Nurse As Patient Advocate: Court Says Nurse Must Try To Get Physician To Asses And Treat Patient Who Is In Need

  Quick Summary: A nurse has the legal obligation to advocate for access to physician assessment, diagnosis and care for a person who presents in acute need of emergency medical or psychiatric intervention.

   Merely informing the patient or a family member of other places the patient might go, or even contacting other facilities on the patient’s behalf to make arrangements for the patient to go elsewhere in an emergency, does not fulfill the nurse’s legal duty.

   The nurse’s legal duty in an emergency situation exists apart from the legal duties imposed on hospitals by the Federal Emergency Treatment and Active Labor Act.

   Hospitals are obligated by state laws to provide emergency assessment and care to patients, regardless of patients’ ability to pay.

   A healthcare facility which advertises that it provides free assessments to psychiatric patients must provide such an assessment, especially for an acutely suicidal individual. COURT OF APPEAL OF LOUISIANA, 1996.

   The hospital advertised to the public it had available all the care anyone could need, on a twenty-four hour basis, including adult psychiatric services. The public were invited to call the hospital for a free assessment. The hospital advertised in addition that it had a twenty-four hour suicide crisis line.

   Nurses answering the crisis line received several phone calls from a despondent man. The man’s family phoned about his bizarre behavior. The family expressed concern he was a suicide risk. The man’s wife went to the hospital to speak with someone about her husband, and talked to one of the nurses in the emergency room.

   Soon the man was taken to the hospital emergency room in person. A nurse, who had spoken with the family on the crisis line, made no effort to get a physician to see the man for a suicide assessment or to have the man admitted for suicide precautions and inpatient psychiatric treatment. Instead, because the man had no job, no money and no insurance, the nurse gave him and the family the names of other facilities where they might want to go. The nurse also phoned around to see if some other facility would take him.

   The man was not seen by a physician, received no psychiatric assessment and was not admitted. He left the hospital in a highly agitated state. A few hours later he sat down in the middle of an interstate highway and was killed by a truck.

  The Court of Appeal of Louisiana was not persuaded to consider testimony from the nurses that the man and his family only came in for referral information rather than for an immediate psychiatric assessment for suicide potential and emergency care. There was, the court ruled, a clear violation of the standards for nursing practice in the nurses not taking a strong position as advocates for this patient’s needs. Fleming vs. HCA Health Services of Louisiana, Inc., 676 So. 2d 839 (La. App., 1996).

Legal Eagle Eye Newsletter for the Nursing Profession(4)13 Oct 96  PDF Version

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Nurses' Legal Issues - Topic Index:

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

A

Abandonment  Abandonment  Abandonment  Abandonment

Abruption, Placental

Abuse Abuse Abuse Abuse  Abuse Abuse  Abuse  Abuse  Abuse Abuse  Abuse

Abuse, Reporting

Admissions, Nursing Home

Advance Directive

Advocate (Nurse as Patient's) Advocate Advocate Advocate Advocate Advocate  Advocate

Against Medical Advice    Against Medical Advice

Age Discrimination Age Discrimination

Agency Nurse  Agency Nurse-Malpractice    Agency Nurse-On the Job Injury    Agency Nurse
AIDS

Alarm

Alcohol Rehab

Alcohol Withdrawal  Alcohol Withdrawal

Alcoholic Nurse Alcoholic Nurse

Allergy-Medication

Alzheimer's  Alzheimer's  Alzheimer's  Alzheimer's    Alzheimer's    Alzheimer's

Ambien

Ambulance

Ambulation

Analgesic, Opioid

Anatomical Gift

Aneurysm

Anoxic Brain Injury

Antibiotics

Anticoagulant

Anti-Gay Bias
Anti-Psychotic Medication Anti-Psychotic Medication Anti-Psychotic Medication
Anxiety Attack
Apgar

