A nurse on a mental health unit is assisting with developing an in-service for staff members about legal issues. Which of the following examples should the nurse include as an example of libel?

Introduction: Libel is a form of quasi-intentional tort involving the written defamation of character. In a clinical setting, it occurs when a healthcare professional enters documented false statements into the permanent medical record that could damage the client's reputation or lead to social or professional stigmatization. A. Leaving a client in a wheelchair with the wheels unlocked, leading to a fall, is an example of negligence or malpractice. This is an unintentional tort where the nurse failed to perform a standard duty of care, resulting in unintended physical harm to the client. B. Threatening to apply restraints to a client who is refusing medication is an example of assault. In legal terms, assault is an intentional tort characterized by an action that causes the client to fear that they will be touched in an offensive, insulting, or physically injurious manner. C. Documenting false information about a client’s substance use history is the definition of libel. Because the medical record is a formal, written document, any derogatory and inaccurate information placed within it that harms the client's character meets the legal criteria for this specific type of defamation. D. Administering a medication without the client's consent constitutes battery. Battery is an intentional tort involving the actual physical contact or touching of a person without their permission. In healthcare, performing any procedure or giving an injection against a competent client's will falls under this category.