title: Protecting rights of human subjects.
abstract: A significant problem exists with the volume of human subjects research that is being carried out by investigators who are not in compliance with the Belmont Report's guidelines for the protection of human subjects. Numerous reasons exist for noncompliance, which may create dilemmas for resolving this issue. However, it is important that health care organizations-regardless of size-take a proactive position in addressing this problem. This article has briefly described the nature, scope, and underlying dilemmas of this issue and has suggested a strategy for resolving the issue at an organizational level. As patient advocates by virtue of their professional licenses, nurses in any role can and must take a lead in protecting human subjects' rights.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of California, Los Angeles, USA.
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Pranulis
mesh_terms: D004993:Ethics, Nursing; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006805:Human Experimentation; D006801:Humans; D016134:Organizational Policy; D010344:Patient Advocacy; D011367:Professional Staff Committees