Foundations of Nursing Chapter 23 Legal Implications
in Nursing Practice
Confidentiality means that nurses and all healthcare providers must avoid
discussing patients in public hallways and provide reasonable levels of privacy in
communicating with and about patients in any manner. Confidentiality protects
private patient information once it has been disclosed in healthcare settings.
Privacy is the right of the patient to keep personal information from being
disclosed. Patient have the right to get every possible detail before undergoing a
particular procedure. Message boards used in patient's hospital rooms to post
daily nursing care information can no longer contain information revealing the
patient's medical condition.: The nurse attends to a patient who sustained injuries
when crossing the street. The patient was hit by a car that failed to stop at a stop
sign. The patient was rushed to the emergency department and then to surgery to
repair injuries. After surgery, the patient was transferred to the medical-surgical
unit for postsurgical management. The healthcare provider informs the nurse that
patient confidentiality should be strictly maintained. What should the nurse
interpret from this? Select all that apply.
1
The nurse should respect that the patient has the right to keep personal
information from being disclosed.
2
The nurse should avoid discussing the patient's medical reports in public areas
with other healthcare professionals.
3
The nurse should not disclose information about a procedure to the patient.
4
The nurse must protect any private information about the patient, once it has been
disclosed in healthcare settings.
5
Message boards where daily nursing care information is posted in the patient's
room cannot contain information revealing the patient's medical condition.
2, 3
,Negligence is performing an action that falls below a standard of care. Failure to
obtain informed consent is an act of negligence. Assault refers to an action that
places a person within harmful or offensive contact without consent. Battery is any
intentional touching without consent. Because the nurse has failed to obtain
informed consent, doing any intervention on the patient would be considered as
battery. False imprisonment is the unjustified restraint of a person without legal
warrant. Failure to obtain informed consent would not result in assault or false
imprisonment. Libel is written defamation of charac-
ter.: The nurse has failed to obtain informed consent before performing a
procedure on a patient. Which type of torts result from this nursing action? Select
all that apply.
1
Assal
2
Battery
3
Negligence
4
False imprisonment
5
Libel
2
Because the nurse has received praise in the past for providing quality care to
patients, the implication is that the nurse provides quality care. Another nurse
accusing this nurse of providing inadequate patient care is indicative of slander,
which occurs when one person speaks falsely about others. Libel refers to written
defamation of character. Malpractice refers to actions performed below the
standard of care. Invasion of privacy refers to unwanted intrusion
into the patient's personal affairs.: The nurse has been falsely accused of
providing inadequate care to a patient by another nurse. The nurse has received
praise in the past for providing quality care to the patients. Which tort does this
indicate?
1
,Libel
2
Slander
3
Malpractice
4
Invasion of privacy
2, 3
Battery is any intentional touching without consent. Giving a steroid injection to a
patient after the patient has rejected an invasive procedure is considered battery.
Malpractice occurs when health care delivered falls below a standard of care
expected. The patient's privacy has been invaded when the healthcare provider
informs the patient's family of the patient's present medical condition without
consent. Negligence is conduct that falls below a standard of care. Defamation of
character is the publication of false statements that damage a
person's reputation.: The nurse attends to a trauma patient who has been
transferred from the intensive care unit (ICU). The nurse finds out that the ICU
nurse provided a detailed explanation on the patient's condition to the family
without consent from the patient. The ICU nurse also gave the patient a steroid
shot even though the patient refused the medication. Which torts would the ICU
nurse be guilty of? Select all that apply.
1
Malpractice
2
Battery
3
Invasion of privacy
4
Negligence
5
Defamation of character
1, 3
, Nursing notes are important, because they contain evidence needed to
understand the care received by a patient. The notes should be legible to all
people, not just the nurse. Similarly, complete nursing records should be properly
preserved, because they may be required to show what care was provided. Basic
nursing duties as well as advanced nursing care should be recorded in
the nursing records.: The nurse is learning about nursing malpractice. Which
statements should the nurse consider as good nursing practice? Select all that
apply.
1
Nursing notes can be illegible as long as the
nurse can read them.
2
Nursing notes should be
maintained properly.
3
Nursing records should be
properly preserved.
4
Institutions should maintain complete
nursing records.
5
Only basic duties should be recorded in nursing records.
2. 3
The registered nurse reprimands the student nurse for speaking in public about
the patient's private life, because it is an invasion of the patient's privacy. Assault
is intentional bodily harm caused by the perpetrator, but gossiping does not cause
physical harm to the patient. The nurse is not committing libel, which is written
defamation of character. Defamation of character is defined as making false public
statements about a person, but there is no indication that the nurse is making
false statements, just that the information is private.: A student nurse is gossiping
in Nursing Practice
Confidentiality means that nurses and all healthcare providers must avoid
discussing patients in public hallways and provide reasonable levels of privacy in
communicating with and about patients in any manner. Confidentiality protects
private patient information once it has been disclosed in healthcare settings.
