Legal Aspects of Nursing

Bridgit Dimond MA (Oxon) LlB MPhil DSA, AHSM, Barrister-at-law is Emeritus Professor at the University of Glamorgan. She is an experienced health service manager and lecturer in health service law and management. She is alsto the author of a numver of books and articles on all aspects of professional accountability and patients' rights.

Part I General principles affecting all nurses

1. Introduction: four arenas of accountability, the legal system and human rights

2. Actions in the criminal courts and defences to criminal charges

3. Liability in a civil court case for negligence

4. Specific problem areas in civil liability: personal liability of the nurse, vicarious liability of the employer and managerial issues

5. Statutory functions and management of the NHS

6. Progress of a civil claim: defences and compensation

7. Consent to treatment and informing the patient

8. Data protection: confidentiality and access

9. Record keeping, statements and evidence in court

10. The nurse and employment law

11. The nurse as a registered professional

12. Health and safety and the nurse

Part II Specialist areas

13. Children and young persons

14. Midwifery

15. The nurse on the gynaecology ward

16. Acute care

17. Learning disabilities

18. Nurse educator and researcher

19. Legal aspects of the care of older people

20.Nursing the mentally disordered

21. Accident and emergency, outpatients, genito-urinary departments and day surgery

22. Human fertility and genetics

23.Community and primary care nursing

24. Scope of professional practice, clinical nurse specialist and consultant nurse

Part III General areas

25. Legal aspects of property

26. Legal aspects of AIDS and other infectious diseases

27. Handling complaints

28. Legal aspects of medicines

29.End of Life Care and death

30. Complementary and alternative therapies

31. The future