Negligence in a healthcare setting can be defined as what?

Negligence in a healthcare setting is fundamentally understood as the failure to act or provide care that a reasonable and prudent healthcare professional would typically offer under similar circumstances. This definition encompasses various scenarios where care is expected but not delivered, leading to potential harm or adverse outcomes for patients.

In healthcare, professionals are expected to uphold a standard of care that protects patients from injury. When this standard is not met—due to oversight, inattention, or failure to take appropriate actions—it constitutes negligence. For example, if a nursing assistant neglects to report changes in a patient’s condition or fails to assist a patient with essential activities, this failure can result in harm, thereby illustrating negligence.

While intentional harm, unlawful restraint, and separation against one’s will may involve legal or ethical violations, they do not specifically encapsulate the concept of negligence, which is primarily characterized by inaction or inadequate action rather than by intent to harm.