Privacy is the right of the patient to keep personal information from being
disclosed. Patient have the right to get every possible detail before undergoing a
particular procedure. Message boards used in patient's hospital rooms to post
daily nursing care information can no longer contain information revealing the
patient's medical condition.: The nurse attends to a patient who sustained injuries
when crossing the street. The patient was hit by a car that failed to stop at a stop
sign. The patient was rushed to the emergency department and then to surgery to
repair injuries. After surgery, the patient was transferred to the medical-surgical
unit for postsurgical management. The healthcare provider informs the nurse that
patient confidentiality should be strictly maintained. What should the nurse
interpret from this? Select all that apply.
1
The nurse should respect that the patient has the right to keep personal
information from being disclosed.
2
The nurse should avoid discussing the patient's medical reports in public areas
with other healthcare professionals.
3
The nurse should not disclose information about a procedure to the patient.
4
The nurse must protect any private information about the patient, once it has been
disclosed in healthcare settings.
5
Message boards where daily nursing care information is posted in the patient's
room cannot contain information revealing the patient's medical condition.
2, 3
,Negligence is performing an action that falls below a standard of care. Failure to
obtain informed consent is an act of negligence. Assault refers to an action that
places a person within harmful or offensive contact without consent. Battery is any
intentional touching without consent. Because the nurse has failed to obtain
informed consent, doing any intervention on the patient would be considered as
battery. False imprisonment is the unjustified restraint of a person without legal
warrant. Failure to obtain informed consent would not result in assault or false
imprisonment. Libel is written defamation of charac-
ter.: The nurse has failed to obtain informed consent before performing a
procedure on a patient. Which type of torts result from this nursing action? Select
all that apply.
1
Assal
2
Battery
3
Negligence
4
False imprisonment
5
Libel
2
Because the nurse has received praise in the past for providing quality care to
patients, the implication is that the nurse provides quality care. Another nurse
accusing this nurse of providing inadequate patient care is indicative of slander,
which occurs when one person speaks falsely about others. Libel refers to written
defamation of character. Malpractice refers to actions performed below the
standard of care. Invasion of privacy refers to unwanted intrusion
into the patient's personal affairs.: The nurse has been falsely accused of
providing inadequate care to a patient by another nurse. The nurse has received
praise in the past for providing quality care to the patients. Which tort does this
indicate?
1
,Libel
2
Slander
3
Malpractice
4
Invasion of privacy
2, 3
Battery is any intentional touching without consent. Giving a steroid injection to a
patient after the patient has rejected an invasive procedure is considered battery.
Malpractice occurs when health care delivered falls below a standard of care
expected. The patient's privacy has been invaded when the healthcare provider
informs the patient's family of the patient's present medical condition without
consent. Negligence is conduct that falls below a standard of care. Defamation of
character is the publication of false statements that damage a
person's reputation.: The nurse attends to a trauma patient who has been
transferred from the intensive care unit (ICU). The nurse finds out that the ICU
nurse provided a detailed explanation on the patient's condition to the family
without consent from the patient. The ICU nurse also gave the patient a steroid
shot even though the patient refused the medication. Which torts would the ICU
nurse be guilty of? Select all that apply.
1
Malpractice
2
Battery
3
Invasion of privacy
4
Negligence
5
Defamation of character
1, 3
, Nursing notes are important, because they contain evidence needed to
understand the care received by a patient. The notes should be legible to all
people, not just the nurse. Similarly, complete nursing records should be properly
preserved, because they may be required to show what care was provided. Basic
nursing duties as well as advanced nursing care should be recorded in
the nursing records.: The nurse is learning about nursing malpractice. Which
statements should the nurse consider as good nursing practice? Select all that
apply.
1
Nursing notes can be illegible as long as the
nurse can read them.
2
Nursing notes should be
maintained properly.
3
Nursing records should be
properly preserved.
4
Institutions should maintain complete
nursing records.
5
Only basic duties should be recorded in nursing records.
2. 3
The registered nurse reprimands the student nurse for speaking in public about
the patient's private life, because it is an invasion of the patient's privacy. Assault
is intentional bodily harm caused by the perpetrator, but gossiping does not cause
physical harm to the patient. The nurse is not committing libel, which is written
defamation of character. Defamation of character is defined as making false public
statements about a person, but there is no indication that the nurse is making
false statements, just that the information is private.: A student nurse is gossiping
