HESI Fundamentals Related

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At a motor vehicle collision site, a nurse applies pressure to a groin wound that is bleeding profusely until emergency personnel arrive. Subsequently, the client undergoes leg amputation and sues the nurse for malpractice. What is the most likely outcome of this lawsuit?

  • A. The Patient's Bill of Rights protects clients from malicious intents, so the nurse could lose the case.
  • B. The lawsuit may be settled out of court, but the nurse's license is unlikely to be revoked.
  • C. There will be no judgment against the nurse, as their actions were protected under the Good Samaritan Act.
  • D. The client will win because the four elements of negligence (duty, breach, causation, and damages) cannot be proved.
Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The Good Samaritan Act shields healthcare professionals who act in good faith and offer reasonable care from malpractice claims, irrespective of the client's outcome. In this scenario, the nurse stopping to render aid at the accident scene and applying pressure to the bleeding groin wound would likely be covered by the Good Samaritan Act, protecting the nurse from legal repercussions related to the subsequent leg amputation.