Legal Concepts in Nursing
Because nursing involves having close contact with many vulnerable people, there are many errors a nurse could make that would result in patient injury. If this occurs, the nurse may be held legally accountable.
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Nursing Negligence
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Nursing negligence is defined as conduct that is unreasonable given the circumstances, or conduct that does not meet the required standard of care. Nurses may be accused of negligence as a result of almost any act or omission that results in patient injury.
Examples
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The following are common examples of nursing negligence:
Failure to obtain informed consent. This occurs when a nurse fails to ensure that a patient has consented to a procedure with a thorough understanding of the procedure and the risks involved.
Violation of a patient's right to privacy. This occurs when a nurse fails to protect a patient's private information.
Medication error. This occurs when a nurse fails to administer the proper medication, administers it improperly, or administers it at the wrong time.
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Liability
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If a nurse is negligent and the negligence results in patient injury, she may be found legally liable, meaning she is found legally responsible in a civil court. If she is found liable, she may be required to pay damages, or compensation, to the victim.
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