Malpractice is defined as which of the following?

• A. Improper treatment
• B. Assault and battery
• C. Invasion of privacy
• D. Breach of confidentiality

Answer: (A)

Malpractice in healthcare means professional negligence—providing improper treatment or failing to meet the standard of care that a reasonably competent professional would follow, which results in patient harm. This is why improper treatment best fits, because it centers on the care actually delivered and whether it fell below accepted medical standards. In phlebotomy, for example, improper technique, failure to follow safety or identification procedures, or mishandling specimens can lead to injury or incorrect results, which are classic situations where malpractice could be claimed. The other options describe different legal issues: assault and battery involve intentional harm, invasion of privacy concerns intruding on a patient’s personal space or information, and breach of confidentiality deals with sharing patient information without permission. While important, they are not the definition of malpractice, which rests on negligent or improper treatment rather than intentional harm or privacy violations.