Telling the truth: Turkish patients' and nurses' views

Demirsoy N., Elcioglu Ö., Yidiz Z.

NURSING SCIENCE QUARTERLY, vol.21, no.1, pp.75-79, 2008 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Editorial Material
  • Volume: 21 Issue: 1
  • Publication Date: 2008
  • Doi Number: 10.1177/0894318407311150
  • Journal Name: NURSING SCIENCE QUARTERLY
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.75-79
  • Keywords: ethics, nursing, patients' rights, CANCER-PATIENTS, DIAGNOSIS, COMMUNICATION, ATTITUDES
  • Eskisehir Osmangazi University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate nurses' communications with patients, particularly regarding getting accurate and truthful information about their medical diagnosis and prognosis. This survey research involved 166 nurses and 435 patients at the Osmangazi University Hospital, Turkey. Although 90% of the nurses said that patients should be informed about their diagnosis, only 66% of the patients said they wanted to be told this information. For those who wanted to be informed, how they should be informed is also discussed.