Chapter 7

Question 0

Assault

Answer 0

Threat or an attempt to make bodily contact with another person without that person’s permission

Question 1

accreditation

Answer 1

Process by which an educational program is evaluated and then recognized as having met certain predetermined standards of education

Question 2

Battery

Answer 2

Assault that is carried out

Question 3

Certification

Answer 3

Process by which a person who has met certain criteria established by a nongovernmental association is granted recognition.

Question 4

Common law

Answer 4

Law resulting from court decisions that is then followed when other cases involving similar circumstances and facts arise; common law is as binding as civil law.

Question 5

Credentialing

Answer 5

general term that refers to ways in which professional competence is maintained

Question 6

Crime

Answer 6

Offense against people or property; the act is considered to be against the government, referred to in a lawsuit as “the people,” and the accused is prosecuted by the state

Question 7

defamation of character

Answer 7

An intentional tort in which one party make derogatory remarks about another that diminishes the other party’s repuration; slander is oral defamation of character; libel is written defamation of character.

Question 8

defendant

Answer 8

The one being accused of a crime or tort

Question 9

expert witness

Answer 9

Nurse who explains to the judge and jury what happened based on the patient’s record and who offers an opinion as to whether the nursing care met acceptable standards of practice.

Question 10

fact witness

Answer 10

Nurse who has knowledge of the actual incident prompting a legal case; bases testimony on firsthand knowledge of the incident not on assumptions.

Question 11

felony

Answer 11

1) Crime punishable by imprisonment in a state or federal penitentiary for more than 1 year; 2) Crime of greater offense than a misdemeanor

Question 12

fraud

Answer 12

Willful and purposeful misrepresentation that could cause, or has caused, loss or harm to people or property.

Question 13

liability

Answer 13

Legal responsibility for one’s acts (and failure to act); includes responsibility for financial restitution of harms resulting from negligent acts.

Question 14

licensure

Answer 14

To be given a license to practice nursing in a state or province after successfully meeting requirements

Question 15

litigation

Answer 15

Process of lawsuit

Question 16

malpractice

Answer 16

Act of negligence as applied to a professional person such as a physcian, nurse, or dentist

Question 17

misdemeanor

Answer 17

Crime of lesser offense than a felony and punishable by fines, imprisonment (usually for less than 1 year), or both

Question 18

negligence

Answer 18

Performing an act that a reasonably prudent person under similar circumstances would not do, or failing to perform an act that a reasonably prudent person under similar circumstances would do.

Question 19

plaintiff

Answer 19

Person or government bringing a lawsuit against another

Question 20

sentinel event

Answer 20

An unexpected occurrence involving death or serious physical or psychological injury, or the risk thereof

Question 21

statutory law

Answer 21

Law enacted by a legislative body

Question 22

tort

Answer 22

Wrong committed by a person against another person or his property

Question 23

whistle-blowing

Answer 23

Term generally used to refer to employees who report their employers’ violation of the law to appropriate law enforcement agencies outside the employers’ facilities