Patient Rights

Patient rights set the conditions for safe nursing care. The patient should receive relevant information in an understandable form, participate in decisions, have privacy protected, and be able to raise concerns without retaliation. In Canada, the exact legal route for records, substitute decision-making, advance directives, and complaints varies by province or territory. The RPN works within applicable legislation, regulator standards, organizational policy, and the limits of the nurse's role. At the bedside, the recurring question is not simply whether a form is present; it is whether the patient understands the decision, is choosing freely, and is protected from preventable harm.