Question: My unit is always short-staffed, meaning that we have to constantly triage orders and reassess patient needs. Should this be documented in the patient’s chart? Answer: Across Canadian provinces and territories, health care organizations are experiencing unprecedented nursing shortages, which have been further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.1 The Canadian Nurses Association has identified…
Read MoreTHIS PUBLICATION WAS PUBLISHED IN JANUARY 2008 AND HAS BEEN REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION FROM THE CANADIAN NURSE. THIS PUBLICATION IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY. NOTHING IN THIS PUBLICATION SHOULD BE CONSTRUED AS LEGAL ADVICE FROM ANY LAWYER, CONTRIBUTOR OR THE CNPS. READERS SHOULD CONSULT LEGAL COUNSEL FOR SPECIFIC ADVICE. Nurses are taught to administer medications…
Read MoreA nurse may become involved in various legal proceedings. This infoLAW will focus on four legal proceedings: professional discipline, criminal actions, grievances/arbitration and civil actions. Whenever a nurse is involved in a legal action, they should reach out to CNPS to determine whether assistance is available to them and to discuss next steps. Nurses should…
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 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 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 MorePatient restraints are measures used to limit the activity or control the behaviour of a person or a portion of their body. More specifically, according to the Patient Restraints Minimization Act of Ontario, “restrain means, with respect to a person, to place the person under control by the minimal use of such force, mechanical means…
Read MoreWhat is meant by “patient safety”? Patient safety is the reduction and mitigation of unsafe acts within the health-care system, and the use of best practices shown to lead to optimal patient outcomes.1 Countries around the world, including Canada,2 are taking steps to identify how patients are unintentionally harmed by health care management. Achieving the…
Read MoreAn adverse event in healthcare can arise when there is an unexpected outcome or complication that negatively affects a patient’s care. It can involve prolonged hospitalization, injury, or death and is often due to complications in the management of the patient’s care. If a patient is unintentionally harmed by the provision of healthcare services (i.e. an…
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