What legal term applies when a nurse holds a patient's arm against their will?

The appropriate legal term that applies when a nurse holds a patient’s arm against their will is battery. Battery is defined as the intentional and unlawful physical contact with another person without their consent. This means that even if a nurse has good intentions or believes they are acting in the patient's best interest, physically restraining or touching a patient without their consent constitutes battery.

In a healthcare setting, it is crucial to ensure that any action taken involving patients is not only appropriate but also consented to by the patient. The act of holding someone’s arm against their will can be seen as a violation of that patient's autonomy and rights. Thus, it qualifies as an unlawful act under battery since it involves unwanted physical contact.

In contrast, other legal terms such as assault refers to the act of threatening or causing a person to fear imminent physical harm, negligence relates to failure to provide the standard of care expected and causing harm, while fraud involves deception for personal gain, all of which do not accurately describe the action of physically holding a patient against their will.