| A | B |
|---|
| abuse | any care resulting in physical harm, pain, or mental anguish. |
| advance directives | legal documents that allow individuals to state what medical treatment they want or don't want in the event they become incapacitated |
| agent | the person working under the employer in contract law |
| assault and battery | the threat or attempt to injure and unlawful touching of another person without consent. |
| civil law | the focus on legal relationships between people and the protection of a person's rights |
| criminal law | focuses on wrongs against a person, property, or society |
| confidentiality | information about the patient must remain private and shared only with those on the health care team |
| contract | an agreement between two or more parties |
| defamation | occurs when false statements either cause a person to be ridiculed or damage the person's reputation |
| Durable Power of Attorney (POA) | a document that permits an individual to appoint another person to make any decisions regarding health care if the patient becomes unable to make decisions |
| ethics | a set of principles relating to what is morally right or wrong |
| expressed contracts | stated in distinct and clear language either orally or in writing |
| false imprisonment | the restraining of an individual or restricting their freedom |
| health care records | privileged communications about the care provided to the patient |
| implied contracts | obligations that are understood without verbal expression |
| expressed contracts | stated in distinct and clear language either orally or in writing |
| informed consent | permission granted voluntarily by a person who is of sound mind; all risks have been explained in terms the person can understand |
| invasion of privacy | revealing personal information about an individual without that person's consent |
| legal | based on law |
| legal disability | persons that do not have the legal capacity to form a contract such as minors or mentally incompetent people |
| living will | a document that states what care should be taken if the person becomes incompetent and death is expected; such as DNR |
| libel | false statements in writing about a person that results in damage to the persons reputation |
| malpractice | failure of a professional to use the degree of skill and learning commonly expected in that individual's profession resulting in injury or damage to the person receiving care |
| negligence | failure to give care that is normally expected of a person in a particular position, resulting in injury to another person |
| (PSDA) Patient Self-Determination Act | federal law stating health care facilities receiving federal aid comply with certain requirements |
| patients' rights | factors of care that patients can expect to receive |
| slander | spoken information that results in damage to a person's reputation |
| torts | wrongful acts that do not involve contracts; i.e. practicing a profession without the required license |
