Medical Legal Flashcards
What are the two types of law that pertain to anesthesia?
Criminal and Civil or Tort
Define criminal law.
Protect society from harm
What are the ciminal CRNA concerns?
- Fraudulent insurance claims
- Misuse of controlled substances
Medication errors are what type of law?
Criminally negligent homicide nd gross neglect of an impaired adult
Define civil or tort.
A civil wrong in which a party is injured dur to the failure of another part to carry out their duties to the injuried party
What are the different types of civil or tort?
Intentional or Unintentional
What are intentional civil or tort classified as?
- Assault
- Battery
- False imprisonment
Define assault.
A threat of bodily harm coupled with an apparent, present ability to cause the harm
Define battery
Unlawful touching of another person
What is a type of false imprisonment unique to anesthesia?
can be chemically done
What is unintetional civil or tort?
Malpractice
Define malpractice
professional misconduct
What are the characteristics of standard of proof with civil or tort?
Preponderance of evidence
- Does enough evidence exist to assume negligence occurred?
- Does not require proof beyond a reasonable doubt
What is a preponderance of evidence classified as with civil or tort?
51% is only needed to be sure that it happened and you caused it
What is scope of practice?
The basic licensure that allows a nurse to practice in anesthesia is a
registered nursing license
What do some states require for APRN?
Some states require additional certification
What is the requirements of scope of practice from states?
These requirements and titles vary from state to state
What are components of scope of practice?
- Standards of Care
- SBON Nurse Practice Act
- Anesthesia Department or Group
- Malpractice Policy
What are the components of standards of care?
- AANA Standards of Care
- AANA Office Based
What is the characteristics of SBON Nurse Practice Act?
APRN requirements
What should be reviewed within Anesthesia Department or Group?
Policy and Procedure Manual
An anesthesia provider should always plan to be __________ for
their conduct and judgements of all their patient’s care.
held accountable
__________ varies from state to state.
Accountability
Who is involved in determining lines of responsibility?
The hospital is generally responsible for the conduct of everyone performing within its walls and the surgeon was responsible for all events occurring in the operating roo
What is vicarious liability?
Concept dates back to ancient times
Respondeat Superior: Let the master answer
What are the basic rules stated for directly liability?
An employer is directly liable for the negligent conduct of an employee
when the wrongdoer is acting within the scope of their employment at the time the negligence occurred.
What are the basic rules for indirect liability?
This indirect responsibility for an employee’s negligence does NOT excuse
the individual provider
What are the current trends regarding liability?
More recent trends consider the technical knowledge required of
each individual involved in the case:
- Surgeon
- Anesthesia
- Nurses
What are the more realistica specific obligations for liability?
Each healthcare provider is generally held accountable for their area of
responsibility
What is the professional standards of care?
The trend regarding the standard of care is to apply a state or
nationwide standard to all health professionals of a given
discipline and compare a defendant charged with professional
malpractice with reasonably competent peers acting under the
same or similar conditions without regard to geographical
limitations.
Why is professional standards of care applied legally?
Courts and legislators are applying this standard because of standardization in
education, training, and advances in communication.
What organization regulates CRNA standards of care?
AANA
What is the intentions of the AANA standards of care?
- Assist the profession in evaluating the quality of care provided by it practitioners
- Provide a common base for practitioners to use in their development of a quality practice
- Assist the public in understanding what to expect from the practitioner
- Support and preserve the basic rights of the patient
How many standards of care are outlined by the AANA?
14
What is AANA Standard I?
Patient’s Rights
Define AANA Standard I: patient rights.
Interpretation: Respect the patient’s autonomy, dignity, and privacy, and support the patient’s needs and safety
Review the code of ethics for the crna.
AANA Standard I: patient rights.
Code of Ethics for the CRNA: https://www.aana.com/docs/default-
source/practice-aana-com-web-documents-(all)/professional-practice- manual/code-of-ethics-for-the-crna.pdf?sfvrsn=d70049b1_8
What is the AANA Standard II?
Preanesthesia Patient Assessment and Evaluation
Define the components of AANA Standard II: Preanesthesia Patient Assessment and Evaluation.
- Perform and document or verify documentation of a preanesthesia evaluation of the patient’s general health, allergies, medication history, preexisting conditions, anesthesia history, and any relevant diagnostic tests.
- Perform and document or verify documentation of an anesthesiafocused physical assessment to form the anesthesia plan of care.
Review documenting important documents for AANA Standard II: Preanesthesia Patient Assessment and Evaluation.
AANA Standard II: Preanesthesia Patient Assessment and Evaluation.
Documenting Anesthesia Care: https://www.aana.com/docs/default-
source/practice-aana-com-web-documents-(all)/professional-practice- manual/documenting-anesthesia-care.pdf?sfvrsn=ac0049b1_8
What is AANA Standard III?
Plan for Anesthesia Care
What is the definition of AANA Standard III: Plan for Anesthesia Care?
- After the patient has had the opportunity to consider anesthesia care options and address his or her concerns, formulate a patient-specific plan for anesthesia care.
- When indicated, the anesthesia care plan can be formulated with members of the healthcare team and the patient’s legal representative (e.g., healthcare proxy, surrogate).
What are the important documents pertaining to AANA Standard III: Plan for Anesthesia Care?
- Documenting Anesthesia Care, Practice and Policy Considerations
- Informed Consent for Anesthesia Care, Policy and Practice Considerations:
https://www.aana.com/docs/default-source/practice-aana-com-web- documents-(all)/professional-practice-manual/informed-consent-for- anesthesia-care.pdf?sfvrsn=8a0049b1_8
What is the AANA Standard IV?
Informed Consent for Anesthesia Care and Related Services
What is the interpretation of AANA Standard IV: Informed Consent for Anesthesia Care and Related Services?
Obtain and document or verify documentation that the patient or legal representative (e.g., healthcare proxy, surrogate) has given informed consent for planned anesthesia care or related services in accordance with law, accreditation standards, and institutional policy
What are the important documents for AANA Standard IV: Informed Consent for Anesthesia Care and Related Services?
- Code of Ethics for the Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist
- Informed Consent for Anesthesia Care, Policy and Practice Considerations,
- Reconsideration of Advanced Directives, Practice Guidelines and Policy Considerations: https://www.aana.com/docs/default-source/practice-aana-com- web-documents-(all)/professional-practice-manual/reconsideration-of-advanced- directives.pdf?sfvrsn=550049b1_10