Exam #2: Legal Issues*** Flashcards
Sources of Law: Constitutional
- highest level based on laws of the land(Federal, State, City)
- ->Legislative, Executive, and Judiciary branches
Sources of Law: Statutory
laws that are enacted by legislative bodies, declaring, commanding, or prohibiting something
- altered by amendment/repeal
- ->ex. DRGs
Sources of Law: Administrative
(Executive, Regulatory)
rules, regulations, and decisions of administrative bodies, to which the statues have delegated authority
-in nursing: deals with protecting public health
–>ex. State board of nursing
Sources of Law: Common
(Judicial, Decisional, Case)
federal, state, and local judicial opinions
–> based on judges decision on a case
Classifications of Law: Criminal
harmful to public or individual
- Offenses- traffic violation
- Misdemeanor- small theft
- Felonie- murder
Classifications of Law: Civil
deals with rights of individual
Classifications of Law: Contract
agreements between two parties with duty involved
–> employment contract
Classifications of Law: Procedural
deals with what regulations need to be applied at that time
–> child injuries prosecuted up to age 18
Classifications of Law: Marital
suspension of civil law in times of emergency
Classifications of Law: Military
governs contact of military while at war
The Court System
city, county, state, federal, supreme
The Jury System
petit, grand
Tort Liability
a. k.a. - civil wrongs
- occur in disagreement between two parties
1. Intentional
2. Quasi-Intentional
3. Unintentional
4. Strict
Tort Liability: Intentional
actions with an intended outcome that is meant to harm another person
–>ex. assault, battery, false imprisonment
Tort Liability: Quasi-Intentional
- defamation: harmful communication to a 3rd party (ex. libel/slander)
- Breach of confidentiality: inappropriate sharing of information
- Invasion of privacy
Tort Liability: Unintentional
- Negligence: failure to meet an ordinary standard leading to injury of pt
- Malpractice: professional misconduct/negligence leading to harm of pt
- Abandonment: duty to give care that is ignored
Tort Liability: Strict
product liability: products failure to function leading to pt harm
Litigation Trends
- increasing litigious society due to feelings of entitlement
- people desire personalization of care (not just us knowing them as a rm # or disease)
- medical law advertising increases lawsuits
- increased malpractice premiums
What are the factors contributing to lawsuits?
- increased responsibilities
- supervision of personnel
- increased pt acuity
- decreased staffing
- less knowledgable staff
Who is at risk of a medical incident?
EVERYONE
-most incidents caused by lack of nursing judgement or even common sense