Which situation exemplifies an act of negligence?

An act of negligence occurs when a caregiver fails to provide the expected standard of care, leading to harm or potential harm to the patient. In this context, when a nursing assistant does not reposition a bed-confined patient as instructed, it directly relates to their duty to provide adequate care. Bed-bound patients need to be regularly repositioned to prevent complications such as pressure ulcers and to promote overall comfort and health. Failing to do so violates the standard of care expected in the healthcare environment, thus constituting negligence.

The other options involve scenarios that do not fit the definition of negligence in the same way. Refusing to discuss a patient’s diagnosis with a visitor may relate to confidentiality but does not necessarily imply negligence in patient care. A physician's failure to renew a medication order might reflect a lapse in judgment or oversight, but it is not an act of negligence by a nursing assistant. Finally, a registered nurse performing sterile procedures is expected behavior as it aligns with their training and responsibilities, indicating competency rather than negligence.