NUR 120 - MED/SURG (Test 1 Notes) Questions with Correct
Answers (Grade A+)
Question 1: What is negligence?
Answer: Careless neglect, often resulting in injury
Question 2: What is an example of negligence?
Answer: A nurse FAILS TO implement safety measures for a client who has been identified as at risk for
falls
Question 3: T/F: Malpractice is a form of negligence?
Answer: True ***Malpractice is just a professional form of negligence
Question 4: What is malpractice?
Answer: Negligence by a professional person with a specialized education
Question 5: What does res ipsa loquitur mean?
Answer: A term meaning "the facts speak for themselves." ***A doctrine under which negligence may be
inferred simply because an event occurred, if it is the type of event that would not occur in the absence of
negligence.
Question 6: T/F: An expert nurse witness IS required to help establish the standard of care
Answer: FALSE **NOT required
Question 7: What is gross negligence?
Answer: An action committed with extreme reckless disregard for the life of another person or the patient's
welfare
Question 8: T/F: A court may reward special damages that are meant to punish a nurse for outrageous
conduct if found guilty of gross negligence. This reward is known as "compensatory damages"
Answer: FALSE ***Punitive damages
Question 9: T/F: A nursing student that is not a licensed professional who has claims of negligence are
usually "ordinary negligence" not "professional malpractice"
Answer: TRUE
Page 1
,Question 10: What is criminal negligence?
Answer: Liability that can occur when a person's careless and inattentive actions cause harm or a crime to
occur
Question 11: Besides consequence of negligence what also can occur when a person commits criminal
negligence?
Answer: Criminal charges
Question 12: T/F: If you have a claim of negligence against you as a professional you can use the
defence of "I was following the physician's orders" if something was to occur?
Answer: FALSE ***YOU CANNOT
Question 13: What defense do you have for negligence in an emergency situation?
Answer: If the jury believes the defendant acted reasonably during the emergency, the defendant is not
liable for the accident at all. The elements required for the use of the sudden emergency doctrine are:
"Sudden and unexpected situation" ***EXAMPLE: Car Accident and the car is on fire and you pull the
person out but they suffer spinal injury
Question 14: What defense do you have for negligence with government immunity?
Answer: Legal doctrine that can protects an EMS provider from being sued or which may limit the amount
of the monetary judgment that the plaintiff may recover; generally applies only to EMS systems that are
operated by municipalities or other governmental entities
Question 15: What defense do you have for negligence with good samaritan immunity?
Answer: The protection is intended to reduce bystanders' hesitation to assist, for fear of being sued or
prosecuted for unintentional injury or wrongful death
Question 16: T/F: All states have the same statutes of limitation in malpractice cases?
Answer: FALSE ***Every state has their own statute
Question 17: Why should you have your own malpractice insurance on top of your employers
insurance?
Answer: To protect yourself in the case that your employers "throws you to the wolves" you are covered
from losing everything you own.
Page 2
, Question 18: T/F: You should ALWAYS tell your employer when you have your own malpractice
insurance so they have it for your employer record?
Answer: FALSE ***DO NOT tell anyone not even your friends
Question 19: What is liability?
Answer: The state of being responsible for something, especially by law.
Question 20: What is personal liability insurance?
Answer: Protects an insured when a claim or suit for damages is brought because of bodily injury or
property damage allegedly caused by an insured's negligence
Question 21: What does the term prudent mean?
Answer: Wise, careful, cautious
Question 22: What are some reasons in the past that team leaders and managers have been held
NEGLIGENT for issues that have arised under their care?
Answer: 1. Supervision of subordinates 2. Delegation of patient care tasks 3. Reporting team member
performance deficits 4. Triage of staff and equipment
Question 23: What are some reasons that nurse managers and administrators may be held LIABLE for
issues that have arised under their care?
Answer: 1. Inadequate training 2. Failure to periodically reevaluate staff competencies 3. Failure to
discipline or terminate unsafe workers 4. Negligence in developing appropriate policies and procedures
Question 24: What are some things that a RN who is functioning in the role of team leader or any
supervisory capacity should review?
Answer: 1. Job descriptions of team members 2. Chain of command 3. Guidelines for personal patient care
assignments 4. Validated proof of competencies 5. Formal period of training and mentoring in the role 6.
Detailed job description including responsibilities when asked to supervise in an unfamiliar area or floor
Question 25: T/F: Nurse managers and administrators should are not required to be aware of case law
regarding incompetent charge nurses and team leaders
Answer: FALSE ***SHOULD be aware of case law
Question 26: What is personal liability?
