Nursing Students’ Awareness and Familiarity with the Ghana Patients’ Rights Charter: Implications for Nursing Education

Background: The Ghana Patients’ Rights Charter (PRC), established in 2002, serves as a critical framework to protect patient dignity, autonomy, and safety. Despite its significance, awareness and understanding of the PRC among nursing students—future frontline healthcare providers—remain inadequately explored in Ghana. Objective: This study assessed the level of awareness, knowledge, sources of information, and attitudes toward the PRC among nursing students in two selected Ghanaian nursing training institutions. It also examined demographic and academic factors influencing awareness and identified barriers affecting learning about the Charter. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among 274 nursing students from College of Nursing and Midwifery, Tanoso and St. Michael’s Nursing and Midwifery Training College, Pramso. Data were collected via structured online questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests to assess associations. Results: Approximately 73% of students reported awareness of the PRC, with 60% perceiving it as legally binding; however, only 40% had seen the Charter document. Classroom lectures (45%) and clinical placements (36%) were the primary information sources. Knowledge of specific patient rights ranged from 68% to 71%, yet notable uncertainty and misinformation persisted. While 74.5% considered the Charter very important, only 30.7% applied it in clinical practice. Awareness was strongly associated with familiarity but not with demographic variables or perceived importance. Major barriers included insufficient emphasis by lecturers (60%), lack of discussion during clinicals (55%), poor access to materials (50%), staff disinterest (35%), and complex language (30%). Conclusion: Despite general awareness and positive attitudes, critical gaps exist in familiarity, knowledge certainty, and clinical application of the PRC among nursing students. Addressing these requires curriculum integration, faculty development, improved resource accessibility, and stronger institutional support to foster a nursing workforce capable of upholding patient rights and enhancing quality care in Ghana. Clinical trial number : Not applicable