Deck 2: Legal and Ethical Aspects of Nursing

Question 1

An older adult is admitted to the hospital with numerous bodily bruises, and the nurse suspects elder abuse. What is the best nursing action?

A) Cover the bruises with bandages.
B) Take photographs of the bruises.
C) Ask the patient if anyone has hit her.
D) Report the bruises to the charge nurse.

Answer 1

Report the bruises to the charge nurse.

Question 2

What is the best way for a nurse to avoid a lawsuit?

A) Carry malpractice insurance
B) Spend time with the patient
C) Provide compassionate, competent care
D) Answer all call lights quickly

Answer 2

Provide compassionate, competent care

Question 3

What role is the nurse who diligently works for the protection of patients' interests playing?

A) Caregiver
B) Health care administrator
C) Advocate
D) Health care evaluator

Answer 3

Advocate

Question 4

The nurse caring for a patient in the acute care setting assumes responsibility for a patient's care. What is this legally binding situation?

A) Nurse-patient relationship
B) Accountability
C) Advocacy
D) Standard of care

Question 5

The nurse has strong moral convictions that abortions are wrong. When assigned to assist with an abortion, what is the most appropriate action for the nurse to take?

A) Ask for another assignment
B) Leave work
C) Transfer to another floor
D) Protest to the supervisor

Question 6

The new LPN/LVN is concerned regarding what should or should not be done for patients. What resource will best provide this information?

A) Nurse practice act
B) Standards of care
C) Scope of nursing practice
D) Professional organizations

Question 7

An LPN/LVN is asked by the RN to administer an IV chemotherapeutic agent to a patient in the acute care setting. What law should this nurse refer to before initiating this intervention?

A) Standards of care
B) Regulation of practice
C) American Nurses' Association Code
D) Nurse practice act

Question 8

When a nurse protects the information in a patient's record what ethical responsibility is the nurse fulfilling?

A) Privacy
B) Disclosure
C) Confidentiality
D) Absolute secrecy

Question 9

A nurse working on an acute care medical surgical unit is aware that his or her first duty is to the patient's health, safety, and well-being. Given this knowledge, which of the following is most necessary for the nurse to report?

A) Unethical behavior of other staff members
B) A worker who arrives late
C) Favoritism shown by nursing administration
D) Arguments among the staff

Question 10

What fundamental principle must the nurse first observe when confronted with an ethical decision?

A) Autonomy
B) Beneficence
C) Respect for people
D) Nonmaleficence

Question 11

The nurse is caring for a patient with a do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order. Although the nurse may disagree with this order, what is his or her legal obligation?

A) To question the doctor
B) To seek advice from the family
C) To discuss it with the patient
D) To follow the order

Question 12

Which is a nursing care error that violates the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)?

A) Administering a stronger dose of drug than was ordered
B) Refusing to give a patient's daughter information over the phone
C) Informing the patient's medical power of attorney of a medication change
D) Leaving a copy of the patient's history and physical in the photocopier

Question 13

What are the universal guidelines that define appropriate measures for all nursing interventions?

A) Scope of practice
B) Advocacy
C) Standard of care
D) Prudent practice

Question 14

A nurse is considering purchasing malpractice insurance. What should the nurse be aware of regarding malpractice insurance provided by the hospital?

A) Only offers protection while on duty
B) Is limited in the amount of coverage
C) Is difficult to renew
D) Can be terminated at any time

Question 15

When a nurse becomes involved in a legal action, the first step to occur is that a document is filed in an appropriate court. What is this document called?

A) Deposition
B) Appeal
C) Complaint
D) Summons

Question 16

Patients have expectations regarding the health care services they receive. To protect these expectations, which of the following has become law?

A) American Hospital Association's Patient's Bill of Rights
B) Self-determination act
C) American Hospital Association's Standards of Care
D) The Joint Commission's rights and responsibilities of patients

Question 17

A nurse fails to irrigate a feeding tube as ordered, resulting in harm to the patient. This nurse could be found guilty of:

A) malpractice.
B) harm to the patient.
C) negligence.
D) failure to follow the nurse practice act.

Question 18

The nurse is assisting a patient to clarify values by encouraging the expression of feelings and thoughts related to the situation. What is the most appropriate action for the nurse?

A) Compare values with those of the patient
B) Make a judgment
C) Withhold an opinion
D) Give advice

Question 19

The nurse is preparing the patient for a thoracentesis. What must be completed before the procedure may be performed?

A) Physical assessment
B) Interview
C) Informed consent
D) Surgical checklist

Question 20

When asked to perform a procedure that the nurse has never done before, what should the nurse do to legally protect himself or herself?

A) Go ahead and do it
B) Refuse to perform it, citing lack of knowledge
C) Discuss it with the charge nurse, asking for direction
D) Ask another nurse who has performed the procedure

Question 21

During a lunch break, an emergency department (ED) nurse truthfully tells another nurse about the condition of a patient who came to the ED last night. What is the ED nurse guilty of? (Select all that apply.)

A) HIPAA violation
B) Slander
C) Libel
D) Invasion of privacy
E) Defamation

Question 22

What is true about nurse practice acts?

A) They informally define the scope of nursing practice.
B) They provide for unlimited scope of nursing practice.
C) Only some states have adopted a nurse practice act.
D) The nurse must know the nurse practice act within his or her state.

Question 23

A nurse failed to monitor a patient's respiratory status after medicating the patient with a narcotic analgesic. The patient's respiratory status worsened, requiring intubation. The patient's family claimed the nurse committed malpractice. What must be present for the nurse to be held liable? (Select all that apply.)

A) A nurse-patient relationship exists.
B) The nurse failed to perform in a reasonable manner.
C) There was harm to the patient.
D) The nurse was prudent in her performance.
E) The nurse did not cause the patient harm.

Question 24

Acts whose performance is required, permitted, or prohibited are defined by ___________ of ______________.

Question 25

A lumbar puncture was performed on a patient without a signed informed consent form. This patient might sue for:

A) punitive damages.
B) civil battery.
C) assault.
D) nothing; no violation has occurred.

Question 26

A physician instructs the nurse to bladder train a patient. The nurse clamps the patient's indwelling urinary catheter but forgets to unclamp it. The patient develops a urinary tract infection. What do the nurse's actions exemplify?

A) Malpractice
B) Battery
C) Assault
D) Neglect of duty

Question 27

Which of the following could cause a nurse to be cited for malpractice?

A) Refusing to give 60 mg of morphine as ordered
B) Giving prochlorperazine (Compazine) to a patient allergic to phenothiazines
C) Dragging an injured motorist off the highway and causing further injury
D) Informing a visitor about a patient's condition

Question 28

How can the medical record be used in litigation? (Select all that apply.)

A) Public record
B) Proof of adherence to standards
C) Evidence of omission of care
D) Documentation of time lapses
E) Evidence by only the plaintiff
F) Duty does not exist.

Question 29

Personal beliefs about the worth of an object, idea, custom, or attitude that influence a person's behavior in a given situation are referred to as ___________.