Which term describes not performing the standard of care and causing harm?

• A. Preceptorship
• B. Risk Management
• C. Defamation
• D. Professional Negligence

Answer: (D)

Not performing the standard of care and causing harm describes professional negligence. In healthcare, a professional owes a patient a duty to provide care that meets the accepted standard. When that duty is breached by failing to meet the standard, and that breach leads to patient harm, it constitutes negligence (often referred to as malpractice). The key elements are duty, breach, causation, and damages, all of which come together when substandard care results in injury.

The other terms don’t fit this scenario. Preceptorship refers to supervised practice during training, not harm from care. Risk management focuses on identifying and reducing potential harms, not the act of causing harm itself. Defamation involves false statements harming someone's reputation, not medical care or patient injury.

So, the term that best fits not performing the standard of care and causing harm is professional negligence.