professional status of nurses + jurisdictions (7) - ANSWER professional status of
nurses allows for:
- autonomy of practice
- right of self-regulation ( nurses themselves est. the values/stndrds for rpractice,
granted by gov.)
- obligation to monitor & discipline its own membership
- umbrella legislation exists also (Health Profess. Act in AB/BC)
jurisdictions:
- provide/enforce standards of practice
- enforce a code of conduct
- establish criteria (entry into practice, continue competency & determining
incompetency)
lawsuits & health care providers (2): - ANSWER - most lawsuits against nurses
arise in tort law
*wrongful action causing harm
*most lawsuits are unintentional torts based on negligence leading to injury
- nurses have duty to exercise a degree of care that meets public expctns for a
"reasonable standard of skill and knowledge
elements of negligence (5): - ANSWER - defendant must owe plaintiff duty of care
(presence of a rltnshp i.e. doc. of nursing care)
-breach of duty of care (action of nurse, standards not upheld at all)
- consequences of action were evident/foreseen (distinguishes accidents from
action/omission of care)
-breach must have caused injury to patient
-breach must result in damages
what is the diff between negligence and error? - ANSWER negligence= willful
breach of policy/procedure
- know u shouldnt/should be doing something but you do/don't do it anyways
error= honest human mistake
consent rules(3): - ANSWER -fundamental human right is to be free from
interference (the irght to decide what is done w our bodies)
-tort of battery involves intentional touching another person w out consent
-informed consent must be obtained in order to start w any care of a patient that
involves touching
informed consent (3): - ANSWER -impeding factors to obtaining informed (valid)
consent:
age, health, mental status
-impt for nurses to understand all reqrmnts for valid consent & their role in
documenting consent