Legal Issues Case Study for Nursing
Legal Issues Case Study for Nursing
Case 2
Nursing Situation: Cindy Black (fictitious name), a four-year-old child with wheezing, was brought into the emergency room by her mother for treatment at XYZ (fictitious name) hospital at 9:12 p.m. on Friday, May 13. Initial triage assessment revealed that Cindy was suffering from a sore throat, wheezing bilaterally throughout all lung fields, seal-like cough, shortness of breath (SOB), bilateral ear pain. Vital signs on admission were pulse rate 160, respiratory rate 28, and a temperature of 101.6 °Fahrenheit (F)
(rectal). Cindy Black was admitted to the emergency department for treatment. Notes written by the emergency department physician on initial examination read, "Croupy female; course breath sounds with wheezing; mild bilateral tympanic membrane hyperemia. Chest X-ray reveals bilateral infiltrates."
Medication prescribed included Tylenol (acetaminophen) 325 mg orally for elevated temperature, Bronkephrine (ethylnorepinephrine hydrochloride) 0.1 millimeter subcutaneous, and monitor results. Nurse Slighta Hand, RN (fictitious name) administered the medication as ordered and the child was observed for thirty minutes. Miss Hand 's charting was brief, almost illegible, and read, "Medicines given as prescribed. Cindy observed without positive results. Physician notified." The physician examined the child; notes read that the child had "minimal clearing" in response to the bronchodilator. The following medications were then prescribed: Elixir of turpenhydrate with codeine one milliliter by mouth,
Gantrinsin (sulfisoxazole) 10
Case 3
milliliters, and Quibron (theophylline-glycerol guaiacolate) 10 milliliters. Nurse Slighta Hand, RN charted the medications were given as prescribed.
Her note at 11:08 p.m. read, "Vomiting; unable to retain medicine. Respiration increased (54), temperature 101.4°F (rectal); wheezing with increased difficulty breathing." No further notes were
Case 2
Nursing Situation: Cindy Black (fictitious name), a four-year-old child with wheezing, was brought into the emergency room by her mother for treatment at XYZ (fictitious name) hospital at 9:12 p.m. on Friday, May 13. Initial triage assessment revealed that Cindy was suffering from a sore throat, wheezing bilaterally throughout all lung fields, seal-like cough, shortness of breath (SOB), bilateral ear pain. Vital signs on admission were pulse rate 160, respiratory rate 28, and a temperature of 101.6 °Fahrenheit (F)
(rectal). Cindy Black was admitted to the emergency department for treatment. Notes written by the emergency department physician on initial examination read, "Croupy female; course breath sounds with wheezing; mild bilateral tympanic membrane hyperemia. Chest X-ray reveals bilateral infiltrates."
Medication prescribed included Tylenol (acetaminophen) 325 mg orally for elevated temperature, Bronkephrine (ethylnorepinephrine hydrochloride) 0.1 millimeter subcutaneous, and monitor results. Nurse Slighta Hand, RN (fictitious name) administered the medication as ordered and the child was observed for thirty minutes. Miss Hand 's charting was brief, almost illegible, and read, "Medicines given as prescribed. Cindy observed without positive results. Physician notified." The physician examined the child; notes read that the child had "minimal clearing" in response to the bronchodilator. The following medications were then prescribed: Elixir of turpenhydrate with codeine one milliliter by mouth,
Gantrinsin (sulfisoxazole) 10
Case 3
milliliters, and Quibron (theophylline-glycerol guaiacolate) 10 milliliters. Nurse Slighta Hand, RN charted the medications were given as prescribed.
Her note at 11:08 p.m. read, "Vomiting; unable to retain medicine. Respiration increased (54), temperature 101.4°F (rectal); wheezing with increased difficulty breathing." No further notes were
References: Bernzweig, E. (1996). The nurse 's liability for malpractice. (6th ed.). St. Louis: Mosby Creasia, J. and Parker, B. (1991). Conceptual foundations of professional nursing practice. St. Louis: Mosby Earnest, V. (1993). Clinical skills in nursing practice. (2nd ed.). Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott