Abuse
Any care that results in physical harm, pain, or mental anguish.
Advance Directives
Legal documents that allow individuals to state what medical treatment they want or do not want in the event they they become incapacitated and are unable to express their wishes regarding medical care.
Agent
Someone who has the power or authority to act to provide nourishment for growth of organisms.
Assault and Battery
Assault includes a threat or attempt to injure, and batter includes the unlawful touching of another person without consent.
Civil Law
Focuses on the legal relationships between people and the protection of a person's rights.
Confidentiality
Means that information about the patient must remain private and can be shared only with other members of the patient's health care team.
Contract
An agreement between two or more parties.
Criminal Law
Focuses on the behavior known as crime
Defamation
Occurs when false statement either cause a person to be ridiculed or damage the person's reputation.
Designation of Health Care Surrogate
A document that permits an individual (known as a principal) to appoint another person (known as an agent) to make any decisions regarding health care if the principal should become unable to make decisions.
Durable Power of Attorney
A document that permits an individual (known as a principal) to appoint another person (known as an agent) to make any decisions regarding health care if the principal should become unable to make decisions.
Ethics
A set of principles relating to what is morally right or wrong.
Expressed Contracts
Are stated in distinct and clear language, either orally or in writing.
False Imprisonment
Refers to restraining an individual or restricting an individual's freedom.
Health Care Records
Are considered privileged communications. They contain information about the care provided to the patient.
Implied Contracts
Obligations that are understood without verbally expressed terms.
Informed Consent
Permission granted voluntarily by a person who is of sound mind after the procedure and all risks involved have been explained in terms the person can understand.
Invasion of Privacy
Includes unnecessarily exposing an individual or revealing personal information about an individual without that person's consent.
Legal
Authorized of based on law.
Legal Disability
A person does not have the legal capacity to form a contract.
Libel
False written statement that causes a person ridicule or contempt or causes damage to the person's reputation.
Living Wills
Documents that allow individuals to state what measures should or should not be taken to prolong life when their conditions are terminal (death is expected).
Malpractice
The failure of a professional to use the degree of skill and learning commonly expected in that individual's profession, resulting in injury, loss, or damage to the person receiving care.
Negligence
The failure to give care that is normally expected of a person in a particular position.
Patient Self-determination Act (PSDA)
A federal law of 1990 mandates that all health care facilities receiving any type of federal aid comply with certain requirement. Ensures that patients are informed of their rights and have the opportunity to determine the care they will receive.
Patient's Bill of Rights
States that a patient has rights.
Patients' Rights
The factors of care that patients can expect to receive.
Privileged Communications
Comprises all information given to health care personnel by a patient; by law this information must be kept confidential and shared only with other members of the patient's health care team.
Resident's Bill of Rights
States the rights of a resident.
Slander
Spoken comment that causes a person ridicule or contempt or damages the person's reputation.
Tort
A wrongful act that does not involve a contract.