What it means
A legal term for carelessness: doing something a reasonable person would not do, or not doing something they would do. Anyone can be negligent; malpracticemal-PRAK-tisNegligence by a professional, such as a nurse or doctor, that harms a client.Full entry is negligence by a professional, such as a nurse, measured against the professional standard of careSTAN-derd uv kairThe level of care that a reasonably careful nurse with the same training would give in the same situation.Full entry . Examples in nursing include not raising bed rails as ordered, not reporting a change in condition, or giving a drug without checking for allergies.
For the nurse
Prevent negligence by following policies, checking before acting, reporting changes, and documenting accurately and on time.
At a glance
| Spanish | negligencia |
|---|---|
| Also written | negligent |
Easy to confuse with
malpractice
Negligence by a professional, such as a nurse or doctor, that harms a client.
Related terms
ethics
The study of right and wrong, and the principles that guide good conduct and decisions.
documentation
The written or electronic record of a client's care, condition and response.
standard of care
The level of care that a reasonably careful nurse with the same training would give in the same situation.
malpractice
Negligence by a professional, such as a nurse or doctor, that harms a client.