Final answer:
The 'safe harbor' is invoked in nursing or human research when ethical concerns or safety issues arise, ensuring participants' protection through informed consent and privacy, overseen by IRBs.
Step-by-step explanation:
The concept in question refers to the principles and protections involved when conducting nursing peer review or human subject research. When a nurse feels that a task is unsafe, or if ethical concerns arise regarding the conduct towards human subjects, they can invoke a safe harbor.
This process ensures the safety and informed consent of participants, protection of participant privacy, and adherence to ethical standards, often overseen by Institutional Review Boards (IRBs). In academic and clinical settings, peer review processes are established to provide fact-based feedback while maintaining confidentiality and promoting ethical research practices.