A phlebotomist who does not follow the institution's Standard of Care is best described as exhibiting which of the following?

A phlebotomist who does not follow the institution's Standard of Care is best described as exhibiting which of the following?

• A. Ethical violation
• B. Breach of patient rights
• C. Malpractice
• D. Negligence

Answer: (D)

Not following the Standard of Care shows a failure to provide the level of care a reasonably prudent phlebotomist would exercise. That standard defines the expected duties to protect patient safety and ensure accurate results. When these steps aren’t followed, the practitioner breaches that duty, creating the risk of harm or actual harm to the patient. Negligence focuses on this failure to meet care standards and the consequent risk to the patient, rather than on ethics or patient rights. Malpractice would involve legal liability tied to actual damages, which isn’t specified here, and ethical violations or breaches of patient rights address different kinds of violations. So the scenario fits negligence.

Not following the Standard of Care shows a failure to provide the level of care a reasonably prudent phlebotomist would exercise. That standard defines the expected duties to protect patient safety and ensure accurate results. When these steps aren’t followed, the practitioner breaches that duty, creating the risk of harm or actual harm to the patient. Negligence focuses on this failure to meet care standards and the consequent risk to the patient, rather than on ethics or patient rights. Malpractice would involve legal liability tied to actual damages, which isn’t specified here, and ethical violations or breaches of patient rights address different kinds of violations. So the scenario fits negligence.