title: Criminal prosecution for nursing errors.
abstract: Headlines describing nurses being prosecuted for crimes related to nursing errors raise numerous questions for nurses and their managers. Nurse managers need to be aware of situations in which nurses may be subject to criminal prosecution to assist staff in educating themselves and acting to minimize risk. After reading this article, the reader should be able to (a) identify the legal basis for criminal charges for nursing errors, (b) list 3 errors likely to result in criminal prosecution, and (c) discuss licensure implications of criminal charges for nursing errors.
authors.affiliation: Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC 20010, USA. rfcrnjd@aol.com
authors.forename: Rebecca F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Cady
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D003120:Colorado; D003416:Criminal Law; D004358:Drug Therapy / Q000451:nursing*; D005260:Female; D006708:Homicide / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008008:Licensure, Nursing; D008318:Malpractice / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011247:Pregnancy; D014481:United States; D014922:Wisconsin