Apnea Monitor

Appendix

Arbitration  Arbitration  Arbitration  Arbitration  Arbitration  Arbitration

Arnold-Chiari Malformation

Aseptic Technique

Aspiration

Assault Assault Assault    Assault  Assault  Assault

Assessment Assessment   Assessment 

Assist

Attempt, Suicide

Attendance Attendance  Attendance

Attorney-Client Privilege

Autoimmune Disorder

Automatic Blood Pressure Cuff

B

Backdating

Back Injury  Back Injury    Back Injury  Back Injury    Back Injury   Back Injury

Bacterial Meningitis

Bathtub

Battery, Medical

Bed Alarm  Bed Alarm

Bed Check

Bed Entrapment 

Bed Rails    Bed Rails   Bed Rails    Bed Rails

Bedsores

Bed Strangulation

Bed Trapeze

Beta Strep

Bipolar Disorder

Bisexual

Bladder Irrigation

Blood Bank

Blood Transfusion

Blood Transfusion-Allogenic

Blood Transfusion-Autologous 

Blood Transfusion-Disease Phobia 

Blood Transfusion-Jehovah's Witness

Bloodborne Pathogens

Board of Nursing   Board of Nursing

Body Cavity Search

Bowel Obstruction  Bowel Obstruction

Brachial Plexus

Breast Cancer  Breast Cancer

Burns  Burns

C

Call Bell Call Button

Canavan Disease

Cardiac Tamponade

Cardiorespiratory Arrest

Care Plan Care Plan

Carpal Tunnel

Catheter  Catheter Catheter Catheter

Cerebral Palsy

Cervical Cancer

Cesarean Cesarean Cesarean  Cesarean  Cesarean  Cesarean

Chain of Command

Chance of Survival

Charts  Charts

Charting Charting  Charting

Chemical Dependency

Chemical Impairment

Chemical Sensitivity

Chemotherapy  Chemotherapy

Child Abuse Child Abuse  Child Abuse  Child Abuse

Chlamydia

Choice-Psych Meds

Choking

Cholesterol

Cigarette Lighter

Circulation Checks

Civil Monetary Penalty  Civil Monetary Penalty Civil Monetary Penalty

Clinical Certification

Clostridium 

Cocaine Screen

Code

Code Status

Colonoscope   Colonoscopy    Colonoscopy

Colostomy

Combative Patient   Combative Patient   Combative Patient

Commode  Commode

Community Integration

Compartment Syndrome Compartment Syndrome

Complications

Confidentiality  Confidentiality  Confidentiality

Confusion

Consent Forms Consent Forms  Consent Forms

Consent, Informed

Contraband

Contraindicated Medication

Coronary Artery Bypass Graft

Corporate Negligence Corporations

Corrections  Corrections  Corrections  Corrections

Corticosteroids

Crime

Cunningham Clamp

Cytomegalovirus

Cytotec

D

 Data Set

Decelerations

Decubitus  Decubitus Decubitus Decubitus Decubitus   Decubitus  Decubitus

Deep Vein Thrombosis  Deep Vein Thrombosis

Defamation

Dehydration

Delegation
Dementia Dementia Dementia  Dementia
Designated Driver
Detox  Detox
Developmental Disability
Diabetic  Diabetic
Dialysis-Medicaid Coverage

Digoxin

Disability Discrimination Disability Discrimination Disability Discrimination  Disability Discrimination

Disability Disrimination  Disability Discrimination

Discharge-Nursing Home-Involuntary

Discharge-Psychiatric Discharge-Psychiatric

Discrimination-Disability-Allergies/Migraines
Discrimination-Disability-Attention Deficit Disorder
Discrimination-Disability-Back Injury Discrimination-Disability-Back Injury
Discrimination-Disability-Diabetes
Discrimination-Disability-Epilepsy
Discrimination-Disability-Erratic Behavior
Discrimination-Disability-HIV   Discrimination-Employment-HIV
Discrimination-Disability-Hypertension  Discrimination-Disability- Hypertension
Discrimination-Disability-Lupus

