Chapter s 4 & 5 Flashcards
Regulatory Agencies
A public authority responsible for exercising autonomous authority.
Common laws
(judicial decisions) or case law precedent
Statutory laws
are rules codified by legislative bodies of government
Nurse Practice Acts
are examples of statutes enacted by state legislatures to regulate the practice of nursing.
Criminal laws
are federal or state statutory laws that define as a crime certain actions that inflict or threaten harm to individuals.
Misdemeanor
does not inflict serious harm
Felony
A serious offense that results in significant harm
Torts
are civil wrongful acts or omissions against a person or persons property
intentional torts
are deliberate acts that violate another persons rights.
Assault
is an intentional threat toward another person that gives that person a reasonable fear
Battery
is any intentional touching without consent
Negligence
is conduct that falls below the standard of care (unintentional tort) ex medication error
Malpractice
as the failure to use that degree of care that a reasonable nurse would use under the same or similar practices.
Plaintiff
If nurse is convicted; patient is plaintiff
Defendant
If nurse convicted, owed a duty to the patient.
Standards of care
are legal guidelines for safe and adequate nursing practice
Occurrence/ Incidence report
Documentation of a deviation of standard of care
Risk management
identifying possible risks, analyzing them, acting to reduce risks, and evaluating the measures to reduce the risks.
Never Events
“Never should have happened” EX: UTI from improper use of catheter.
Good samaritan law
exist in almost every state to encourage nurses to assist in emergency situations. (these laws limit liability)
Informed consent
is a patients agreement to allow something to happen, ensure the patient has all relevant info and gives permission of procedure
Living wills
are documents instructing the health care provider to with hold any life sustaining procedures in patients whom are terminally ill.
Power of attorney for health care
the document will designate an individual who is able to give consent for health care treatment when the patient is no longer able.
Ethics
Consideration of standards of conduct
Fidelity
Agreement to keep promises
Justice
principle of fairness
Morals
judgement about behavior
Bioethics
study of ethics in healthcare
Autonomy
A persons independence
Beneficence
patients best interest
Nonmaleficence
Do no harm
Values or object
person beliefs about the worth of an idea.
Confidentiality (HIPPA)
Health Insurance portability and accountability act
Advocacy
involves giving patients the information they need to make decisions and then supporting those decisions.
Ethical dilemma
exists when the right thing to do is not clear or when members of the health care team cannot agree on the right thing to do.
Deontology
defines actions as right or wrong based on “right-makingcharacteristics” like truth and justice.
Utilitarianism
guides us to measure the effect or consequences, that an act will have.
Feminist ethics
proposes that we ask routinely how ethical decisions will affect women.
Ethics of care
suggest that health care workers will resolve ethical dilemmas by paying attention to relationships and stories of the participants and by the fundamental act of caring.
Institutional ethics committee
to process ethical dilemmas
