Negligence in healthcare is best described as?

Negligence in healthcare refers to a scenario where a healthcare provider fails to act in a manner that meets the accepted standards of care, resulting in harm to a patient. Providing care outside of one’s training is a clear illustration of negligence because it signifies a lack of competence in delivering services that are safe and appropriate. When a healthcare professional performs procedures or makes judgments beyond their training, they expose patients to unnecessary risk and potential harm, which directly aligns with the definition of negligence.

In contrast, failing to maintain patient confidentiality, while a serious ethical breach, pertains to privacy issues rather than the quality of care delivered. Following all standards of care reflects the opposite of negligence, as it denotes adherence to the expected practices that protect patients. Providing excessive treatment regardless of need can lead to other ethical and legal issues, but it is not necessarily negligence unless it results in harm due to unnecessary intervention. Therefore, the first option specifically captures the essence of negligence as it relates to the standards expected of healthcare providers.