Deck 3: Ethical Principles

Question 1

The nurse promises a patient that she will return in five minutes to sit and speak with him. What ethical principle does this situation exemplify?

A) morals
B) fidelity
C) confidentiality
D) justice

Answer 1

fidelity

Question 2

In which of the following situations is the nurse applying the principles of the CNA Code of Ethics?

A) The nurse maintains confidentiality of a gunshot victim who is a suspected gang member.
B) The nurse carries out mandatory testing of pregnant women for hepatitis and syphilis.
C) The nurse keeps information confidential when a patient states that he wants to kill himself.
D) The nurse reports suspected abuse of a child and illegal activity of the parents to the police.

Answer 2

The nurse reports suspected abuse of a child and illegal activity of the parents to the police.

Question 3

A nurse performs a pain assessment on a client and requests an order for an analgesic as an intervention. Which of the following ethical principles is being given a practical application in this situation?

A) beneficence
B) autonomy
C) veracity
D) non-maleficence

Answer 3

beneficence

Question 4

Which principle of the Canada Health Act requires that residents moving from one province or territory to another must continue to be covered for insured health care services?

A) comprehensiveness
B) portability
C) accessibility
D) public administration

Question 5

What does the principle of beneficence require the nurse to do?

A) to separate personal from professional life
B) to prevent harm or evil and do good
C) to make moral decisions that are motivated by what will benefit the patient
D) to morally regulate the conduct of others

Question 6

A nurse respects a patient's decision not to undergo any further dialysis. Which principle is this situation an example of?

A) respect for persons
B) justice
C) beneficence
D) autonomy

Question 7

A patient requests multiple cosmetic surgeries. At a certain point, the health care team questions whether the overall harm that will result from continuing to do these procedures will outweigh the benefits. Which ethical principle is most related to this discussion about weighing harms against benefits?

A) beneficence
B) non-maleficence
C) justice
D) veracity

Question 8

Which of the following ethical principles relates to noncompliance with care by a fully aware patient?

A) beneficence
B) autonomy
C) fidelity
D) non-maleficence

Question 9

Which ethical principle implies that others are worthy of high regard?

A) beneficence
B) respect for autonomy
C) respect for persons
D) distributive justice

Question 10

Which principle of the Canada Health Act entitles 100 percent of the insured residents of a province or territory to health services?

A) comprehensiveness
B) universality
C) accessibility
D) public administration

Question 11

The emergency room staff decide how quickly patients will be triaged through the emergency room department. The emergency room team decides that the most critically ill patient will be treated first. Which of the following ethical principles is illustrated by the decision-making process in this case?

A) respect for persons
B) justice
C) beneficence
D) autonomy

Question 12

Which ethical principle requires nurses to uphold the profession's code of ethics, to practise within the established scope of practice, and to remain competent?

A) beneficence
B) autonomy
C) fidelity
D) non-maleficence

Question 13

Which of the following statements best summarizes the Privacy Act, amended April 2011?

A) Individuals have the right to access their own information without constraints.
B) The provincial government sets out rules on how personal information is managed.
C) Each province protects the private information of Canadian citizens.
D) The Act sets out rules for how personal information should be managed by private-sector organizations.

Question 14

Which principle of the Canada Health Act entitles reasonable contact with insured health care services in terms of physical availability of medically necessary services?

A) comprehensiveness
B) universality
C) accessibility
D) public administration

Question 15

What does the CNA Code of Ethics recognize about confidentiality?

A) It develops from respect for patients and is an absolute requirement in all situations.
B) It is restricted to legal regulations and definitions.
C) It is not absolute and may be modified to protect the patient or other innocent people.
D) It enables preservation of dignity for patients in intimate and private situations.