Richard Griffith is a senior lecturer at the College of Human and Health Sciences, Swansea University.Iwan Dowie is the Deputy Dean for Health and Social Care in the Faculty of Life Sciences and Education at the University of South Wales.

• Part I General principles affecting all nurses Introduction: professionalism, the legal system and human rightsActions in the criminal courts and defences to criminal chargeLiability in a civil court case for negligenceSpecific problem areas in civil liability: personal liability of the nurse, vicarious liability of the employer and managerial issuesStatutory functions and management of the NHSProgress of a civil claim: defences and compensationConsent to treatment and informing the patientData protection: confidentiality and accessRecord keeping, statements and evidence in courtThe nurse and employment lawThe nurse as a registered professionalHealth and safety and the nursePart II Specialist areas Children and young personsThe nurse and gynaecologyAcute careLearning disabilities and safeguarding peopleNurse educator and researcherLegal aspects of the care of older peopleNursing people with mental health problems or learning disabilityAccident and emergency, outpatients, genito-urinary departments and day surgeryHuman fertility and geneticsCommunity and primary care nursingScope of professional practice, clinical nurse specialist and consultant nursePart III General areas Legal aspects of propertyLegal aspects of public healthHandling complaintsLegal aspects of medicinesEnd-of-life care and deathComplementary and alternative therapiesThe future