Have the Courage to Soar Above Compromising Legal Issues

Activity Summary

Gone are the days when only hospitals and physicians are listed as defendants in medical malpractice lawsuits. The sad truth is, nurses are named as codefendants more frequently, and charges are becoming more severe. Claims are derived from deviations from policies and standards which seem reasonable under a similar circumstance, such as monitoring. Tips to avoid malpractice lawsuits are discussed with a focus on documentation, communication, utilizing chain-of-command and appropriate competency.

Objectives

Discuss the many standards, practices, policies and laws that help guide general nursing practice.
Review recent cases involving nurses, identify potential risks and use strategies to protect the nurse from medical malpractice.
Identify practical nursing actions to help the nurse understand legal jeopardy and thereby avoid being named in a malpractice claim.

Continuing Education Disclosure Statement

Criteria for Awarding Contact Hours

Learners must complete the entire activity and the associated evaluation AND read Implicit Bias impacts patient outcomes. No partial credit will be awarded.

Accreditation

American Association of Critical-Care Nurses is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.
Provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider number CEP 1036, for {contactHours} contact hours.

Disclosures

The Nurse Planner has determined that no individuals with the ability to control content of this activity have relevant relationships with ineligible companies.

Activities with pharmacotherapeutic credit are to assist the APRN in fulfilling their education requirements for licensure and certification renewals.

Refund Policy

Continuing Education Activities are nonrefundable.