A nurse who has been named in a lawsuit can use which of these factors for the best protection in a court of law?
A)Documentation of the specific patient's record with a focus on the nursing process
B)Verification of provider's orders for the plan of care with identification of outcomes
C)Yearly evaluations and proficiency reports prepared by nurse's manager
D)Clinical specialty certification in the associated area of practice

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A nurse who has been named in a lawsuit can use documentation on the specific patient's record with a focus on the nursing process for the best protection in a court of law. Documentation is the key to protect nurses when a lawsuit is filed. Thorough documentation should include all steps of the nursing process: assessment, analysis, plan, intervention, and evaluation. In addition, it should include pertinent data such as times, dosages and sites of actions, assessment data, the nurse's response to a change in the patient's condition, specific actions taken, if and when the notification occurred to the provider or other health care team members, and what was prescribed, along with the patient's outcomes.

A Nurse Who Has Been Named in a Lawsuit Can