Nursing Negligence

Paper Summary:

The paper reports a case study of a real situation in which a nurse decides on her own to continue treating a patient and not to call the doctor as instructed. The paper explains that this could create a difficult situation and also shows a problem with communication in this particular institution. This raises questions about the preceptor program and the lesson to students.

From the Paper:

"Procedures for medical treatment are set by the doctor and the instructions are meant to be followed. Only extraordinary circumstances should intervene to cause the nurse practitioner to stray from the course set by the doctor. Short of such extraordinary circumstances, the nurse should adhere to the orders of the doctor and should consult with the doctor if a change is to be suggested. In a case such as the one under discussion, though, the nurse has decided on her own not to involve the doctor and to continue the procedure even when that situation reaches a point beyond which she was told specifically what to do,and that was to call the doctor. She is substituting her own view of the needs of the patient for those of the doctor and assuming that his admonition regarding the temperature can safely be ignored."

More papers on Nursing Negligence:

• Term Paper # 117043 : "Nursing Malpractice"
• Term Paper # 149214 : "Professional Regulation of the Nursing Profession"
• Term Paper # 116845 : "Nursing Malpractice"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: