Nursing Jurisprudence and Legal Concepts Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards generated from lecture notes covering key terms in nursing jurisprudence, public and private law, professional accountability, and legal liability.

Law

Rules established to regulate conduct, protect rights, and maintain order.

Judicial Branch

Branch of government that interprets and applies the law and regulates if the government is following the constitution.

Administrative Law

Branch of law that controls how government agencies operate and make decisions.

Nursing Jurisprudence

Field of law ensuring that nurses practice safely, ethically, and in line with the law.

Code of Good Governance

Code enforced to ensure high standards, public safety, and ethical accountability among all registered Filipino professionals.

Contribution to Nation-Building

Principle requiring that professionals must consider the broader impact of their work on society and the public interest.

Public Law

Rules that affect society as a whole and involve the state or government.

Private Law

Law governing relationships between private entities and individuals, such as contracts, property, and torts.

RA 9173 - Philippine Nursing Act of 2002

Main law regulating nursing education, practice, and licensure.

Assault

An illegal act where there is no physical touch yet, but the threat itself is illegal.

False Imprisonment

Restricting a patient’s freedom against their will.

Invasion of Privacy

A legal violation exemplified by not closing curtains during a patient examination.

Negligence

Failure to use the level of care that a normal, reasonable person would use in the same situation.

Malpractice

Failure by a professional to follow accepted standards of work which leads to harm or loss.

Accessory

A person who helps after the crime has been done.

Manslaughter

Unlawful killing of a human being without malice or the specific intent to kill.

Misdemeanor

Bad behavior or a low-level crime.

Mitigating Circumstance

A situation, such as voluntary surrender after committing negligence, that lessens or affects liability.

Summon

An official directive to appear in court to answer charges or a complaint.

Professional Integrity and Accountability

Principle stating that practitioners must perform duties honestly, remain free of conflicts of interest, and avoid actions that compromise ethical judgment.

Force Majeure

An event beyond human control that prevents fulfillment of duty or responsibility.

Informed Consent

Process ensuring client participation in healthcare decisions.

Nurses’ Notes / Medical Records

Documentation that should include not only medical procedures and medications but also observations of physical, emotional, and behavioral changes.

Res Ipsa Loquitur

Legal rule applied when an accident is so obvious that carelessness is automatically assumed without needing extra proof.

Intoxication

A condition affecting legal liability: if habitual, liability increases; if not habitual, it may reduce liability.

Standard

Desired and achievable level of performance against which actual practice is compared.

Defamation

Damaging another person’s reputation through false statements.

Advance Directives

Legal documents that allow a patient to state their preferences for medical care if they become unable to communicate.

Emergency / Implied Consent

Legal principle stating that no consent is needed if delay will cause harm or death, as the law assumes the patient would consent to life-saving care.