A woman who delivered her baby 6 hours ago complains of headache and dizziness.The nurse administers an analgesic but does not perform any assessments.The woman then has a tonic-clonic seizure,falls out of bed,and fractures her femur.How would the actions of the nurse be interpreted in relation to standards of care?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

There are four elements to malpractice,which is negligence in the performance of professional duties: duty,breach of duty,damage,and proximate cause.The nurse was negligent because she or he did not perform any assessments,which is the first step of the nursing process and is a standard of care.By not assessing the patient,the nurse did not meet established standards of care,and thus is guilty of professional negligence,or malpractice.

A Woman Who Delivered Her Baby 6 Hours Ago Complains