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THE NURSE'S LIABILITY FOR MALPRACTICE A PROGRAMMED COURSE FOURTH EDITION This self-instructional course is intended to teach nurses in understandable terms about their legal liability for acts of malpractice. Some nurses may have only the vaguest idea what the terms liability and malpractice even mean, but by the time this course is completed, the learner will not only know what these words mean but will begin to appreciate the fact that many of the routine nursing functions performed each day have important legal consequences. Knowledge precedes meaningful action, and nurses who know the legal consequences of daily patient care activities will soon begin to think and act preventively; that is, they will consciously conduct themselves in a manner designed to prevent unwanted suits from ever arising. This conscious behavior on the part of the nurse will save the embarrassment, loss of prestige, and worry that accompany every lawsuit, and it is bound to result in better patient care.