Values of Care part 4 Flashcards
(16 cards)
How are standards of care utilized in a court of law?
-measures nursing conduct and determines whether the nurse acted as any reasonable, prudent nurse would act under the same or similar circumstance.
How are hospital policies utilized in a court of law?
did the nurse follow policies and procedures; job description, norms for speciality areas
How are school or program policies utilized in a court of law?
did the nurse violate the school’s policies and procedures
What is the role of the BRN in nursing practice?
- enforce the NPA
- make rules and regulations which act as laws
- disciplinary functions
What is the purpose of the NPA?
- its a statute (laws enacted by a legislative body)
- make rules and regulations about licensure, and accreditation of programs
- require minimum standards
What is the scope of practice for an RN?
- Most Important: competent practice (each nurse needs to make sure they have adequate experience and education to fulfill nursing responsibilities in job description)
- competent practice means you need to develop sensitivity to common sources to pt injury (falls, restraints, crappy equipment, and preventing pt injury)
- follow code of ethics
- use entire nursing process
- teach client/family about health needs
What are some examples of how a nurse can get their license revoked?
- drug/alcohol abuse
- fraud
- deceptive practices
- criminal acts
- gross or ordinary negligence
- previous disciplinary action by other state boards
- physical or mental impairments to include aging
How can the nurse protect themself from lawsuits?
professional liability insurance
Who can legally be called a nurse?
Only an RN
What is the purpose of the good samaritan law?
protects helath care workers when they give aid to people in emergency situations
-unless care is given in a grossly neglient manner.
What is the nurses legal responsibility related to advanced directives?
the nurse needs to make sure the pt record has a signed advanced directive
What is the nurses legal responsibility related to legal consent?
pt must voluntarily agree to a medical procedure after receiving full disclosure of risk, benefit, alternatives, and consequences
What is the nurses legal responsibility related to informed consent?
Key elements:
- explanation of procedure
- names and qualifications of people performing
- description of harm and pain
- alternative therapies
- right to refuse (even after procedure started)
- must witness signature
What is the nurses legal responsibility related to reporting obligations?
child abuse
rape
communicable disease
-ethically and legally required to report abuse
What is the nurses legal responsibility related to short staffing/floating?
- getting nurses to work overtie and doubles is unsafe for pt’s
- nurses may refuse assignments if they do not have the knowledge/skill needed, health is threatened, care expected exceeds scope, orientation to unit is not completed, nurse clearly (documents) objection, the nurses clinical judgment is impaired (exhaustion)
- float nurses need orientation and experience treating the certain type of patient
What is the nurses legal responsibility related to reporting obligations?
- when problems, mistakes, or unusual incidents happen follow agency policy to complete a report
- incident reports are the agency’s and nurses protection
