CHAPTER 7 LEGAL IMPLICATIONS OF NURSING 37
Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Study Guide for Fundamentals of Nursing:- Laws regulating relationships among
people - Laws involving murder, manslaughter,
criminal negligence, theft, and illegal
possession of drugs
SHORT ANSWER
1.Give an example of how nurses could avoid the
following common allegations of malpractice.
a.Failure to ensure patient safety:b.Improper treatment or performance of
treatment:c. Failure to monitor and report:d.Medication errors and reactions:e.Failure to follow agency procedure:f. Equipment misuse:g.Adverse incidents:h.Improper use of infection control
techniques:2.Explain the difference between voluntary stan-
dards of nursing practice and legal standards,
and give an example of each.
a.Voluntary standards:Example:
b.Legal standards:
Example:
3.List four cases in which informed consent is
needed from a patient:
a.
b.
c.
d.4.Give three examples of invasion of privacy in
a nurse–patient relationship:
a.
b.
c.
5.List three strengths a nurse must possess to
testify competently as an expert witness:
a.
b.
c.
6.What conditions are necessary for a contract
to be valid?7.Describe what conditions you, as a nurse,
would require to accept a telephone order
from a physician:8.List two cases in which it would be appropriate
to question a physician’s order:
a.
b.
9.Mrs. Toole, age 85, is recovering from a hip
replacement at home. When bathing Mrs.
Toole, a visiting nurse practitioner forgets to
replace her bed rails, and Mrs. Toole falls out
of bed. Mrs. Toole is shaken up and sore from
her fall, but there appears to be no further
damage to her hip.
a.What is the nurse’s liability in this situation?b.What information should be included in
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