title: Protection of nurses rights in Turkey: A study on nurses' opinions.
abstract: To evaluate nurses' opinions on the violation and protection of their rights at public hospitals.
  
  
  
  The descriptive study was conducted between May and November 2013 at 11 hospitals affiliated with the Association of Public Hospitals in Istanbul, Turkey. Data was gathered using a questionnaire consisting of 59 questions on demographic characteristics, professions, and rights of nurses.
  
  
  
  Of the 1,808 respondents, 1,374(76%) said nurse's rights were not protected and 994(55%) believed that their rights were not protected at public hospitals. However, 1,027(56.8%) of the nurses stated that their right to job security was protected, while 1,448(80.1%) reported violation of their right to adequate pay and 1,289(71.3%) reported violation or non-recognition of the right to participate in the political decision-making processes that directly affect the nursing profession. Those who were middle-aged and those who had bachelor's degree believed their rights were not protected, and considered nursing as a weak profession that was unable to protect its rights (p<0.001).
  
  
  
  Nurses believed their rights, especially those about salary, were not sufficiently protected.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nefise
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bahcecik
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, Turkey.
authors.forename: Havva
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ozturk
authors.affiliation: Istanbul Health Directorate, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hanife
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tiryaki
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D006779:Hospitals, Public; D006801:Humans; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital; D012456:Salaries and Fringe Benefits; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014421:Turkey
keywords: Nurse's rights, Public, Hospital.