Discrimination-Disability-Multiple Sclerosis

Discrimination-Employment-Burden of Proof
Discrimination-Disability-Protective Equipment
Discrimination-Disability-Patient in Wheelchair
Discrimination-Disability-Reasonable Accommodation
Discrimination-National Origin    Discrimination-National Origin  Discrimination-National Origin
Discrimination - Native American
Discrimination-Pregnancy
Discrimination-Restricted License-Narcotics Diversion

Disinfectant

Diversion, Narcotics

Documentation    Documentation  Documentation  Documentation

Do Not Resuscitate DNR

Drowning

Drug Abuse  Drug Abuse
Drug Allergy

Drug-Free Policy

Drug Reaction   Drug Reaction
Drug Rehab

Drug Seeking Behavior

E

Education, Patient

Electrocardiogram

Electroconvulsive Therapy

Elopement Elopement   Elopement  Elopement  Elopement

Embolism

Emergency Room-Assessment Emergency Room-Assessment

Emergency Room - Cardiac Case

Emergency Room-Cardiac Monitor

Emergency Room - Pediatric Patient Emergency Room-Pediatric Patient Emergency Room -Pediatric Patient

Emergency Room-Transfer Emergency Room-Transfer Emergency Room-Transfer

Employee At-Will

Employment-Argumentative Nurse
Employment-Constructive Discharge
Employment-Progressive Discipline

Employment References  Employment References

EMTALA Regulations

Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA)    EMTALA  EMTALA  EMTALA  EMTALA

EMTALA  EMTALA EMTALA EMTALA   EMTALA EMTALA EMTALA EMTALA EMTALA EMTALA

Emergency, Obstetric

Endometriosis   Endometriosis

Endotracheal Tube

Enema-Abuse
English Language

English-Only Rule

Ensure
Epidural
Epilepsy Epilepsy
Epstein-Barr Virus
Erb's Palsy

ERISA

Errands Errands
Euthanasia   Euthanasia
Evangelizing

Examination Table

Excessive Force

Experimental Surgery

Expert Witness  Expert Witness  Expert Witness  Expert Witness  Expert Witness  Expert Witness

Exposure, Disease

F

Fainting  Fainting  Fainting  Fainting
Fall Fall Fall Fall Fall   Fall Fall  Fall  Fall  Fall Fall Fall

Fall Assessment  Fall Assessment

Fall-Chair

Fall-Operating Room

Fall Precautions

Fall Risk  Fall Risk

Fall-Toilet

False Claims Act  False Claims Act False Claims Act

False Imprisonment

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)  FMLA  FMLA FMLA FMLA    FMLA  FMLA  FMLA 

Family Member

Family Member Physician
Family Secrets

Fecal Contamination

Feeding Assistants

Feeding Tube Feeding Tube  Feeding Tube

Female Nurse - Female Patient

Fentanyl

Fetal Monitor Fetal Monitor Fetal Monitor Fetal Monitor

Fetal Protection

Fetal Remains

Fibromyalgia

Finances

Financial Records

Fire Safety

Flash Sterilization

Floor

Flu Vaccine

Fondling

Food, Withholding

Forceps Delivery
Freedom of Speech Freedom of Speech Freedom of Speech

Fragrance Allergy

Flu Vaccine

G

Gases, Medical

Gastrostomic Tube

Gastrostomy

Gender Discrimination Gender Discrimination

Gender-Job Assignments

Gentamicin 

Geri Chair

Gestational Diabetes 

Good Samaritan

Gratuities

Group B Strep

Guardianship

Guns

Gunshot Wound

H

Haldol Haldol

Halfway House

Hanging

Handbook, Employee

Harassment

Hearing-Impaired Nurse

Hearing-Impaired Patient Hearing-Impaired Patient Hearing-Impaired Patient

Hearing Impaired Patient Hearing Impaired Patient

Heat Stroke

Helmet  Helmet

Hemorrhage

Heparin

  Hepatitis A Hepatitis C

Hip Dislocation

Hip Fracture

HIV Discrimination-Patient HIV Discrimination-Patient  HIV Discrimination HIV Discrimination
HIV-Discrimination-Phlebotomist

