What does negligence refer to in a healthcare context?

Negligence in a healthcare context refers to the failure of a healthcare provider to act in accordance with the accepted standards of care, which results in harm or injury to a patient. This concept is built on the principle that healthcare professionals owe a duty of care to their patients, and when that duty is breached—either through inaction or by providing inadequate care—that breach can lead to negative outcomes for the patient.

In this case, the choice that identifies negligence accurately highlights that it involves improper care that leads to injury. For example, if a nurse fails to monitor vital signs for a patient who has a known medical condition that requires such monitoring, and the patient suffers complications as a result, this would be an example of negligence.

The other options focus on different forms of wrongdoing that do not necessarily involve the failure of care in the same way. Intentional harm implies a deliberate action, wrongful acts relate to property rather than patient care, and unauthorized medical procedures suggest a breach of consent rather than a failure in the standards of care expected in clinical practice. Thus, the most accurate representation of negligence in the context of healthcare is the failure to provide proper care resulting in injury.