Enhance Nurse Managers' Legal and Ethical Aspects at Benha University Hospital

Abstract

Backgrounds: Nurse managers' are facing the challenges in their daily practice such as short ofstaffing, workload and maintenance of high quality and encounter many legal and ethical issuessurrounding these area. Law defined as a legal document setting rules governing a particular kind ofactivity while ethics are moral principles that govern how the person or a group will behave. Aim ofthe study: Was to enhance nurse managers' in the legal and ethical aspects at Benha UniversityHospital. Research design: A quasi-experimental design was utilized. Sample: Composed of 79nurse managers include nursing director (1), supervisors (14), and first line manager (64). Setting:The study was conducted in all units (44) at Benha University Hospital. Tools for data collectionTwo tools were used; the first tool: legal and ethical aspects knowledge questionnaire sheet. Thesecond tool: legal and ethical aspects observational checklist. Results: Majority of the studiedsample had unsatisfactory knowledge level about legal and ethical aspects at preprogram, whileimmediate post educational program the majority of them had satisfactory knowledge level. Also, theminority of the studied sample pre educational program demonstrated complete performance aboutlegal and ethical aspects, while post program the majority of them improved their performance.Additionally there was astatistical significant positive correlation between nurse managerg’s totalknowledge scores and performance scores. Conclusion: There were an improvement in level ofknowledge and performance of the nurse mangers about legal and ethical aspect immediately postand follow-up implementation of educational program compared to pre-program.Recommendations: Establish an ethical and legal committee within the organization for all ethicaland legal aspects in nursing practice. Further research: effect of legal and ethical nurses’ knowledgeon patients outcome.