Introduction and objective:
Patients’ rights are a key component in the quality and safety of care, and define standards for communication, autonomy, privacy, and dignity. The aim of the study is to assess self-reported knowledge and selected attitudes of nursing personnel toward patients’ rights, and to determine their associations with age and professional experience.

Material and methods:
A cross-sectional anonymous online survey was conducted from March – October 2025. Of 503 participants, 473 complete questionnaires (94.0%) were included and 30 incomplete forms were excluded. An author-developed adapted 38-item questionnaire was used. Associations were analyzed using the chi-square test and the Kruskal-Wallis test (statistically equivalent to the Mann-Whitney U test for two-group comparisons); significance was set at p < 0.05, and effect sizes were assessed using Cramér’s V and η².

Results:
Longer professional experience was associated with more frequent declared knowledge of the Act on Patients’ Rights (89.9% vs. 77.4%; p < 0.001), more frequent reporting that newly employed staff received training (79.1% vs. 56.5%; p < 0.001), and higher self-rated knowledge. Participants aged >50 years more often declared knowledge of the Act (90.2% vs. 77.7%; p < 0.001), reported training of newly employed staff (79.7% vs. 56.9%; p < 0.001), and rated their knowledge more highly. Younger participants more often reported responses indicating breaches of confidentiality and more frequent contact with demanding patient attitudes.

Conclusions:
Age and professional experience were associated mainly with self-rated knowledge, training experience, and selected practical aspects of patients’ rights. The findings indicate a need for systematic training combining legal knowledge with communication, confidentiality, and organizational responsibility.