Law and Ethics Vocab Flashcards
Civil Law
a branch of law that regulates the non-criminal rights, duties of persons, and equal legal relations between private individuals.
Criminal Law
a system of laws concerned with crimes and the punishment of individuals who commit crimes.
Felony
a crime of high seriousness.
Misdemeanor
a crime of lesser seriousness.
Tort
a wrongful act or an infringement of a right.
Assault
an illegal act of causing physical harm or unwanted physical contact to another person.
Battery
an unlawful application of force directly or indirectly upon another person or their personal belongings, causing bodily injury or offensive contact.
Defamation
the action of damaging the good reputation of someone.
Libel
a published false statement.
Slander
the action or crime of making a false spoken statement damaging to a person’s reputation.
Informed Consent
a healthcare provider educates a patient about the risks, benefits, and alternatives of a given procedure or intervention.
Consent
permission for something to happen or agreement to do something.
Implied Consent
consent which is not expressly granted by a person, but rather implicitly granted by a person’s actions.
Express Consent
permission for something that is given specifically, either verbally or in writing.
Negligence
failure to take proper care in doing something.
Scope of Practice
the activities that an individual health care practitioner is permitted to perform within a specific profession.
Malpractice
any negligent behavior on the part of a care provider.
Expert Witness
a person with specialized knowledge, skills, education, or experience in a particular field who is called upon to provide their expertise in legal proceedings.
Patient Abandonment
when a healthcare provider refuses to treat a patient or is negligent in not being available when a patient needs care.
Good Samaritan Act
a person who renders emergency care at or near the scene of, or during, an emergency, gratuitously and in good faith, is not liable for any civil damages or penalties as a result of any act.
Statute of Limitations
a statute prescribing a period of limitation for the bringing of certain kinds of legal action.
Patient Self-Determination Act
mandates that patient advanced directives be implemented if necessary, assuming those wishes are legally valid and permissible by State law.
Advance Directive
legal documents that provide instructions for medical care and only go into effect if you cannot communicate your own wishes.
Durable Power of Attorney
the agent can act even if the principal becomes disabled or incapacitated.
