Реферат: Legal Issues Case Study For Nursing Essay

that such observations actually were made (Bernzweig, 1996, p. 171).” Nurses

must constantly evaluate a wealth of information and results, and as soon as

they become aware of any significant medical data, dangerous circumstances, or a

dramatic worsening of the patient’s condition, “they are required to communicate

this information to the treating physician at once. Their failure to

communicate these observations can have disastrous consequences and will

certainly increase the chances for malpractice litigation (Bernzweig, 1996, p.

177).”

Case 5

Alterations in the nurse’s behavior:

Children with respiratory problems need skilled and competent nursing care.

The symptoms of hypoxemia, a complication of respiratory problems, are often

insidious. Frequently, there is peripheral vasoconstriction with accompanying

skin color changes. Tachypnea, tachycardia, anxiety, and confusion may ensue.

It is the nurse’s responsibility to observe, evaluate, and document the

patient’s condition. In the emergency department, the nurse is the member of

the health-care team who has the greatest contact with the patient. Any

significant change in the patient’s condition, based upon nursing observation,

must be promptly communicated to the physician.

The nurse should have informed the physician promptly of the 11:08 p.m.

observations. These indicated that the child’s condition was not improving but

was, in fact, deteriorating. Before processing the discharge order, the nurse

should have communicated to the physician that the child had failed to improve

with treatment and more aggressive therapy would have been followed, possibly

including hospital admission.

Conforming to legal standards and high quality care:

Nursing malpractice exists because it is human to make mistakes under

stress, and nurses must function in a stressful environment. Nursing

malpractice can be minimized if the nurse utilizes the nursing process and