Preface

vii

Contributor

ix

Acronyms

xi

PART I

THE LAW AND NURSING PRACTICE

1

Chapter 1

The Legal Environment   Susan J. Westrick and Katherine Dempski

2

2

Regulation of Nursing Practice   Susan J. Westrick

6

3

Nurses in Legal Actions   Katherine Dempski

10

4

Standards of Care   Katherine Dempski

15

5

Defenses to Negligence or Malpractice   Susan J. Westrick

19

6

Prevention of Malpractice   Katherine Dempski

23

7

Nurses as Witnesses   Susan J. Westrick

28

8

Professional Liability Insurance   Susan J. Westrick

32

9

Refusing an Assignment/Patient Abandonment   Susan J. Westrick

37

10

Delegation to Unlicensed Assistive Personnel   Susan J. Westrick

45

Part I

Review Questions

52

Part I

Answers

56

PART II

LIABILITY IN PATIENT CARE

61

11

Patients’ Rights and Responsibilities   Katherine Dempski

62

12

Confidential Communication   Susan J. Westrick

66

13

Competency and Guardianship   Susan J. Westrick

73

14

Informed Consent   Katherine Dempski

77

15

Refusal of Treatment   Katherine Dempski

84

16

Pain Control   Katherine Dempski

88

17

Patient Teaching and Health Counseling   Susan J. Westrick

91

18

Medication Administration   Susan J. Westrick

96

19

Clients with AIDS and HIV Testing   Katherine Dempski

110

20

Abusive Situations   Katherine Dempski

114

21

Reproductive Services   Katherine Dempski

118

22

Restraints   Katherine Dempski

122

23

Emergency Psychiatric Admissions   Katherine Dempski

126

24

Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation   Susan J. Westrick

130

25

Discharge Against Medical Advice   Katherine Dempski

137

Part II

Review Questions

142

Part II

Answers

148

PART III

DOCUMENTATION ISSUES

153

26

The Medical Record   Katherine Dempski

154

27

Electronic Health Information and Communication   Susan J. Westrick

159

28

Interdependent Nursing Functions: Verbal Orders and Telenursing   Katherine Dempski

165

29

Event Reporting   Katherine Dempski

169

30

Forensic Issues   Susan J. Westrick

175

Part III

Review Questions

179

Part III

Answers

182

PART IV

EMPLOYMENT AND THE WORKPLACE

185

31

Employer and Employee Rights   Susan J. Westrick

186

32

Contracts   Susan J. Westrick

194

33

Corporate Liability   Susan J. Westrick

198

34

Employment Contracts and Unionization   Susan J. Westrick

203

35

Employment Status Liability   Susan J. Westrick

207

36

Staffing Issues and Floating   Susan J. Westrick

212

37

Americans with Disabilities Act   Katherine Dempski

217

38

Employees with AIDS/HIV Infection and Exposure to Blood borne Pathogens   Katherine Dempski

221

39

Impaired Nurses   Susan J. Westrick

225

40

Sexual Harassment in the Workplace   Susan J. Westrick

233

41

Violence in the Workplace   Susan J. Westrick

238

42

Intentional Torts   Susan J. Westrick

242

Part IV

Review Questions

247

Part IV

Answers

252

PART V

ETHICS

257

43

Ethical Decision Making   Susan J. Westrick

258

44

Reporting Illegal, Unethical, or Unsafe Conduct   Susan J. Westrick

266

45

Maternal versus Fetal Rights   Katherine Dempski

273

46

Futility of Care   Katherine Dempski

278

47

Advance Directives and End-of-Life Decisions   Katherine Dempski

282

48

Assisted Suicide   Katherine Dempski

289

Part V

Review Questions

293

Part V

Answers

297

Appendix

Basic Legal Research   Susan J. Clerc

301

Index

311