NR-661 Week 7 RISK MANAGEMENT AND NEGLIGENCE DISCUSSION - DOWNLOAD PAPER FOR A HIGH SCORE

It is important for nurse practitioners to understand what negligence and malpractice are. Negligence usually is defined as a failure to exercise the degree of care that a person of ordinary prudence would exercise under the same circumstances. A successful negligence claim would include three criteria: 1. A person owed a duty to the person making the claim. 2. The duty was breached. 3. The breach resulted in injury to the person making the claim. Malpractice is a more restricted, specialized kind of negligence. It's defined as a violation of professional duty, failure to meet a standard of care, or failure to use the skills and knowledge of other professionals in similar circumstances. It is important for NPs to know their strengths and weaknesses. It is also important to stay up to date with their scope of practice and standards of care. Documentation is an important step in preventing a lawsuit or guilty verdict in the event of a lawsuit. The thought process should be documented; how you came to the diagnosis, the symptoms presented, any differentials being considered. Shared decision making with your patient is also important to document if it is utilized to determine the plan of care. The goals and expectations for the treatment plan should also be documented. Prescribing errors are a common cause of litigation. Abbreviations should not be used when prescribing. Abbreviations leave too much room for error. Referrals are also important. An NP should know when to refer a patient out [Ach12]. There are a few easy steps that can help prevent being named in a lawsuit: 1. Establish good patient-caregiver relationships. 2. Be clear and consistent. 3. Get informed consent. 4. Have accurate and complete documentation. 5. Stay current. 6. Be prepared. 7. Follow proper procedures. If an NP does get sued there are a few things necessary to do: immediately inform the malpractice carrier; do not discuss the case with anyone; hire a lawyer; do not change or add anything in the patient’s chart. Standards of Practice refer to the clinical practice aspects of patient care. An NP should follow national standards of care that are appropriate for practice in a particular setting, such as an ambulatory, acute, or long-term care facility. There are five primary practice standards for patient care, each with several important components: • Assessment • Diagnosis • Development of treatment plans • Plan implementation • Plan evaluation Additional responsibilities include health education and promotion, patient advocacy, quality assurance, and collaborative responsibilities. Other standards can include the practitioner’s obligation for staying current within the practice area, self-management of quality issues, and alignment with practice guidelines and legislative policies. Quality standards of care are determined and monitored by several agencies, including governmental agencies such as the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality, the National Committee for Quality Assurance, professional societies and licensing boards [Ame131]. Respectfully, Achar, S., & Wu, W. (2012, Jul-Aug). How to reduce your malpractice risk. Family Practice Managment, 19(4), 21-26. Retrieved from