DANB General Chairside Practice Test

Negligence primarily involves which of the following actions?

1. Failing to provide care that meets an acceptable standard

2. Providing excess treatment to a patient

3. Using outdated tools for procedures

4. Documenting patient care improperly

The correct answer is: Failing to provide care that meets an acceptable standard

Negligence in the context of healthcare typically refers to a failure to act with the level of care that a reasonably prudent person would exercise in a similar situation. This often involves not adhering to established standards of care, which are the benchmarks for how healthcare professionals should provide treatment. When a practitioner does not meet these accepted standards, it can result in harm to a patient and is therefore considered negligent. In this scenario, failing to provide care that meets an acceptable standard directly aligns with the definition of negligence. For instance, if a dental professional does not diagnose a dental issue that a competent practitioner would have identified, or if they apply an outdated treatment method that has been replaced by more effective modern techniques, this would illustrate a lack of adherence to acceptable standards. Other options describe actions that could contribute to poor outcomes but do not accurately encapsulate the concept of negligence. For instance, providing excess treatment or using outdated tools might suggest issues within the practice, but they do not directly represent the core aspect of negligence, which focuses on the failure to meet care standards. Similarly, while improper documentation is crucial and can lead to issues, it falls under the broader scope of malpractice or professional misconduct rather than directly embodying negligence itself. Thus, the primary point of negligence is