Final answer:
The legal tort that has likely occurred when a provider fails to perform hand hygiene before removing sutures and the patient's hand becomes infected is negligence. Negligence arises from breaching the duty of care, leading to harm.
Step-by-step explanation:
If a medical assistant observes a provider failing to perform hand hygiene before a procedure such as removing sutures and the patient later develops an infection, the legal tort that has likely occurred is negligence. Negligence happens when a healthcare provider fails to take the reasonable care that is expected in their professional duties which leads to harm or injury to a patient. In this scenario, not performing hand hygiene is a violation of established medical protocols, which are in place to prevent infections like iatrogenic diseases or nosocomial infections.
For a legal case to establish negligence, several elements must be proven: a duty of care was owed by the healthcare provider, the duty of care was breached, the breach caused the injury or harm, and the injury led to specific damages. Given the infection developed after suture removal without proper hand hygiene, these elements could potentially be demonstrated in a lawsuit alleging negligence.
Iatrogenic diseases can occur from procedures if proper hygiene and aseptic techniques are not followed. This situation underscores the importance of proper handwashing protocols between patient contacts and especially before invasive procedures to reduce the risk of introducing harmful microbes into the patient's body and prevent potential legal ramifications for healthcare workers and their employers.