HIV Harassment

HIV+ Patient-Nursing Student Infected

HIV Status   HIV Status   HIV Status HIV Status HIV Status

HIV Test  │ HIV Test  HIV Test-High Risk OB/GYN
Health Maintenance Organization  HMO HMO

Homebound

Home Health Home Health Home Health   Home Health Home Health  Home Health  Home Health  Home Health

Home Health Home Health Home Health

Homophobia

Hospice  Hospice Hospice Hospice

Hospital Bed

Hostage Crisis

HPV Test

Huntington's Chorea

Hurricane

Hypoglycemia Hypoglycemia  Hypoglycemia

Hypotension

Hysterectomy

I 

Ibuprofen

ICU Nursing

ICU Psychosis

IM Injection IM Injection

Impairment-Narcotics

Imperforate Anus

Implant

Incident Reports  Incident Reports  Incident Reports  Incident Reports

Incontinence

Indifference

Induction
Infection Control Infection Control Infection Control  Infection Control

Information Desk

Informed Consent Informed Consent Informed Consent  Informed Consent  Informed Consent Informed Consent

Informed Consent

Injection Site Injection Site

Inspector General

Instrument Count

Insulin Dependent Diabetes
Insulin Overdose  Insulin Overdose

Intermittent Pneumatic Compression

Intoxicated Patient Intoxicated Patient

Intoxication

Iodine Allergy

Irrigation

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Islamic Nurse

IV Bag  IV Bag

IV Infection

IV Insertion

IV Line

IV Line-Surgery-Pediatric

IV Sites  IV Sites

J

Jehovah's Witness-Blood Transfusion
JCAHO  JCAHO JCAHO
Jail Nursing  Jail Nursing Jail Nursing

Job Change

John Doe

Jump from Window

K

Ketoacidosis

Kickbacks

Knee Injury

L

Lab Tests

Labor & Delivery Labor & Delivery Labor & Delivery   Labor & Delivery   Labor & Delivery Labor & Delivery

Labor & Delivery  Labor & Delivery  Labor & Delivery  Labor & Delivery

Labor & Delivery-Narcotics

Labor Law  Labor Law  Labor Law    Labor Law  Labor Law  Labor Law

Laparotomy Sponge

Lasik

Latex Allergy

Least Restrictive Alternative  Least Restrictive Alternative

Legal Counsel, Right To

Libel and Slander

Life Insurance

Lifting Lifting Lifting

Lifting Restriction Lifting Restriction Lifting Restriction Lifting Restriction  Lifting Restriction 
Light Duty

Living Will  Living Will  Living Will

Long Distance Calls

Long-Term Care Insurance

Lupus

Lyme Disease

M

Macrosomia

Magnetic Resonance Imaging  Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Male Nurse-Discrimination Male Nurse-Discrimination
Male Aide - Female Patient Male Nurse -  Female Patient

Male Staff

Malicious Prosecution

Malpractice Insurance

Malpractice-Nursing

Managed Care

Maternal Serum Alpha Fetoprotein

Maternity Maternity

Measles Mumps Rubella

Meconium

Medicaid  Medicaid

Medicaid Wage Rates

Medical Battery

Medical Equipment Medical Equipment
Medical Records   Medical Records Medical Records
Medicare Billing Practices

Medicare Cost Reporting

Medicare Fraud Medicare Fraud

Medicare Manuals

Medicare Part A Medicare Part A

Medicare - Skilled Nursing    Medicare - Skilled Nursing

Medication Error  Medication Error  Medication Error  Medication Error  Medication Error  Medication Error

