Legal & Ethical Ch 2 Flashcards
What are the two basic categories of law:
Criminal and civil
What does LAWS prescribe?
Proper behavior in society.
They sanction acceptable behavior and prohibit unacceptable behavior.
It’s important for you to have a basic understanding of the legal system
Laws are established in one of two ways
Develop statutory law
Common law
Precedent
Previous rulings on an issue
Civil litigation (And where does it begin)
A lawsuit in a civil court
Begins in the plaintiff
Plaintiff
The complaining party
Prelitigation panel does what?
Precedes the actual loading in court depending on the specific state law
Complaint
The defendant states the facts involved in the case, defines the legal issues the case raises, and outlines the damages
Liable
Legally responsible
Summons
A court order that notifies the defendant of the legal action
Answer
A detailed response to the charges outlined in the complaint
Discovery
A pretrial process allowing both sides to interview witnesses
Deposition
Question and answer session under oath
Interrogatory
A written question that one party sends to the other party, to which an answer is obligatory
Request for production of documents and things
An instrument for discovering and obtaining such documents as policies and procedures, standards of care, medical records, assignment sheets. Personnel files, equipment maintenance records, birth certificates, marriage certificates, medical bill, and other documents pertinent to the issues at hand
Verdict
A decision,
Based on facts of the case, the evidence and testimony presented
Appeal
Request a review of the decision
Higher court review the decision
Accountability
Being responsible for ones own actions
Liability
Legal responsibility
Advocate
One who defends or pleads a cause or issue on behalf of another
Standards of care
Acts whose performance is required, permitted, or prohibited
Scope of nursing
Give direction to you as a practicing nurse
Spelling out what you have the obligation to do,
what you have permission to do
What you are prohibited from doing for patients
Nurse practice acts
Laws formally defining and limiting the scope of nursing practice
Interstate compact
Allows multistage practice of nursing
(If a nurse is licensed in her own home state, then privileges are granted to practice in other states that have signed the interstate compact)
Abandonment of care
Wrongful termination of providing patient care
Assault
An intentional threat to cause bodily harm to another
Battery
Unlawful touching of another person without informed consent
Competency
A legal presumption that a person who has reached a age of majority can make decisions for herself or himself
Defamation
Spoken of written statements made maliciously and intentionally that may injure the subjects reputation