Legal issues in neonatal nursing: considerations for staff nurses and advanced practice nurses

A neonatal nurse is a professional with special training, skill, and knowledge in the care of newborns and their families. The neonatal nurse is accountable to the patient, profession, and employer. Failure of the neonatal nurse to meet these obligations can result in liability in the profession, liability in the employment, a civil suit, or a criminal conviction. Regardless of the health care setting, professional nurses, whether at the bedside or in advanced practice, are morally, ethically, and legally accountable for their nursing judgments and actions. Although most nurses assume they will never be named in a lawsuit, and it is true that few are, their professional actions can be the focus of a suit. An overview of the legal implications found within neonatal nursing practice is presented. Two recent legal cases are presented and discussed to illustrate neonatal nursing and advanced practice liability.