The Doctrine of Deliberate Indifference: Reed vs. Krajca

Facts of the Reed v. Krajca case are presented in which plaintiffs filed a lawsuit for civil damages under the doctrine of deliberate indifference and defendant, Nurse Krajca, invoked qualified immunity in a motion for summary judgment. The Court of Appeal's decision and the dissenting opinion on the issue of deliberate indifference are discussed. This case report provides a concrete example of how the doctrine of deliberate indifference was interpreted by the Court of Appeal and becomes a springboard for analysis and discussion for nurses to guide their practice.