What it means
An intentional torttortA wrong act, or a failure to act, that harms another person and for which a court can make the wrongdoer pay.Full entry . Written defamation is called libel, and spoken defamation is called slander. In nursing it can arise from false or careless remarks about clients or coworkers in the chart, in conversation or on social media.
For the nurse
Chart only objective facts, not opinions or labels about a client, and never discuss clients or coworkers on social media.
Related terms
confidentiality
The duty to keep a client's health information private and share it only with people who need it for care or are allowed by law.
tort
A wrong act, or a failure to act, that harms another person and for which a court can make the wrongdoer pay.