Ace Your ATI Pro Nursing Exam 2026 – Ignite Your Passion for Care!

Negligence is classified as an unintentional tort because it involves a failure to exercise the standard of care that a reasonably prudent person would provide in a similar situation, leading to unintended harm to another person. Unlike intentional torts, which occur when a person deliberately causes harm or fear to another (like battery or assault), negligence occurs without intent to cause harm. It is based on the principle that individuals have a duty to act in a manner that does not put others at risk of harm.

For example, a nurse may unintentionally harm a patient by not following standard protocols that lead to a medication error, which reflects a breach of care that resulted in the patient's injury. The focus in negligence is on the actions (or lack thereof) of the individual and whether those actions fell below the expected standard of care, rather than on an intention to harm. This distinction is fundamental in understanding how negligence is treated in legal settings, as it emphasizes the importance of accountability for one’s actions.