Nurse practitioners are required by law to ensure that they conduct themselves in an ethical manner and ensure the care given to the patient is not only holistic but also patient-centered. Buppert (2018) argues that nurses are required to ensure that they take into consideration the effect of the treatment the patient is giving. Some of the claims made against nurses include document procedures or activities and failure to follow an appropriate standard of care. There is also the failure of the nurse to communicate with the patient and the family. In the case of Sarah Adams, the nurse should have looked at the medical history and provided a formal communication to the family.
Based on research, cases of nurse malpractices have been on the rise in the recent past (Sweeney, LeMahieu, & Fryer, 2017). One of the common challenges has been a failure to act on the history of the patient’s medical record. The issue of consents raises many concerns due to the legal implications that may face a nurse if the patient goes to court claiming negligence. The nurse is required to provide the patient with any risk that may come from practice. In the case of Sarah Adams et al., v. Juan J. Pilarte, M.D., et al ., the nurse should have provided the patient with information in regards to the risk of blood clots and subsequent brain damage. This should have not only been provided to the patient but also to the family as a consent form. The consent form ought to ensure that all risks are outlined before the procedure is conducted. The implication is reduced legal implications for the nurse in case something goes wrong with the patient. Negligence has many negative impacts on the patient and lack of consent means liability on the side of the nurse.
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References
Buppert, C. (2018). Can a Nurse Practitioner Go to Jail for Malpractice or Other Things Done in Clinical Practice?. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners . 14(6): 503–504. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nurpra.2018.04.001
Sweeney, C. F., LeMahieu, A., & Fryer, G. E. (2017). Nurse practitioner malpractice data: Informing nursing education. Journal of Professional Nursing , 33 (4), 271-275. doi: 10.1016/j.profnurs.2017.01.002
