Title: Discussion Board: Nurse Practice Act & Legal Aspects
Course: PRN 0096 Practical Nursing III > Section: Employment Seminar

In a well-constructed initial response utilizing the knowledge you gained from the initial readings as well as your own experiences, discuss the following question:

Discussion Board Module 3 Negligence

Review Mini Case Study on Negligence below. Answer the following two questions and post on DB:
•Do you think the LPN charge nurse is liable for the client’s injury?
•Were all the elements of malpractice on the part of the charge nurse present? Explain each.

Mini Case Study

Negligence?

Mr. Zollo was admitted to the subacute care unit because he had poor sensation and circulation in his right leg. He complained to the LPN charge nurse that his leg was cold and asked for a heating pad. The LPN charge nurse told the nursing assistant to place a hot water bottle on the client’s right calf. Two hours later the charge nurse returned and found the client complaining of right lower leg pain. Upon examination, the client was found to have sustained second- and third-degree burns to the skin under the hot water bottle. In court, the charge nurse was questioned and testified that she did not know that the nursing assistant had filled the hot water bottle using water from the urn in the kitchen used to make tea and had not measured the temperature of the water.