Care Manager Certification Practice Exam

What could a nurse be sued for if a client has a severe allergic reaction due to an incorrect medication administration?

1. Battery

2. Assault

3. Malpractice

4. Negligence

The correct answer is: Malpractice

In this scenario, the appropriate term to describe the nurse's potential liability is malpractice. Malpractice refers to a situation where a healthcare professional fails to provide the standard of care that is expected in their field, resulting in harm to a patient. In the case of incorrect medication administration leading to a severe allergic reaction, the nurse would have breached their duty of care by not adhering to established safety protocols and guidelines for medication administration. Malpractice specifically involves two key elements: that the nurse had a professional duty to the patient and that their actions (or inactions) directly caused harm. In this situation, the nurse’s failure to verify the medication, administer the correct dosage, or recognize the patient's allergies would constitute a failure to meet the professional standards expected in nursing. This could provide a basis for legal action due to the harm the patient suffered as a consequence of that failure. Additional concepts are present in the other answer choices, but they do not apply as directly to this specific issue. Battery implies physical harm or unwanted contact, which is not the primary focus here. Assault involves the threat of harm rather than the act of causing injury. Negligence is a broader category that could apply in this context, but malpractice is a more specific term that indicates a