Melenic Stools 

Mental Health Records

Methadone

Midwifery  Midwifery

Military Service

Minimum Wage

Miscarriage   Miscarriage   Miscarriage

Misconduct

Moral Coercion

Moral Convictions

Morphine Toxicity Morphine Toxicity  Morphine Toxicity

MRI

MRSA  MRSA  MRSA

Multiple Sclerosis  Multiple Sclerosis
Munchausen's Syndrome
Murder   Murder

Myocardial Infarction

N

Narcotics Abuse
Narcotics Addiction   Narcotics Addiction
Narcotics Diversion   Narcotics Diversion Narcotics Diversion  Narcotics Diversion Narcotics Diversion
Narcotics Diversion  Narcotics Diversion  Narcotics Diversion  Narcotics Diversion  Narcotics Diversion

Nasogastric Tube  Nasogastric Tube

National Practitioner Databank

Needle, Broken

Needle Count

Needlestick Needlestick Needlestick

Neglect Neglect Neglect  Neglect
Neonatal Nursing

Neonatal Intensive Care  Neonatal Intensive Care

Neuro Consult

Neurological Assessment

Newborn Nursery  Newborn Nursery

No Code Order

Non-Competition

Noncompliance  Noncompliance

Nosocomial Pneumonia

NPO

Nuchal Cord

Nurse as Patient Nurse as Patient

Nurse Consultant

Nurse as Expert Witness

Nurse Midwife  Nurse Midwife

Nurse Practitioner Nurse Practitioner  Nurse Practitioner  Nurse Practitioner  Nurse Practitioner

Nursing Diagnosis   Nursing Diagnosis

Nursing Documentation Nursing Documentation  Nursing Documentation

Nursing Facilities

Nursing Home Admission    Nursing Home Discharge

Nursing Home Fall

Nursing Home-Hip Fracture-Unexplained

Nursing Home Patients' Bill of Rights

Nursing Home Resident Fall  Nursing Home Resident Fall Nursing Home Resident Falls

Nursing Home Sexual Abuse

Nursing Leadership

Nursing License

Nursing Home-Tuberculosis

Nursing Malpractice

Nutrition

O

OASIS OASIS

Obese Patient

Occlusion, Arterial 

Office Assistant

On-Call Physician

On-Call Nurse

Oophorectomy

Operating Room-Bovie Pad

Operating Room-Chart

Operating Room-Circulating Nurse-Documentation

Operating Room-Electrocautery

Operating Room-Fall  Operating Room-Fall

Operating Room-Lap Sponges
Operating Room-Nitrogen Embolism
Operating Room-Positioning
Operating Room-Sponge Count
Operating Room-Training Operating Room-Training

Opinions

Opportunistic Infection

Orderlies

Organ Donors

Organ Transplants  Organ Transplants
Orthopedic Hardware

Overdose Overdose

Overdose,Heroin

Overdose, Insulin

Overtime Pay

Oxygen

Oxygen Saturation

P

PACU

Padding

Pancreatitis

Paralysis

Patient-Controlled Analgesia  Patient-Controlled Analgesia

Pedestrian

Peer Review  Peer Review  Peer Review  Peer Review
Penrose Drain

Perceived Disability

Persistent Vegetative State  Persistent Vegetative State

Phenergan

Phobia
Phone Assessment  Phone Assessment  Phone Assessment 
Photos
Physician's Assistant
Pitocin   Pitocin Pitocin  Pitocin

Placental Abruption Placental Abruption

Police Investigation

Polio Vaccines 

Polygraph

Posey Vest   Posey Vest

Positional Asphyxia

Post-Anesthesia Recovery

Post Mortem Care  Post Mortem Care

Post-Op Nursing Post-Op Nursing

Post-Operative Orders

Post-Partum  Post-Partum

Post-Surgical Infection Post-Surgical Infection

Post-Term Pregnancy

Power Of Attorney

Practice Agreement

Preaching

Preeclampsia

Pregnancy Discrimination  Pregnancy Discrimination  Pregnancy DiscriminationPregnancy Discrimination 

Pregnancy Discrimination Pregnancy Discrimination Pregnancy Discrimination  Pregnancy Discrimination 

