Legal and Ethical issues

• Abandonment is a situation where a healthcare professional stops caring for a patient without arranging for care by an equally qualified substitute
• Assult is the open threat of bodily harm to another person
• Battery is an action that causes bodily harm to another
• Bioethics are principles of right and wrong in issues that arise from medical advances
• breach of contract is the violation or failure to live up to a contract's terms
• Civil law involves crimes against persons. A person can sue another person, business, or the government. Judgments often require a payment of money.
• Consent if a voluntary agreement that a patient gives to allow a medically trained person the permission to touch, examine, and perform a treatment
• Criminal law involves crimes against the state. When a state or federal law is violated, the government brings criminal charges against the alleged offender; focuses on the public's safety and welfare crimes against the state
• Defamation is damaging a person's reputation by making public statements that are both false and malicious
• Deposition is a sworn statement regarding the facts of a case that is used to prepare a case for trial
• Durable power of attorney is a document naming the person who will make decisions regarding medical care on behalf of another person if that person becomes unable to do so
• The general principles of right and wrong, as opposed to requirements of law, are ethics
• An expressed contract is a contract that is clearly stated in written or spoken words
• A felony is a serious crime, such as murder or rape, that is punishable by imprisonment. In certain crimes, a felony is punishable by death.
• Fraud is an act of deception that is used to take advantage of another person or entity.
• An implied contract is a contract that is created by the acceptance or conduct of the parties rather than the written word
• The law is a rule of conduct established and enforced by an authority or governing body, such as the federal government
• A locum tenens is a substitute physician hired to see patients while the regular physician is away from the office
• A misdemeanor is a less serious crime such as theft under a certain dollar amount or disturbing the peace. A misdemeanor is punishable by fines or imprisonment
• Negligence is a medical professional's failure to perform an essential action or performance of an improper action that directly results in the harm of a patient
• The POLST form is a set of medical orders completed by a healthcare provider after a discussion with the patient regarding his or her desires for treatment; it serves as a set or portable treatment orders
• In civil law, a tort is a breach of some obligation that causes harm or injury to someone
• Civil law focuses on issues or disputes between two or more citizens
• Advance directives are documents that outline patients' wishes regarding healthcare should those patients be unable to speak for themselves
• Administrative law addresses issues of taxation, public transportation, manufacturing, the environment, and public broadcasting
• A tort of outrage is an intentional act that causes emotional distress on another person
• Malfeasance is performing an incorrect treatment; a wrong doing by a public official
• Nonfeasance is delaying or failing to perform treatment leading to the patient being harmed
• A nominal is a reward/paments that is made when the negligence if proven but the damages are minimal
• The good samaritan act protects healthcare workers from being sure when they render first aid in emergency outside of the medical setting
• A termination-of-care letter is a letter a physician must give to a patient at least 30 days before the discontinuation of medical care so that the patient has time to find another physician
• A power of attorney is a legal document that includes the names of people who can speak or act for the patient in the event the patient cannot speak for themselves
• A misfeasance is when a healthcare worker performs a treatment incorrectly, leaving the patient injured