The Law and Medicial in Healthcare

The law and how it is interpreted and followed in the administration of medicine is an important aspect that must be placed at the forefront. The law, simply put, refers to social rules of conduct that are enforceable and are not meant to be broken. While the practice of medicine carries a myriad of systematic complexities which expose healthcare organizations to potential legal problems, healthcare leaders must establish procedural methods and policies to mitigate the risk of liability through implementation of robust risk management programs. Failure to adhere to established laws, policies, and procedures can lead to legal issues for both the organization and its employees (Brock & Mastroianni, 2013).
As seen in the project case study for this course, adherence to the policies and procedures, as well as an understanding of the law was ignored, thus triggering a legal suit against the healthcare organization and one of its staff members. To fully understand and answer the questions required for this course project, I will analyze the information in an objective manner utilizing the facts as they relate to the law. The case information provided for HCA 302 students in the course project require several questions to be answered in regards to the nurses’ conduct, whether or not the nurse qualified for immunity, the level of assessment and reassessment that was conducted, the importance of documentation, and whether the change in the patients’ blood pressure warranted physician notification and communication.
In reviewing the case provided, I found that the nurse should not be shielded from liability on the basis that she is a public official. To better understand the reasoning for my answer, it is appropriate to address the law as...

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...cope of their profession.
While the law and medicine present unique challenges to health care organizations, managers must ensure they understand and communicate applicable laws and policies to their employees. In addition, they must also be informed of whether their state employs a contributory or comparative negligence common-law doctrine and whether or not a party who negligently harms another is deemed responsible when the injured party himself played a part in his or her own injury (Showalter, 2011). Finally, although the nurse in this case committed the wrong doing, the hospital was also held liable for her actions, therefore, it is critical that organizations fully comprehend the nature of existing relationships and how those relationships, when formed, create responsibilities that if not fulfilled correctly, can trigger a wave of unwanted legal actions.