Reference no: EM133439306

The U.S. legal system distinguishes between Criminal, Civil, and Administrative Law. Summarizes your understanding of the connection between the law and medicine.

1. Develop a list of questions you have about the basic connections between law and medicine.

2. Summarize the three areas of the law and demonstrate that you understand how to characterize them distinctly. For example, if a nurse administers an inappropriate medication, would she/he be subject to Civil, Criminal or Administrative Law? And would the nurse only be subject to one legal system? Is there a difference if the nurse administers a bolus of air IV to a patient who has been suffering for a long time and the nurse seeks to end the patient's pain? Keep in mind that the courts are generally not a source of solution for ethical dilemmas and medical decisions.

For example, a patient who decides not to take a prescribed treatment cannot be forced to do so by a court. Additionally, most courts are both reluctant and functionally unable to make timely medical decisions. Thus, it is rare for medical personnel to be able to resolve situations through the legal process.