Most important factors that would impede a nurse’s ability to competently practice professional nursing and avoid malpractice claims.

Most Common Causes of Malpractice Claims in Nursing
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Most Common Causes of Malpractice Claims in Nursing
Nursing has become one of the most sensitive fields of practice because of increase in the number of litigations. Most of the lawsuits occur due to negligence or malpractice of the professionals. One of the most critical factors impeding the ability of the practitioners to practice professional nursing and avoid malpractice claims is overworking (Burkhardt & Nathaniel, 2014). A nurse can serve a particular number of patients depending on conditions. Assigning nurses to more patients than recommended by the law or nursing practice is leeway for malpractice. Obviously, overworked nurses would underserve particular patients, who may experience adverse health outcomes, even death.
The concept of autonomy is another trap that has impeded the ability of a nurse to practice professionally and avoid claims due to malpractice. It is a rule in nursing to respect the autonomy of patients. The doctrine of independence demands that nurses seek and admire the views, opinions, and decisions of patients concerning their health (American Nurses, 2015). At the same time, a nurse has to observe the principles of beneficence in their practice. Balancing between the doctrines of autonomy and beneficence can be difficult and expose a nurse to a condition of negligence (Fowler & American Nurses, 2015). In some cases, abiding by the rule of autonomy exposes nurses to situations where they must overlook specific criteria that may amount to negligence.

Poor communication is another major factor that can impede the ability of nurses to act professionally and avoid malpractice-based claims (Burkhardt & Nathaniel, 2014). Many instances of negligence have occurred due to improper communication between physicians and nurses as well as between registered nurses and juniors (delegates). Poor communications have caused many misdiagnoses and wrongful administration of drugs in the nursing profession, which have resulted in deaths of patients. According to Nursing Law Manual (2008), the Florida Nursing Act indicts nurses for mistakes made by the delegates like the licensed practice nurses (LPN).

References
American Nurses, A. (2015). Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice. [Silver Spring, Maryland]: American Nurses Association.
Burkhardt, M. & Nathaniel, A. (2014). Ethics & Issues in Contemporary Nursing. Retrieved March 30, 2018, from https://www-r2library-com.db15.linccweb.org/Resource/Title/1133129161
Fowler, M. M., & American Nurses, A. (2015). Guide to the Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements: Development, Interpretation, and Application. Silver Spring, Maryland: American Nurses Association.
Nursing Law Manual. (2008). The Florida Nurse Practice Act and The Scope of Nursing. Retrieved March 30, 2018, from http://www.thehealthlawfirm.com/uploads/Ch-6%20Florida%20Nurse%20Practice%20Act%20and%20Scope%20of%20Nursing-revised.pdf