What is the definition of negligence?

Negligence is defined as careless neglect that often results in injury. This definition encompasses the idea that a person fails to exercise a level of care that a reasonably prudent person would in a similar situation, leading to unintended harm to another individual. In a healthcare context, this could manifest in various ways, such as failing to follow proper protocols, not attending to a patient’s needs, or overlooking critical safety measures. The key aspect of negligence is that it involves unintentional harm resulting from this lack of care.

The other choices depict concepts that do not align with negligence. Intentionally causing harm to someone relates to intentional torts, while giving accurate medical information pertains to proper communication and ethical responsibilities, and providing excessive care does not reflect the essence of negligence, which focuses on a failure to act responsibly rather than acting too much.