Introduction

Abstract

The past few years have seen many changes in nursing, nurse education and the management of the health service. The law that governs these areas has also been developing. The need for all nurses to appreciate and understand the role and potential contribution of the law has become obvious. This book hopes to meet that need, but it aims to go much further. Many nurses respond to the law with anxiety, because it is complex and uncertain, because it conjures up images of courts and civil or criminal liability, and for many other reasons. A better understanding of the law can relieve this anxiety and help both nurses and their patients.