14 Apr Ethical and Legal Considerations for Nurse Leaders
Week 6 Discussion: Ethical and Legal Considerations for Nurse Leaders
Discussion Overview: Nurse leaders are responsible for ensuring that the standards of care are maintained in their respective clinical settings or department. There are several potential sources for liability and risk of malpractice among managers.
Discussion Prompt: For this week’s discussion, select one of the following topics and identify an example of a situation in which a nurse manager was held legally responsible for patient outcomes or the outcomes of the situation:
Note: Please select a situation that is not listed in the text as an example.
· Assignment, Delegation, and Supervision
· Duty to Orient, Educate, and Evaluate
· Failure to Warn
· Staffing Issues (Mandatory Overtime, Floating, or Temporary Staffing)
· Accreditation
· Social Media
· Professional Comportment
· Discharge planning or transfers between units or other healthcare organizations
Once you have identified a situation related to the above topics, address the following in your response: Provide a brief summary of the situation you have selected.
· Articulate what professional standard was not met.
· Identify the role of the nurse leader or manager in the situation.
· Discuss your thoughts regarding the burden of responsibility and liability that nurse leaders assume in their role.
· Given what you have learned, describe at least two resources, strategies, or support you would use in a similar situation.
