A nurse accidentally administers a medication to the wrong patient, and the patient experiences a serious untoward reaction.
For which tort can the nurse be legally charged?
Negligence.
Malpractice.
Assault.
Battery.
The Correct Answer is B
Choice A rationale
Negligence is the failure to exercise the care that a reasonably prudent person would exercise in similar circumstances. While administering the wrong medication is a breach of duty, legal charges of negligence might not fully capture the severity of a serious untoward reaction resulting from a medication error by a professional.
Choice B rationale
Malpractice is a specific type of negligence committed by a professional, such as a nurse, in the performance of their professional duties. Administering the wrong medication, leading to a serious adverse reaction, falls under the scope of professional nursing practice and can be considered a breach of the professional standard of care, thus potentially leading to charges of malpractice.
Choice C rationale
Assault is an intentional act that creates a reasonable apprehension of immediate harmful or offensive contact. Administering medication, even the wrong one, is usually not intended to cause apprehension of harm in the way assault is legally defined.
Choice D rationale
Battery is the intentional touching of another person without consent. While administering the wrong medication involves touching without consent, the more appropriate legal charge in a professional healthcare setting where harm results from a breach of duty is typically malpractice. .
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Related Questions
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Choice A rationale
Hypokalemia, a deficiency of potassium in the blood (normal range: 3.5-5.0 mEq/L), typically leads to metabolic alkalosis due to intracellular hydrogen ion shifts. While respiratory and metabolic acid-base balances are interconnected, hypokalemia itself does not directly cause the retention of carbon dioxide, which is the hallmark of respiratory acidosis.
Choice B rationale
A high fever increases the metabolic rate, leading to increased oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production. However, the body usually compensates for this by increasing the respiratory rate to expel the excess carbon dioxide. Therefore, while fever affects gas exchange, it is more likely to cause respiratory alkalosis due to hyperventilation, not acidosis.
Choice C rationale
Extreme anxiety can lead to hyperventilation, causing an excessive exhalation of carbon dioxide and a subsequent decrease in the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the arterial blood (PaCO2). This results in respiratory alkalosis, not respiratory acidosis, where the PaCO2 is elevated (normal range: 35-45 mmHg).
Choice D rationale
Sedative overdose depresses the central nervous system, including the respiratory center in the brainstem. This depression leads to a decrease in both the rate and depth of breathing (hypoventilation). Inadequate ventilation causes the retention of carbon dioxide, leading to an increase in PaCO2 and a decrease in blood pH (normal range: 7.35-7.45), resulting in respiratory acidosis.
Correct Answer is ["100"]
Explanation
Step 1 is: Calculate the total daily dose: 3 mg/kg/day × 100 kg = 300 mg/day.
Step 2 is: Calculate the amount per dose: 300 mg/day ÷ 3 doses/day = 100 mg/dose.
The amount for each dose should be 100 mg.
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