1Associate Professor, Dept. of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, JSS Medical College, JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research, Mysuru-570015
2Additional Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, K S Hegde Medical Academy, NITTE (Deemed to be University), Mangaluru, Karnataka, India
3Postgraduate, Dept. of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, JSS Medical College, JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research, Mysuru-570015
4Professor, Dept. of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, JSS Medical College, JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research, Mysuru-570015
5Professor and Head, Dept. of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, JSS Medical College, JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research, Mysuru-570015
*Corresponding Author Dr Smitha Rani, Associate Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, J.S.S Medical College, JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research, Mysuru, Karnataka, India, Sri Shivarathreeshwara Nagar, Bannimantap, Mysuru-570015, Karnataka, India, Email: smitharani@jssuni.edu.in
Online published on 19 March, 2025.
In healthcare settings, Nurses occupy a pivotal role, not only in delivering patient care but also in ensuring medicolegal compliance. Understanding the legal framework and professional responsibilities of nurses in medicolegal cases is essential to providing highquality care while minimizing legal risks. This study aims at assessing and analyzing the knowledge and awareness about medicolegal issues among nurses.
A self-administered, structured questionnaire was used, and responses were obtained from Nurses who had recently graduated from a Nursing College located in South Karnataka. Questions about the identification of medicolegal issues, the medicolegal aspect of handling emergencies, and method of evidence collection were included in the survey. Response to each question was recorded and then analysed.
A total of 114 nurses completed the questionnaire. 64.91 % of the participants lacked the knowledge necessary to identify medicolegal cases. 63.15 % of the respondents were not aware of the procedure of collection of evidence from sexual assault cases. 51.76 % of them felt that the undergraduate curriculum of nursing didn’t impart adequate knowledge to equip them to handle medicolegal issues.
This study sheds light on the areas that require further attention and development within nursing education and practice to enhance the overall competency of nurses in handling medicolegal cases.
Competency Assessment, Medicolegal Cases, Nursing Education
