Final answer:
If a CNA forgets to lock the wheels on a bed and a patient is injured as a result, the CNA could be charged with negligence, which is a failure to exercise the care that a reasonably prudent person would exercise in a similar situation.
Step-by-step explanation:
If a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) forgets to lock the wheels on a bed and a patient falls and gets injured as a result of this, the CNA could be charged with negligence. Negligence occurs when someone fails to take proper care in doing something, leading to harm to another person. In this case, failing to lock the bed wheels could be seen as a lapse in the duty of care that the CNA has towards the patient. This is different from malpractice, which is a type of negligence specific to professionals in which the care provided falls below the standard expected, leading to harm to a patient. Charges like battery or assault are not applicable in this situation as they involve intentional actions to cause harm or offensive contact, and forgetting to lock the bed wheels is likely an unintentional oversight.