Editing Management of Care (section)

=== Negligence and malpractice ===
'''Negligence''' is the failure to act as a reasonably prudent person would act under similar circumstances. It can be committed by anyone. '''Malpractice''' is professional negligence: the failure of a licensed professional to meet the standard of care of a reasonably prudent nurse with similar education and experience in similar circumstances.

Proving malpractice requires all of the following elements. If any one fails, the claim fails:
# '''Duty:''' a nurse-patient relationship existed, creating an obligation to provide care.
# '''Breach of duty:''' the nurse's action or omission fell below the standard of care.
# '''Causation:''' the breach directly caused the injury (proximate cause).
# '''Damages:''' actual harm resulted, whether physical, emotional, or financial.

Common allegations against nurses include medication errors, failure to assess and monitor, '''failure to rescue''' (recognizing deterioration but not escalating it), failure to follow the chain of command, patient falls, failure to use equipment safely, documentation failures, and failure to communicate a change in status to the provider.