Nursing Acceleration Challenge Exam (NACE) PN-RN Practice Test

Which type of negligence involves an individual failing to provide reasonable care?

1. Comparative negligence

2. Gross negligence

3. Negligent conduct

4. Contributory negligence

The correct answer is: Negligent conduct

Negligent conduct refers to actions or behaviors where an individual fails to exercise a standard of reasonable care, leading to harm or damage. In this context, the term emphasizes the lack of due diligence expected in daily activities, which can result in negative outcomes, whether to persons or property. This form of negligence is grounded in the idea that everyone has a duty to act in a way that does not unjustly harm others. When that duty is breached, and the resulting harm is a direct consequence of that breach, it constitutes negligent conduct. This is fundamental to the legal concept of negligence, as it underscores the expectation for individuals to avoid careless actions that could foreseeably harm others. The other types of negligence mentioned in the question focus on different aspects of negligence: comparative negligence deals with apportioning fault among parties involved, gross negligence indicates a severe degree of negligence that goes beyond mere carelessness, and contributory negligence refers to a situation where the injured party may have contributed to their own harm. While these terms relate to negligence as well, they do not specifically define the general failure to provide reasonable care inherent in negligent conduct.