Abandonment of care refers to what?

• A. Wrongful termination of providing patient care
• B. Delay in continuing care
• C. Abandonment of care
• D. Withdrawal of care with patient consent

Answer: (C)

Abandonment of care means removing yourself from a patient’s care without ensuring proper continuation or transfer to another qualified provider, leaving the patient without adequate monitoring or treatment. It happens when care is ended abruptly—such as at a shift change or when a nurse stops providing services—without arranging for someone else to take over or without informing the patient, family, or the appropriate staff. The essential idea is unilateral withdrawal without a safe handoff, risking the patient’s safety. This differs from withdrawing care with patient consent, which is planned and involves a proper transition, and from delays or missteps in care that don’t amount to abandoning the patient.