What should I do when I receive notice of a lawsuit? As soon as you receive any indication that you may be involved in a lawsuit involving patient care, contact your employer and the Canadian Nurses Protective Society (CNPS) for guidance and assistance. If you are named as a party (defendant) in any legal document,…
Read MoreMedication errors are a relatively common occurrence in nursing practice that can cause life-threatening complications for patients. According to a Health Report completed by Statistics Canada, “almost one-fifth (19%) of hospital-employed Registered Nurses acknowledged that over the previous year, medication errors involving patients who were in their care had occurred “occasionally” or “frequently”“.1 In fact, medication errors were only second to…
Read MoreMobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets are powerful tools. When used in appropriate ways, these devices may generally help nurses communicate with colleagues and patients, as well as keep notes, research medications, monitor patient’s medical devices and aid in virtual care. While there are significant benefits that come with the integration of smartphones and…
Read MorePotential Uses and Benefits of Mobile Healthcare Apps Mobile healthcare applications (or apps), sometimes referred to as mobile health or mHealth, are a growing domain of healthcare provision that is enabled by the widespread use of mobile devices. Many companies, organizations, and educational institutions have designed apps that offer diagnostic tools, databases, sources of clinical…
Read MoreNegligence is the failure or omission to provide care that a reasonable and prudent nurse in similar circumstances would have rendered. During their career, a nurse may be faced with a professional negligence allegation arising from their nursing practice from a current or prior patient. A negligence claim may be in connection to variety of…
Read MoreWhat are common situations where nurses are called as witnesses? As a healthcare professional, you may be required to appear as a witness for: employment-related matters; coroners’ inquests or fatality inquiries; child welfare proceedings; professional discipline proceedings before a provincial or territorial regulatory body; civil lawsuits; or criminal proceedings. Depending on the type of proceeding,…
Read MoreIn the nursing profession, patient advocacy is usually discussed within an ethical framework. Is there a corresponding legal duty? Canadian court decisions have recognized the existence of a legal nursing duty to obtain proper care for patients, even when this requires nurses to seek assistance outside the usual treatment team (i.e. by speaking to someone…
Read MoreTable of Contents Which services do you plan to provide? Business Structure Informed Consent Documentation, Confidentiality, and Disclosure Contracts Professional Liability Protection Business Insurance Key Takeaways Nurses in independent practice are self-employed and may provide professional nursing services in a variety of ways, whether it be as an individual, in partnership with other self-employed healthcare…
Read MoreIs obstetrics a legally high risk area of nursing practice? There are several factors which lead to the characterization of obstetrics as a legally risky area of practice. Firstly, obstetrical and neonatal nurses frequently report lawsuits and occurrences. Secondly, it is not possible to predict which babies will have poor outcomes. In lawsuits about babies…
Read MoreOccupational health nurses (OHNs) deliver a variety of healthcare services in their workplace. Some areas of concern specific to occupational health nursing (OH nursing) are: Legislation Provincial, territorial, and federal legislation affecting OH nursing includes law governing occupational health and safety, workers’ compensation, employment and labour relations, and privacy. The employer must ensure compliance with…
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