Question

The nurse is making med rounds and gives the client their medication, the nurse later realizes that it is the wrong dose, twice the ordered amount and the client has a severe hypotensive episode. He becomes unconscious and is transferred to the ICU. The physician is notified, and the nurse makes out an incident report. What should the nurse understand about the possibility of being sued for malpractice?

a)There is no validity to a lawsuit for malpractice, because the client did not sustain harm or injury from the action.
b) If the nurse notifies the physician, the nurse is no longer liable for the action.
c)The nurse can be sued, because
the action was below the standard of practice.
d) There would be no lawsuit, because
the client identified himself by answering
when the nurse called his name.

Answer 1

The nurse can be sued for malpractice because the action was below the standard of practice.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse should understand that they can be sued for malpractice because the action was below the standard of practice (option c). Malpractice occurs when a healthcare professional fails to provide the standard of care that a reasonable practitioner would have provided in a similar situation. In this case, the nurse made a medication error by administering the wrong dose, which resulted in a severe hypotensive episode and the need for ICU transfer. The nurse should expect to face legal consequences and may be held liable for the harm caused to the client.