Nurs 207 - Health Care Law Flashcards

1
Q

Define Health Care Law

A

Health care law is the collection of laws that have a direct impact on the delivery of health care or on the relationships among those in the business of health care or between the providers and the recipients of health care.

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2
Q

Describe the Scope of Health Care Law

A

Legislative: introducing, changing, repealing (take away) law

Regulatory: Putting laws into actions using rules

Judicial Decisions: Previous court cases as supportive tool (usually comes into play when we don’t have a law)

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3
Q

*Attributes of Health Care Law (5)

what makes a health care law a health care law?

A
  1. Rule is established by gov’t body/agency (may be federal, provincial, local)
  2. Has enforceable sanctions
  3. Is publicly available
  4. Consistent with provincial and federal laws
  5. Can be modified, changed, or upheld through authoritative action (some body that enforces/changes/upholds that law)
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4
Q

What is a fiduciary relationship?

A

Wherein the nurse provides services that cause the recipient (patient, family, group) to be able to trust in the expectations of a specialized body of knowledge and the professional integrity of the provider

The public at large expects that RNs act honestly, and in good faith. It is this relationship that forms the basis of nursing practice.

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5
Q

What dictates expectations?

A

HPA - Health Professions Act (of Alberta)
developed to regulate health professions using model that allows for non-exclusive, overlapping scopes of practice
-no single profession has exclusive ownership of a specific skill or health service and different professions may provide the same health services

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6
Q

Restricted Activities

A

Identify what you as an RN can do (legal limit of your scope of practice)

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7
Q

CARNA

A

College and Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta

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8
Q

What is CARNA

A

CARNA is the professional and regulatory body for RN’s in Alberta (but only for a little while)

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9
Q

What does CARNA do?

A

The dual mandate centers on serving the public interest: as a regulator by ensuring ethical, safe, competent care by registered nurses and, as an association, by supporting the pursuit of excellence in RN practice

  • regulatory side –> what educational program meets the requirements, at what point can a person apply to be on the register, manage the discipline decisions
  • association side –> about excellence and practice
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10
Q

What are Practice Standards?

A

These standards describe the expected behaviour of the RN, regardless of role or setting

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11
Q

What are the 5 Standards of practice?

A

Standard One: Responsibility and Accountability Standard Two: Knowledge-Based Practice
Standard Three: Ethical Practice
Standard Four: Service to the Public
Standard Five: Self-Regulation

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12
Q

Standard One

A

The nurse is personally responsible and accountable for their nursing practice and conduct

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13
Q

Standard Two

A

The nurse continually acquires and applies knowledge and skills to provide competent, evidence-informed nursing care and service

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14
Q

Standard Three

A

The nurse complies with the Code of Ethics adopted by the Council in accordance with Section 133 of HPA and Carna bylaws

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15
Q

Standard Four

A

The nurse has the duty to provide safe, competent, and ethical nursing care and service in the best interest of the public

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16
Q

Standard Five

A

The nurse fulfills the professional obligations related to self-regulation

17
Q

Define Scope of Practice

A

Scope of practice refers to the knowledge of registered nurses and the comprehensive application of that knowledge to assist clients in meeting their health needs in whatever setting, complexity and situation they occur throughout the life span.

18
Q

Scope of practice includes ________…

A

Scope of practice includes all the interventions that registered nurses are authorized, educated and competent to perform.

19
Q

Scope of Practice Triangle Diagram from top to bottom

A

Health Professions Act (HPA)
Registered Nurses Profession Regulation
CARNA Standards, Guidelines and Position Statements
(outer limits of RN profession scope of practice)

Employer Policies
Individual RN Competence
Client Needs
(scope of practice of individual RN)

20
Q

Self-regulation

A

occurs at a regulatory body as well as at an individual level

21
Q

What is tort?

A

civil wrong committed against a person or property (things that could pose a legal risk to you as a nurse)

22
Q

Intentional vs Unintentional Torts

A

Intentional: willful acts that violate another person’s right

Unintentional: negligence - conduct that does not meet a standard of care established by law (failure to take care in doing something)

23
Q

Intentional Tort Examples

A

● Assault
● Battery
● Invasion of privacy
● False imprisonment

24
Q

Unintentional Tort Example

A

● Negligence

25
Q

How to prevent negligence

A
Follow Standards of Care
Give competent health care
Insist on appropriate orientation
Continuing education
Adequate Staffing
Communicate with other HCW
Develop caring rapport with patient
Document Assessments - thoroughly
Interventions
Evaluations fully
26
Q

Due process

A

nurses must be notified of the charges brought against them and have the opportunity to defend themselves against the charge in a hearing