Answer: Each professional is responsible for his or her own actions
Page 3
Answers (Grade A+)
Question 1: What is negligence?
Answer: Careless neglect, often resulting in injury
Question 2: What is an example of negligence?
Answer: A nurse FAILS TO implement safety measures for a client who has been identified as at risk for
falls
Question 3: T/F: Malpractice is a form of negligence?
Answer: True ***Malpractice is just a professional form of negligence
Question 4: What is malpractice?
Answer: Negligence by a professional person with a specialized education
Question 5: What does res ipsa loquitur mean?
Answer: A term meaning "the facts speak for themselves." ***A doctrine under which negligence may be
inferred simply because an event occurred, if it is the type of event that would not occur in the absence of
negligence.
Question 6: T/F: An expert nurse witness IS required to help establish the standard of care
Answer: FALSE **NOT required
Question 7: What is gross negligence?
Answer: An action committed with extreme reckless disregard for the life of another person or the patient's
welfare
Question 8: T/F: A court may reward special damages that are meant to punish a nurse for outrageous
conduct if found guilty of gross negligence. This reward is known as "compensatory damages"
Answer: FALSE ***Punitive damages
Question 9: T/F: A nursing student that is not a licensed professional who has claims of negligence are
usually "ordinary negligence" not "professional malpractice"
Answer: TRUE
Page 1
,Question 10: What is criminal negligence?
Answer: Liability that can occur when a person's careless and inattentive actions cause harm or a crime to
occur
Question 11: Besides consequence of negligence what also can occur when a person commits criminal
negligence?
Answer: Criminal charges
Question 12: T/F: If you have a claim of negligence against you as a professional you can use the
defence of "I was following the physician's orders" if something was to occur?
Answer: FALSE ***YOU CANNOT
Question 13: What defense do you have for negligence in an emergency situation?
Answer: If the jury believes the defendant acted reasonably during the emergency, the defendant is not
liable for the accident at all. The elements required for the use of the sudden emergency doctrine are:
"Sudden and unexpected situation" ***EXAMPLE: Car Accident and the car is on fire and you pull the
person out but they suffer spinal injury
Question 14: What defense do you have for negligence with government immunity?
Answer: Legal doctrine that can protects an EMS provider from being sued or which may limit the amount
of the monetary judgment that the plaintiff may recover; generally applies only to EMS systems that are
operated by municipalities or other governmental entities
Question 15: What defense do you have for negligence with good samaritan immunity?
Answer: The protection is intended to reduce bystanders' hesitation to assist, for fear of being sued or
prosecuted for unintentional injury or wrongful death
Question 16: T/F: All states have the same statutes of limitation in malpractice cases?
Answer: FALSE ***Every state has their own statute
Question 17: Why should you have your own malpractice insurance on top of your employers
insurance?
Answer: To protect yourself in the case that your employers "throws you to the wolves" you are covered
from losing everything you own.
Page 2
, Question 18: T/F: You should ALWAYS tell your employer when you have your own malpractice
insurance so they have it for your employer record?
Answer: FALSE ***DO NOT tell anyone not even your friends
Question 19: What is liability?
Answer: The state of being responsible for something, especially by law.
Question 20: What is personal liability insurance?
Answer: Protects an insured when a claim or suit for damages is brought because of bodily injury or
property damage allegedly caused by an insured's negligence
Question 21: What does the term prudent mean?
Answer: Wise, careful, cautious
Question 22: What are some reasons in the past that team leaders and managers have been held
NEGLIGENT for issues that have arised under their care?
Answer: 1. Supervision of subordinates 2. Delegation of patient care tasks 3. Reporting team member
performance deficits 4. Triage of staff and equipment
Question 23: What are some reasons that nurse managers and administrators may be held LIABLE for
issues that have arised under their care?
Answer: 1. Inadequate training 2. Failure to periodically reevaluate staff competencies 3. Failure to
discipline or terminate unsafe workers 4. Negligence in developing appropriate policies and procedures
Question 24: What are some things that a RN who is functioning in the role of team leader or any
supervisory capacity should review?
Answer: 1. Job descriptions of team members 2. Chain of command 3. Guidelines for personal patient care
assignments 4. Validated proof of competencies 5. Formal period of training and mentoring in the role 6.
Detailed job description including responsibilities when asked to supervise in an unfamiliar area or floor
Question 25: T/F: Nurse managers and administrators should are not required to be aware of case law
regarding incompetent charge nurses and team leaders
Answer: FALSE ***SHOULD be aware of case law
Question 26: What is personal liability?
Answer: Each professional is responsible for his or her own actions
Page 3
