Page 104 - Human Rights

Faculty of Nursing
Adult care Nursing Department

Dignity is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as the state or quality of being “worthy of

respect”.

It is in this sense that the South African Constitution (Section 10) states that: “Everyone has

inherent dignity and the right to have their dignity respected and protected.”

It is an important concept within the caring professions where respect for the human dignity of

all patients without discrimination is a core value.

Dignified treatment can be seen at heart as caring for patients as human beings and not objects.
Upholding patient dignity can be seen to affirm human rights for this reason.

The nurse-patient relationship is central to dignified caring practice and bases itself on the

responsibility of nurses to give competent, accountable care when patients need it, particularly

when they are unable to care for themselves.

The caring role of nurses and midwives involves the appropriate use of touch and working within
the patient’s intimate space, sometimes often and over an extended period of time. It is not

surprising therefore that patient dignity is generally agreed to be a high priority in providing

nursing care.

A study that interviewed nurses and patients regarding their criteria for dignified care found that
both groups valued respect, privacy and control.

Nurses however, also saw advocacy and time as important elements of patient dignity, while

patients prioritized humor and matter-of-factness.

Nurses appeared therefore to have a broader perspective of dignified daily care, while patients

valued more inter-personal factors.

100 Academic Year 2025/2026