Deck 7: Ethical Decision Making

Question 1

George, an ICU nurse, worked with the team as they followed the physician's order to discontinue life support on a patient diagnosed with persistent vegetative state. George believes that life is sacred and that he has a duty to do whatever it takes to preserve life. Nevertheless, he remained silent as the decision was made, and he assisted his coworkers when they unplugged the respirator. George is likely to experience which of the following?

A) Moral uncertainty
B) Moral distress
C) Moral outrage
D) Moral perplexity

Answer 1

Moral distress

Question 2

Which term is described as a personal consciousness of the moral importance that guides personal action in a particular situation?

A) Dilemma
B) Problem
C) Ethic
D) Moral integrity

Answer 2

Ethic

Question 3

____________ occurs when we sense that there is a moral problem but are not sure of the morally correct action.

A) Moral distress
B) Moral uncertainty
C) Moral dilemma
D) Practical dilemma

Answer 3

Moral uncertainty

Question 4

Which of the following is an example of a moral dilemma?

A) A nurse who is accustomed to working on the prenatal unit floats to the ER.
B) A nurse who has strong religious beliefs opposing abortion is assigned to assist with an elective abortion.
C) A terminally ill patient on life support suffers from severe, intractable pain.
D) A patient has a cardiopulmonary arrest when the suction apparatus fails.

Question 5

The physician and nurse participate with a patient in making a particularly difficult moral decision. If the decision-making process is properly implemented, which of the following may occur?

A) The goal will be reached.
B) Other dilemmas emerge.
C) Other actions may be required.
D) All of the above

Question 6

Moral integrity is defined as:

A) the likelihood that someone will make the same decision repeatedly over time.
B) soundness, reliability, wholeness, and integration of moral character.
C) self-knowledge combined with decision-making skill.
D) the ability to make cogent moral decisions.

Question 7

Moral dilemmas occur when:

A) the nurse is unsure of the morally correct action.
B) there are conflicting moral claims.
C) moral claims conflict with practical claims.
D) participants disagree on the appropriate course of action.

Question 8

A problem consists of:

A) uncertainties and unintended consequences.
B) disagreements among participants as to the best course of action.
C) moral claims that conflict with practical claims.
D) a discrepancy between the current situation and a desired state.

Question 9

The first step in the ethical decision-making process is:

A) implementing the strategy.
B) gathering data.
C) evaluating outcomes of an action.
D) articulating the problem.

Question 10

Determining key participants is appropriate during which step of the moral decision-making process?

A) Data gathering
B) Problem articulation
C) Strategy exploration
D) Strategy implementation

Question 11

A registered nurse witnesses another nurse violating a patient's autonomy. Even though she did not participate in the action, the nurse who witnessed the act experiences powerlessness, frustration, and anger. This reaction describes which of the following?

A) Moral distress
B) Moral uncertainty
C) Moral outrage
D) Moral dilemma

Question 12

When a person is aware of a moral problem, acknowledges moral responsibility, and makes a moral judgment about the correct action, yet is constrained from the self-determined morally correct action, the person is experiencing:

A) moral distress.
B) moral uncertainty.
C) moral outrage.
D) moral reckoning.

Question 13

Several types of moral problems exist and are discussed in chapter 7. Which of the following are examples of a moral problem? Select all that apply.

A) Moral uncertainty
B) Moral dilemma
C) Routine problem
D) Practical dilemma
E) Moral distress

Question 14

The nurse manager asks Martha, a staff nurse, if she will work an additional 4 hours at the end of her shift. Martha's patient is unstable, and there is insufficient staff on the next shift to care for her adequately. If she works overtime, Martha will break a promise she made to take her children to the circus. This situation is an example of:

A) moral distress.
B) a moral dilemma.
C) moral reckoning.
D) a practical dilemma.

Question 15

Physicians sometimes make unilateral decisions in morally important situations because:

A) moral decision making is reserved for physicians.
B) nurses are seldom aware of the patient's wishes and life context.
C) there is, sometimes, power imbalance in the health care setting.
D) it is illegal for nurses to participate in moral decision making.