Maricopa Community Colleges  NCE165   19962-20086 
Official Course Description: MCCCD Approval: 07/22/08
NCE165 19962-20086 LEC 1 Credit(s) 1 Period(s)
Legal Aspects of Nursing
Principles of legal aspects in nursing, rules of liability, negligent conduct and principles of malpractice. Review of the scope of nursing practices, and other legal matters.
Prerequisites: None.
Go to Competencies    Go to Outline
 
MCCCD Official Course Competencies:
 
NCE165   19962-20086 Legal Aspects of Nursing
1. Define legal principles involved in the nursing practice. (I)
2. Describe liability rules and specific examples involving personal, supervisory and hospital liability. (I, II)
3. Describe specific concerns involving negligence and prevention strategies. (I, III)
4. Define intentional wrongs and explain potential problems with medical consents. (I, IV)
5. Explain the scope of nursing practice for the licensed practical nurse and registered nurse and expanded role of the nurse. (V)
6. Determine the nurse's role in liability and malpractice situations. (VI)
7. Describe problems with medical records, consents, and the reporting of child and elder neglect and abuse. (VII)
8. Identify problems encountered in documentation of medication records, physical orders, and patient care plans. (VIII)
Go to Description    Go to top of Competencies
 
MCCCD Official Course Outline:
 
NCE165   19962-20086 Legal Aspects of Nursing
    I. Principles in nursing practice
        A. Types and sources of law
        B. Concept of negligence
          1. Negligent conduct
        C. Malpractice
        D. Nurse/patient relationship
        E. Emergency care
        F. Nursing standards of care
          1. Nurse specialist
          2. Nursing student
        G. Violation of statutes
      II. Liability rules
          A. Personal liability
          B. Supervisors liability
          C. Hospital liability
          D. Special liability issues
        III. Negligence
            A. Patient safety errors
            B. Physicians orders
            C. Specific types of negligent conduct
              1. Nurse practitioner/physician assistants
              2. Mentally ill patients
            D. Observation and diagnosis errors
            E. Failure to communicate
            F. Improper supervision
            G. Medication errors
            H. Prevention
              1. Risk management
          IV. Intentional wrongs and consent to treatment
              A. Assault and battery
              B. Consents
                1. Emergency consents
                2. Minors
                3. Mental incompetents
                4. Informed consent
              C. False imprisonment
            V. Scope of nursing practice
                A. Nursing practice acts
                B. Role of the licensed practical nurse (LPN)
                C. Role of the registered nurse (RN)
                D. Expanded roles
              VI. Nurse's liability
                  A. Malpractice elements
                  B. Questions of fact and law
                  C. Judicial notice
                  D. Burden of proof
                  E. Comparative vs. contributory negligence
                  F. Expert testimony
                VII. Miscellaneous matters
                    A. Medical records
                    B. Reporting child abuse/elder abuse
                    C. Informed consent/living wills/durable power of attorney
                    D. Malpractice insurance
                  VIII. Documentation
                      A. Medication records
                      B. Medical administration
                      C. Physician orders
                      D. Patient care plans
                  Go to Description    Go to top of Competencies    Go to top of Outline