Advance Directive
a document stating a person's wishes about health care when that person cannot make his or her own decisions
Appeal
(law) a legal proceeding in which the appellant resorts to a higher court for the purpose of obtaining a review of a lower court decision and a reversal of the lower court's judgment or the granting of a new trial
Civil Law
Body of law dealing with private rights of individuals
Competent
Mentally and Emotionally able to appreciate consequences of actions
Controlled Substance
a drug or chemical substance whose possession and use are controlled by law
Crime
Violation of Public Law
Defendent
an individual or group being sued or charged with a crime
Damages
a sum of money paid in compensation for loss or injury
Emancipated Minor
Person younger than 18 years of age who lives independently, is totally self-supporting, is married or divorced, is a parent even if not married, or is in the military and possesses decision-making rights.
Felony
a crime more serious than a misdemeanor and punishable by imprisonment for more than one year or death
Health Care Agent
individual chosen by an individual (principal and authorized to make medical care decisions on behalf of the individual in the event of his or her subsequent incapacity to make a reasoned decision
Liability
an obligation to pay money to another party
Litigation
a lawsuit, or legal disputation
Malpractice
failure of professional duty or professional misconduct
Malpractice Insurance
insurance purchased by physicians and hospitals to cover the cost of being sued for malpractice
Medical Power of Attorney
a legal document signed by a person wh is giving another individual the power to make heath care decisions for the first person if they become incompetent
Misdemeanor
(n.) a crime or offense that is less serious than a felony; any minor misbehavior or misconduct
Negligence
failure to act with the prudence that a reasonable person would exercise under the same circumstances
Plaintiff
the party that brings the charges against the accused
Power of Attorney
a legal instrument authorizing someone to act as the grantor's agent
Precedent
an example that is used to justify similar occurrences at a later time
Privileged Relationship
One that requires confidentiality; trust that information gained in the relationship will not be made public
Statute
Legal Term for Law
Tort
Violation of a civil law, a wrong againsts an individual
Privilege
Permission to do what is usually not permitted in other circumstances
Ethical Codes
actions and beliefs approved of by a particular group of people
Ethical Principles
Rules of right and wrong from an ethical point o fview
Ethics Committee
committee made up of individuals who are involved in a patient's care, including health care practitioners, family members, clergy, and others, with the purpose of reviewing ethical issues in difficult cases
Laws
rules of conduct enforced by government
Nurse Practice Act
rules and regulations est. by state boards as to what a nurse can and can not do
Reciprocity
Recognition of one state's nursing license by another state
Accountability
a willingness to answer for your actions and decisions
Delegation
authorizing subordinates to make certain decisions
Assignments
Assignments can be made to unlicensed persons
Standards of Care
Established by the nurse practice act that your are legally responsible for.
Occupational Safety and Health Act
a law passed by the United States Congress that created the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to prevent employees from being injured or contracting diseases in the course of their employment
Discrimination
unfair treatment of a person or group on the basis of prejudice
Sexual Harassment
unwelcome sexual behavior by a supervisor toward an employee
Sentinel Event
an unexpected occurrence involving death or serious physical or psychological injury, or the risk thereof
Confidential
private
Consent
Permission Given by a patient
Competent
One who is legally fit (mentally and emotionally)
Release
Legal form used to excuse one from liability
DNR
do not resuscitate
Patient Advocate
is a person who speaks for the patient in instances where the patient is unable to communicate effectively for themselves or when the patient lacks the subject matter knowledge to communicate effectively
Prudent
wise, careful, cautious
Assault
a threatened or attempted physical attack by someone who appears to be able to cause bodily harm if not stopped
Battery
an assault in which the assailant makes physical contact
Slander
words falsely spoken that damage the reputation of another
Libel
a tort consisting of false and malicious publication printed for the purpose of defaming a living person
Defamation
an abusive attack on a person's character or good name
Invasion of Privacy
the wrongful intrusion by individuals or the government into private affairs with which the public has no concern
False Imprisonment
unlawful restraint or restriction of a person's freedom of movement
Protective Devices
Mechanical (locks, rails, belts, garments) or Chemical (drugs) -- a Physician Order is necessary for ANY protective device. The inappropriate use of devices that limit a person's mobility can result in charges of false imprisonment.
Incident Report
a record completed after an unusal occurrence that describes what happened and the steps taken after the occurence.
Ethics
Ethical principles are rules of conduct that have been agreed to by a particular group
Euthanasia
the act of killing someone painlessly (especially someone suffering from an incurable illness)
Whistle-Blowing
the disclosure by an employee of illegal, immoral, or illegitimate practices by the organization