Which term describes intentional harmful contact with a patient without consent?

• A. Negligence
• B. Battery
• C. Damages
• D. Malpractice

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is that battery refers to intentional harmful or offensive contact with a patient without their consent. In healthcare, touches or procedures performed without permission—even if the intent is to help—constitute battery because the contact is purposeful and without the patient’s consent. Consent protects the patient from unwanted touching; without it, the act is legally and ethically improper.

Negligence is about failing to meet the expected standard of care, leading to harm, but it isn’t about intentional contact. Damages describe the financial compensation sought or awarded for harm, not the act itself. Malpractice involves professional negligence—a failure to meet professional standards—often tied to errors or omissions rather than intentional harmful contact. Hence, the term that best fits the scenario of intentional harmful contact without consent is battery.