Which term best describes the failure of a nurse to provide the standard of care, resulting in harm?

• A. Malpractice
• B. Negligence
• C. Libel
• D. Law

Answer: (A)

Professional liability for nurses centers on failing to meet the accepted standard of care and causing harm. The best term here is malpractice, because it denotes professional negligence by a licensed clinician who breaches the duties of their role, leading to patient injury. The standard view includes four elements: a duty to the patient, a breach of the standard of care, a causal link between the breach and the harm, and resulting damages. Libel is irrelevant because it concerns false written statements about someone. Law is too broad for this specific issue. Negligence describes carelessness in general, but malpractice specifies the professional context and standard-of-care breach by a nurse. When a nurse deviates from established nursing standards and harm follows, it is malpractice.