ATI Clinical Exam Related

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A nurse plans to leave her scheduled shift an hour early without permission or notification of the charge nurse. The patients in her assignment are stable. Which of the following legal torts applies to this situation? Which legal tort applies to leaving shift early without permission?

  • A. Negligence
  • B. Battery
  • C. Slander
  • D. Libel
Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Negligence. Leaving the shift early without permission constitutes negligence as it is a breach of the duty of care owed to the patients. The nurse has a legal responsibility to provide care for the patients until properly relieved. The other choices, Battery, Slander, and Libel, do not apply in this scenario. Battery involves intentional harmful or offensive contact without consent, Slander involves spoken defamation, and Libel involves written defamation. In this case, the nurse's actions do not align with the elements of these torts.