Questions and Answers
What is the definition of accountability?
What does liability mean?
Legal responsibility
What is abandonment of care?
Wrongful termination of providing patient care
What is assault?
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What is battery?
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What does competency refer to in nursing?
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What is defamation?
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What is harm in a legal context?
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What is libel?
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What does malpractice refer to?
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What does negligence mean?
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What is slander?
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What is a tort?
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What are standards of care?
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What is the scope of nursing practice?
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What do Nurse Practice Acts define?
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What does prudent mean?
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What are the elements of malpractice?
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What does HIPAA stand for?
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What is the doctrine of informed consent?
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What is civil battery?
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What is confidentiality in healthcare?
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What are medical records?
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What is invasion of privacy?
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What does reporting abuse involve?
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How can one avoid a lawsuit?
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What is professional liability insurance?
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What does disciplinary defense insurance cover?
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What does nursing ethics propose?
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What are values?
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What is the process of value clarification?
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What are ethical dilemmas?
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What is the first, most fundamental principle?
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What does autonomy mean?
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What is beneficence?
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What does non maleficence mean?
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What does justice mean in healthcare?
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What are codes of ethics?
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What is a health care proxy?
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What does 'do not resuscitate' (DNR) mean?
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Study Notes
Legal and Ethical Terms in Nursing
- Accountability: Responsibility for one's own actions in the nursing profession.
- Liability: Legal responsibility for harm caused to patients.
- Abandonment of Care: Wrongfully terminating patient care, which can lead to legal issues.
Legal Concepts
- Assault: Intentional threats to inflict bodily harm without actual contact.
- Battery: Unlawful physical contact without the informed consent of the patient.
- Competency: Legal presumption allowing adults to make their own decisions unless declared incompetent.
Defamation and Harm
- Defamation: Malicious spoken or written statements that harm a person's reputation.
- Harm: Injury inflicted on a person or their property, which can signal legal consequences.
- Libel: Written defamation that is communicated to third parties.
Malpractice and Negligence
- Malpractice: Failure to meet legal duty resulting in patient harm.
- Negligence: An act of omission or commission leading to another’s injury.
Tort Law
- Tort: A type of civil law involving wrongs against individuals, including negligence and defamation.
- Standards of Care: Guidelines that dictate required, permitted, or prohibited actions in nursing.
- Scope of Nursing Practice: Defines obligations and limitations in patient care.
Nursing Legislation
- Nurse Practice Acts: Laws defining the scope and limits of nursing practice.
- HIPPA (1996): Protects confidentiality of health information.
Patient Rights and Ethical Principles
- Doctrine of Informed Consent: The obligation to ensure patients make informed decisions about their care.
- Confidentiality: The ongoing duty to protect patient information, even post-discharge.
- Invasion of Privacy: The obligation to respect patient privacy and anonymity.
Reporting and Abuse
- Reporting Abuse: Mandated reporting of abuse despite privacy norms; nurses must be vigilant for signs of harm.
- Workplace Violence: Recognized as a form of abuse that may occur in healthcare settings.
Legal Protection Strategies
- Avoiding Lawsuits: Provide competent care, adhere to standards, maintain documentation, and understand Good Samaritan Law.
- Professional Liability Insurance: Essential for protection against negligence claims; types include claims-made and occurrence basis policies.
- Disciplinary Defense Insurance: Covers legal representation and related costs in case of disciplinary actions.
Nursing Ethics and Values
- Nursing Ethics: Establish the duties of nurses towards patients and the wider community.
- Values and Value Clarification: Reflect on personal beliefs and how they guide nursing practice.
- Ethical Dilemmas: Complex situations lacking clear rights or wrongs.
Fundamental Ethical Principles
- Respect for People: Fundamental principle emphasizing the value of individual autonomy.
- Autonomy: Encourages freedom of personal choice in healthcare.
- Beneficence: Obligation to do good for patients.
- Non-maleficence: Commitment to refrain from causing harm.
- Justice: Ensures fairness in care and treatment.
Codes of Ethics
- Adherence to ethical codes includes operating within the scope of practice, maintaining patient dignity, and providing non-discriminatory care.
Patient Advocacy
- Health Care Proxy: Designation of a person to make decisions on behalf of the patient.
- Do Not Resuscitate (DNR): A legal order for healthcare providers, made without direct patient involvement, specifying no resuscitation efforts.
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Description
This quiz covers key legal and ethical terms in nursing, including accountability, liability, and abandonment of care. Each flashcard presents a definition essential for understanding the responsibilities inherent in nursing practice. Test your knowledge and deepen your grasp of these important concepts.