The legal definition of a patient and the corresponding duties of the physician have been debated in state courts for over a century, and many aspects of the question are still unresolved.
A new Virginia law governing collaborations between nurse practitioners and doctors leaves unresolved key legal issues in team-based care, including those pertaining to medical malpractice and liability and anticompetitive practices.
Krishna Lynch, RN, MJ, CPHRM and Rita F. Morris, RN, MJ
Court decisions on nurse liability draw a fine line between failing to take action in the patient’s best interest and advocating for patients in an uncollaborative manner.
Several recent court cases illustrate how some states are attempting to mandate physician reporting of all underage sexual activity as instances of child abuse.