Performing an action that is not legally yours to perform, such as an unauthorized advanced treatment.

Performing an action that is not legally yours to perform, such as an unauthorized advanced treatment.

• A. Negligence
• B. Sovereign Immunity
• C. Good Samaritan Law
• D. Malfeasance

Answer: (D)

Performing an action you are not legally allowed to perform is malfeasance. In athletic care, this means carrying out an advanced treatment or procedure without the proper credentials, authorization, or scope of practice. It’s a wrongful act because you’re doing something illegal or beyond what you’re permitted to do, regardless of intent. This differs from negligence, which is about failing to provide a standard of care you are capable of delivering—harm arising from carelessness or a lapse in judgment rather than from an illegal act. Sovereign immunity involves protection from liability for certain government actions, not the act of overstepping professional boundaries. Good Samaritan laws offer limited protection to well-intentioned rescuers who provide aid within reasonable limits, but they don’t authorize unauthorized medical procedures or shield you from consequences if you exceed your scope. Malfeasance specifically captures the wrong of performing something you’re not authorized to do, which is why it’s the best fit for this scenario.

Performing an action you are not legally allowed to perform is malfeasance. In athletic care, this means carrying out an advanced treatment or procedure without the proper credentials, authorization, or scope of practice. It’s a wrongful act because you’re doing something illegal or beyond what you’re permitted to do, regardless of intent.

This differs from negligence, which is about failing to provide a standard of care you are capable of delivering—harm arising from carelessness or a lapse in judgment rather than from an illegal act. Sovereign immunity involves protection from liability for certain government actions, not the act of overstepping professional boundaries. Good Samaritan laws offer limited protection to well-intentioned rescuers who provide aid within reasonable limits, but they don’t authorize unauthorized medical procedures or shield you from consequences if you exceed your scope. Malfeasance specifically captures the wrong of performing something you’re not authorized to do, which is why it’s the best fit for this scenario.