What is professional negligence or malpractice?

• A. Intentional harm to a patient
• B. The failure of a professional to act in a reasonable and prudent manner
• C. A violation of administrative policy only
• D. The absence of any standard of care obligations

Answer: (D)

Professional negligence, or malpractice, is when a professional fails to provide the level of care that a reasonably prudent professional would under similar circumstances, and that failure causes harm to the patient. This centers on the standard of care—the expected practices and actions in a given situation—and a breach of that standard leads to injury or damage. It isn’t about intentional harm, nor is it simply violating administrative policies; it’s about the quality of patient care and the resulting harm because that care fell short. There is always a standard of care in professional practice, and malpractice occurs when that standard is not met.