Book

Westrick, Susan J., author.

Essentials of nursing law and ethics / Susan J. Westrick.

Third edition.

Burlington, MA : Jones & Bartlett Learning, [2026]

xxiii, 446 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm

"The Essentials of Nursing Law and Ethics, Third Edition focuses on the legal aspect of Nursing as it relates to patient safety and quality, environmental health and safety, error reduction and ethical boundaries of practice. Other timely topics include the appropriate use of social media by nursing staff.The text is written by a nurse attorney who presents complex topics in an understandable manner while providing accurate and well researched content relevant to the practice. Extensive legal research by the author incorporates the most current relevant professional and legal references including case law. The text is uniquely organized into five major sections including: the law and nursing practice; liability in patient care; documentation issues; employment and the workplace; and ethics"-- Provided by publisher.

Nursing -- Law and legislation.

Nursing ethics.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Part I: The law and nursing practice -- The legal environment -- Regulation of nursing practice -- Nurses in legal actions -- Standards of care -- Defenses to negligence or malpractice -- Prevention of malpractice -- Nurses as witnesses -- Professional liability insurance -- Accepting or refusing an assignments/patient abandonment -- Delegation to unlicensed assistive personnel -- Part II: Liability in nursing care -- Patients' rights and responsibilities -- Confidential communication -- Competency and guardianship -- Informed consent -- Refusal of treatment -- Pain control -- Patient teaching and health counseling -- Medication administration -- Clients with HIV diseases and AIDS -- Abusive situations -- Reproductive services -- Restraints -- Emergency psychiatric admissions -- Organ and tissue donation and transplantation -- Discharge against medical advice -- Part III: Documentation and regulatory compliance -- The medical record and documentation standards -- Electronic health information and communications -- Interdependent nursing functions: verbal orders and telenursing -- Event reporting and compliance -- Quality and safety in nursing practice -- Forensic issues -- Part IV: Employment and the workplace -- Employer and employee rights -- Contracts -- Corporate liability -- Employment contracts and unionization -- Employment status liability -- Staffing issues and floating -- Americans with disabilities act -- Employees with HIV disease or AIDS and exposure to bloodborne pathogens -- Impaired nursing practice -- Sexual harassment in the workplace -- Violence in the workplace -- Intentional torts -- Environmental health and safety -- Part V: Ethics -- Ethical decision making -- Professional boundaries and patient relationships -- Moral courage and patient advocacy -- Social media and online professionalism -- Reporting illegal, unethical, or unsafe conduct -- Maternal and fetal rights -- Futility of care -- Advance directives and end-of-life decisions -- Assisted suicide/Medical aid in dying (MAID)

RT85 .W478 2025

9781284120387

1284120384

877630

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