Role of Nurses in prevention of legal Entanglement.

Role of Nurses in prevention of legal Entanglement.

NUR3826 Ethical and Legal Aspects of Nursing

Week 3 discussion

DQ1

Discuss issues related to corporate liability and the nurse leader’s role in prevention of legal entanglement.

What role does staffing and delegation play in corporate liability?

DQ2

There are laws that impact nursing practice including licensure, the Nurse Practice Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Civil Rights Act of 1991. As a nurse leader, legal and ethical concerns must be acknowledged and addressed to ensure care is safe, timely, effective, efficient, equitable, and patient-centered (STEEEP). Ethical decisions must adhere to both legal and ethical principles.

Consider the following scenario:

Impaired Nurse – A nurse on your unit is frequently late, occasionally looks “high”, and based on your observations, gives substandard care to patients. Upon receiving report, you realize that there is a discrepancy about medication given to one of the patients and what the patient tells you. You have suspicions based on the nurse’s behavior that the nurse might be diverting narcotics meant for patients. What do you do?

Do you have a legal obligation to address suspicions? And if so, what laws or rules would indicate a legal responsibility and what actions would you take? If the nurse is found to have a narcotic addiction, is the identifying nurse required to report this to the state board of nursing?

What is the ethical responsibility of the nurse who suspects a co-worker of substance abuse? What ethical principles apply?

Impaired Nurse – A nurse on your unit is frequently late, occasionally looks “high”, and based on your observations, gives substandard care to patients. Upon receiving report, you realize that there is a discrepancy about medication given to one of the patients and what the patient tells you. You have suspicions based on the nurse’s behavior that the nurse might be diverting narcotics meant for patients. What do you do?