Question

Emily King mistakenly administers syrup of ipecac, which causes vomiting, instead of syrup of cola, which soothes the stomach lining to Jacob Freeman. Freeman immediately begins to vomit. Which term could be used to describe Emily's action? Res judicata Res ipsa loquitor Nonfessance Miste

Answer 1

The correct option is - OPTION 4

According to the question -

1. The nurse administered a syrup of ipecac instead of a syrup of cola which is negligence.

2. The patient begins to vomit immediately, which is an injury/harm to the patient or could have lead to further complications

3. But as mentioned in the question, the act was by mistake or unintentional.

So, the answer is Misfeasance( option no 4 ), which means an act of engaging in an action or duty but failing to perform the duty correctly(negligence), that , could lead to further damage/harm to the patient(vomiting) or even death. Misfeasance refers to an action that is unintentional.

Option 1 is not correct because - RES JUDICATA means a matter on which a formal judgment has been announced by a competent court on a particular case between two parties and it can't be pursued further by the same parties.

Option 2 is not correct because - RES IPSA LOQUITOR means a doctrine of law( but in the question - we have been asked about a term to describe the ACTION of Emily King, AND NOT ABOUT THE LAW THAT would be applicable in this particular case) that one is assumed to be negligent, if he/she had exclusive control of whatever caused the injury, even though there is no specific evidence of an act of negligence, and without negligence the accident would not have happened.

Option 3 is not correct because NONFEASANCE refers to the willful failure to execute or perform an act /duty required by a medical professional which results in harm or damage to the patient. But here , there was an act (of giving the drug/medicine ) and not a failure to give the drug.