Professional Roles & Behaviors

advance directive

a document that outlines specific wishes about medical care to be followed in the event that an individual loses the ability to make or communicate health care decisions.

assault

the threat of touching in an injurious way.

battery

the unlawful use of force against a person.

contributory negligence

an act of negligence in which the behavior of the injured party contributed to the injury.

corporate negligence

negligence attributable to a hospital or other corporation as an entity.

false imprisonment

the intentional, unjustified, nonconsensual detention or confinement of a person for any length of time.

felony gross negligence

negligent acts that involve reckless disregard for life or limb. It denotes a higher degree of negligence than ordinary negligence and results in more serious penalties.

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

law enacted under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that protects patients' privacy rights.

informed consent

permission obtained from a patient to perform a specific test or procedure. Informed consent is required before performing most invasive procedures and before admitting a patient to a research study. The document used must be written in a language understood by the patient and be dated and signed by the patient and at least one witness.

libel

a false accusation written, printed, typewritten, or presented in a picture or a sign that is made with malicious intent to defame the reputation of a person who is living or the memory of a person who is dead, resulting in public embarrassment, contempt, ridicule, or hatred.

malpractice

professional negligence that is the proximate cause of injury or harm to a patient, resulting from a lack of professional knowledge, experience, or skill that can be expected in others in the profession or from a failure to exercise reasonable care or judgment in the application of professional knowledge, experience, or skill.

misdemeanor

a criminal offense that is considered less serious than a felony and carries a lesser penalty, usually a fine or imprisonment for less than 1 year.

negligence

the commission of an act that a prudent person would not have done or the omission of a duty that a prudent person would have fulfilled, resulting in injury or harm to another person.

res ipsa loquitor

legal doctrine applied when negligence and loss are so apparent they would be obvious to anyone. Literally, "the thing speaks for itself."

respondeat superior

legal doctrine that holds employers responsible for negligent acts of their employees that occur in the course of their work. Literally, "let the master respond."

slander

any words spoken with malice that are untrue and prejudicial to the reputation, professional practice, commercial trade, office, or business of another person.

tort

a civil wrong, such as negligence, false imprisonment, assault, and battery.

vicarious liability

liability by one person or agency for the actions of another.