What is the term for the failure to use ordinary and reasonable care?

• A. Veracity
• B. Negligence
• C. Liability
• D. Tort

Answer: (B)

This question focuses on the idea of failing to use ordinary and reasonable care. In healthcare, professionals are expected to provide a standard of care that a reasonably prudent practitioner would offer under similar circumstances. When that standard isn’t met—whether by error, omission, or poor judgment—and someone is harmed as a result, the situation is described as negligence. Negligence is a legal concept that describes the act of not taking proper care, which can lead to a claim for damages in civil court. Veracity means truth-telling, liability is legal responsibility, and a tort is a civil wrong that can result in liability; none of these capture the specific failure to meet the expected standard of care as precisely as negligence does.