Nurse Practice Act Practice Exam

Negligence in a nursing context specifically refers to a failure to provide care that meets the accepted standards of practice, which results in harm to a patient. This means that if a nurse does not act in a manner consistent with what a reasonably prudent nurse would do under similar circumstances, and this inaction or poor action leads to injury or harm for the patient, it constitutes negligence.

In the context of the choices presented, providing care that a reasonably prudent nurse would provide is central to understanding negligence. It establishes the benchmark for what is expected in nursing practice. If a nurse fails to meet this standard and a patient suffers as a result, it can be deemed that negligence occurred. This concept is fundamental in ensuring accountability and upholding safety in nursing practice.

The other options do not accurately reflect the definition of negligence. For instance, providing care that exceeds standard protocols does not inherently result in negligence; instead, it may reflect an effort to improve patient outcomes, provided that it is safe and appropriate. Excessive documentation of patient care, while it may not always be efficient, does not equate to negligence. Finally, failing to interact with the healthcare team, while potentially problematic, does not automatically mean negligent care unless such failures lead to direct patient harm.