Which elements must be present for a malpractice claim to be upheld?

• A. Duty exists, breach of duty, and harm occurred
• B. Only a nurse-patient relationship exists
• C. The nurse's good intent
• D. There must be a patient complaint

Answer: (A)

The main idea tested is what must be shown for a malpractice claim to be possible. For a nurse to be liable, there must be a duty to the patient, a breach of that duty by not meeting the standard of care, and actual harm or damages resulting from that breach. The nurse-patient relationship creates the duty, a deviation from the expected care constitutes the breach, and the patient must suffer an injury or financial loss to support a claim. Without any one of these elements, a malpractice claim cannot stand. The option describing duty exists, breach of duty, and harm occurred best fits this structure.

The other ideas don’t fit as well because simply having a nurse-patient relationship doesn’t prove a breach or harm, good intent doesn’t equate to proper care, and patient complaints are not a legal requirement to file or sustain a claim.