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. 2024 Mar-Apr;43(2):103-108.
doi: 10.1097/NOR.0000000000001016.

Navigating the Litigation Experience

Caitlin M Kosar  1   2 , Kimberly Cleveland  1   2
Affiliations

Navigating the Litigation Experience

Caitlin M Kosar et al. Orthop Nurs. 2024 Mar-Apr.

Abstract

Healthcare is a highly regulated industry whose practitioners are responsible for adhering to laws, regulations, policies, and standards of care. When poor outcomes occur, a malpractice case can arise, thus beginning the litigation process. Because nurses are leaders in the delivery of care, they may become involved in legal claims. The purpose of this article is to provide information, as a foundation for nurses who are unfamiliar with navigating the litigation process in a legal claim, and to help nurses build confidence in the process. An overview of the litigation process, nursing licensure, and essential legal terms is provided. A case scenario is introduced that addresses the role of a nurse in an orthopaedic medical malpractice case.

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Conflict of interest statement

Dr. Cleveland is a solo practitioner of law, admitted to practice in Ohio and the U.S. Supreme Court. Both authors have no disclosed potential conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise.

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