Premises Liability

Preemie   Preemie  Preemie

Prescriptions

Pressure Sores Pressure Sores  Pressure Sores

Pre-Surgery Assessment

Pre-Surgery Medications

Pre-Term Labor

Prior Approval

Prison Inmate  Prison Inmate

Privacy Rights

Private Room

PRN Medication

Professionalism

Progress Notes

Psych Assessment  Psych Assessment
Psych Commitment Psych Commitment
Psychiatric Detention Psychiatric Detention

Psychiatric Discharge  Psychiatric Discharge

Psychiatric Emergency
Psychiatric Examination
Psychiatric History

Psychiatric Hold  Psychiatric Hold  Psychiatric Hold

Psychiatric Nursing Psychiatric Nursing Psychiatric Nursing  Psychiatric Nursing

Psychiatric Restraint    Psychiatric Restraint

Psychiatric Takedown

Psychiatric Treatment

Psych Medications  Psych Medications  Psych Medications  Psych Medications  Psych Medications
Psychosocial Nursing

Psychotropic Medication

PTSD PTSD
Public Health Nursing
Pubic Symphysis Diastasis
Pulmonary Edema  Pulmonary Edema
Pulmonary Embolism

Punishment

Pushing

Q

Quadriplegic
Quality Assurance Quality Assurance  Quality Assurance  Quality Assurance
Quality Review

R

Race Discrimination   Race Discrimination  Race Discrimination  Race Discrimination  Race Discrimination

Race Discrimination  Race Discrimination  Race Discrimination  Race Discrimination  Race Discrimination

Rape

Reasonable Accommodation   Reasonable Accommodation    Reasonable Accommodation

Reasonable Accommodation-Asthma

Reasonable Suspicion

Reassurances

Rectal Bleeding

Red Flag

Reduction In Force Reduction In Force Reduction In Force

Refusal

Refuse to Leave

Rehab

Registry

Relapse

Release

Religious Discrimination    Religious Discrimination   Religious Discrimination

Renal Disease

Reporting

Research Subjects    Research Subjects

Responsible Party

Restraining Order

Restraints Restraints   Restraints  Restraints  Restraints Restraints Restraints  Restraints  Restraints
Retaliation Retaliation  Retaliation  Retaliation  Retaliation  Retaliation  Retaliation
Retaliatory Discharge

Retraining

Reverse Discrimination

Revisit User Fees

Revolving Door 
Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rights, Patients'

Risk Management

Rubber Gloves

S

Saline Lock

Same-Sex Sexual Harassment

Schizophrenia

School Nurse

Second-Hand Smoke

Second Opinion

Seizure

Seizure-Status Epilepticus

Self-Harm

Self-Medication
Seniority Rights

Sepsis

Sex, Geriatric

Sexual Abuse Sexual Abuse  Sexual Abuse
Sexual Assault  Sexual Assault  Sexual Assault  Sexual Assault  Sexual Assault Sexual Assault
Sexual Harassment Sexual Harassment Sexual Harassment Sexual Harassment
Sexual Harassment  Sexual Harassment   Sexual Harassment Sexual Harassment

Sexual Harassment   Sexual Harassment  Sexual Harassment  Sexual Harassment  Sexual Harassment

Sexual Harassment-Female vs. Male

Sexual Misconduct

Shower Chair

Shoulder Dystocia    Shoulder Dystocia   Shoulder Dystocia

Sickle Cell  Sickle Cell

Side Effects

Side Rails

Sign Language  Sign Language  Sign Language

Signature

Site, Injection

Sitter

Skilled Nursing

Skin Care Skin Care

Sleeping on the Job

Slip and Fall   Slip and Fall-Visitor Slip and Fall-Visitor   Slip and Fall-Visitor  Slip and Fall-Visitor

