provision of the Nursing and Midwifery Act. In the course of the research, it was observed that there was not much jurisprudence on nursing malpractices presumably because such cases were never reported or tried, and more so, most Nigerians overlook any misconduct of nurses. Based on the finding, it is recommended that the public should be sensitized of patient’s rights and should imbibe the confidence of reporting any unethical or unprofessional act/conduct of a nurse for judicial determination. In like manner, the nurses should be taught of the rights of patients, what standard of care is required in the nursing practice and what constitutes malpractice and negligence. This will engender compliance attitude to the rules and standards of nursing practice for an enhanced medical and health delivery.