A patient refused to ambulate postoperatively and subsequently developed bilateral pneumonia, causing his hospital stay to be lengthened. After discharge, the patient filed a lawsuit claiming his primary nurse was negligent in allowing him to develop pneumonia. What is the nurse's best defense in this case?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Rationale 1: While the patient assumes risk with informed consent, which could be a potential defense, the patient did not follow advice or instructions.
Rationale 2: The logic that complications will result in longer hospital stays does not help support the nurse's defense.
Rationale 3: Admitting to the knowledge that care was substandard would hinder the defense, not help it.
Rationale 4: The patient's own negligence in this case could be argued as a contributory cause. This factor becomes the best defense in this scenario.

A Patient Refused to Ambulate Postoperatively and Subsequently Developed Bilateral