Slippers

Smoking Smoking-Burns  Smoking

Speculum

Spend Down
Spina Bifida

Spoliation, Evidence

Sponge Count    Sponge Count  Sponge Count

Staffing

Staph Infection

Status Asthmaticus

Status Epilepticus

Statute of Limitations

Stealing Medications

Sterilization    Sterilization    Sterilization

Stillborn Fetus

Stomach Cancer

Strangulation  Strangulation

Stress

Strike   Strike

Strip Search

Student Nurse

Subpoena-Medical Records

Substance Abuse Treatment Substance Abuse Treatment  Substance Abuse Treatment

Substandard Practice

Suicide  Suicide  Suicide  Suicide  Suicide  Suicide

Suicide Assessment  Suicide Assessment  Suicide Assessment    Suicide Assessment

Suicidal Patient    Suicidal Patient  Suicidal Patient
Suicide-Nursing Home

Suing Patient

Summons, Legal Summons, Legal

Sundays

Supervision

Supervisors  Supervisors  Supervisors

Suppository

Surgical Complications

Surgical Prep  Surgical Prep

Surrogate Decision-Maker  Surrogate Decision-Maker
Surveys    Surveys

Sutures

T

Takedown

Tampering  Tampering

Tamponade, Cardiac

Tax Deductions

Terminal Patient

Terrorism

Test Results Test Results

Threats Threats Threats Threats Threats  Threats   Threats  Threats

Three-Day Rule

Thrombolytic

Tissue Grafts  Tissue Grafts Tissue Grafts

Toileting Schedule

Toradol  Toradol 

Tracheostomy  Tracheostomy  Tracheostomy

Transfer  Transfer  Transfer  Transfer

Transfusion

Transient Ischemic Attack

Triage

Tubal Ligation

Tuberculous Meningitis

Turning  Turning

U

Understaffing  Understaffing Understaffing    Understaffing    Understaffing

Undertaker

Uniform, Nursing

Union Dues

Unsanitary Practices

Urinary Catheter  Urinary Catheterization  Urinary Catheter
Urine Sample  Urine Sample
Urostomy

Utilization Review

V

Vaccinations

Vaccines

Vaginal Speculum

Vascular Catheterization

VBAC  VBAC  VBAC

Ventilator  Ventilator

Verbal Abuse

Verbal Orders

Versed

Veteran's Check

Videoconferencing

Violence

Visitors  Visitors  Visitors

Vitamin K

Voting Rights

Vulnerable Adults

W

Wanderer  Wanderer  Wanderers

Warn, Duty To

West Nile Virus

Wheelchair  Wheelchair  │Wheelchair  Wheelchair    Wheelchair    Wheelchair

Wheelchair Ramp

Whistleblowers  Whistleblowers    Whistleblowers Whistleblowers  Whistleblowers  Whistleblowers
 Whistleblowers  Whistleblowers  Whistleblowers

Window, Fall From

Work Breaks
Worker's Comp  Worker's Comp  Worker's Comp  Worker's Comp  Worker's Comp
Wrongful Life  /  Wrongful Life

X

X-ray Table

Y

Z

Zoning

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Lifting Restriction: Court Turns Down Nurse's Disability Discrimination Case

Saline Lock Left In At Discharge: Court Overturns Jury's Verdict Against Nurses

Meningitis: Diagnosis Delayed, Nurses Ruled Not Negligent

Wound Care: Nurses Ruled Negligent, Delegated Nursing Functions To Aides

EMTALA: Nurse, Physician Properly Screened Patient

Alzheimer's: Nurse Assaulted By Patient Cannot Sue

Pitocin Drip: Court Says Nurse Should Have Monitored The Patient More Closely

Suicidal Patient: Court Says Nurse Should Have Recommended He Be Hospitalized

Asphyxiation Death: Court Says A Family Member Should Not Have Fed The Patient

Nursing Negligence: ICU Nurse Reinstated

CNA Refuses To Care For Patients Who Have AIDS: Termination Upheld By Court

Alzheimer's: Nurse Attacked By Patient Has No Right To Sue, Court Rules.