A nurse was sued for malpractice but not convicted. Which fact from the case would have been decisive in determining its outcome?
a. The patient was verbally and physically combative.
b. The nurse was being oriented to the mental health unit.
c. The nurse has expressed a fear of the patient to the manager.
d. The patient did not suffer any physical or any emotional harm.
D
Four elements are necessary to prove liability for malpractice: duty, negligent performance, harm to the patient, and proximate cause. If the patient sustained no harm, no tort liability exists.
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