Deck 11: Nurse Practice Acts, Licensure, and the Scope of Practice

Question 1

The home health nurse discovers that a homebound cancer patient is using marijuana to control nausea from chemotherapy. What advice should the nurse give this patient?

A) The effect of marijuana on decreasing nausea is fleeting and not worth the health problems caused by using it.
B) Since the patient is homebound, it is likely the use of marijuana will not be discovered by anyone else.
C) Possession of marijuana is illegal under federal law.
D) Some states have current legislative guidelines for legal possession of medical marijuana.
E) As long as it is documented that an illness exists that can be treated with marijuana, no risk of prosecution is present.

Answer 1

Possession of marijuana is illegal under federal law.
Some states have current legislative guidelines for legal possession of medical marijuana.

Question 2

The nurse has a strong religious conviction against elective sterilization procedures. When seeking employment, how should the nurse handle this belief?

A) Request placement on a unit where care of these patients is unlikely.
B) Be up front and discuss the issue during the employment interview.
C) Say nothing about this belief as it is personal, private information.
D) Be certain that this information is documented in the employment contract.

Answer 2

Be up front and discuss the issue during the employment interview.

Question 3

In which situations would the state board of nursing have probable grounds for disciplining a nurse?

A) The nurse can no longer lift 30 pounds.
B) The nurse fails to report a co-worker who is working outside his scope of practice.
C) The nurse questioned a direct physician order.
D) The nurse made a false statement on the licensure application.
E) The nurse told a co-worker that she is taking antidepressant medications.

Answer 3

The nurse fails to report a co-worker who is working outside his scope of practice.
The nurse made a false statement on the licensure application.

Question 4

The patient tells the nurse that the physician mentioned deep tissue massage as treatment for rheumatoid arthritis. As a part of the subsequent conversation, the nurse demonstrates techniques and encourages the patient to begin a regimen immediately. What is true regarding this situation?

A) Since back massage is a standard skill taught in nursing school, the nurse has no liability for these actions.
B) The nurse's liability centers on the recommendation to begin a massage regime.
C) Since the physician initiated the discussion, the nurse has no liability.
D) This nurse may be guilty of practicing massage without a license.

Question 5

A nurse appointed to the state board of nursing would expect work focused on which basic purpose of that body?

A) Establishing a means of protecting the public at large
B) Ensuring that all schools of nursing seek national accreditation
C) Ensuring that all practicing nurses are competent
D) Restricting nursing practice through regulations

Question 6

The nurse is searching for the legal guide to the practice of registered nurse. Which document should the nurse review?

A) ANA Code of Ethics
B) State Nurse Practice Act
C) Nurse's Bill of Rights
D) Nightingale Pledge

Question 7

The nurse holds original licensure in a compact state and has practice privileges in two remote states. Should practice concerns arise with this nurse in a remote state, what is the status of the nurse's license?

A) Only the state in which the nurse demonstrated poor practice can act to suspend or revoke the nurse's license.
B) License suspension or revocation can only occur if all three states agree to the action.
C) Only the state in which the nurse holds licensure can act to suspend or revoke that license.
D) The remote state can place the nurse's license on probation.
E) The remote state can limit or stop the nurse from practicing in that state.

Question 8

A medical technician working in a physician's office routinely refers to herself as a nurse. Which type of licensure protects that title as well as the professional actions associated with nursing?

A) Mandatory
B) Institutional
C) Transitional
D) Permissive

Question 9

A nursing student reports that her grandmother served as a nurse in World War II. At the end of the war, her grandmother was licensed as a nurse, even though she never graduated from nursing school. Which type of exemption from licensure does this reflect?

A) Grandfather clause
B) Reciprocity
C) Endorsement
D) Licensure by waiver

Question 10

Changes to nursing licensure are being considered. The nurse identifies which source of the state's power to license nurses?

A) Police power within the state
B) State and federal case laws
C) Constitution of the United States
D) Nurse practice act

Question 11

A physician reported a case of possible nursing negligence to the state board of nursing. What action will be taken by the board?

A) The complaint will be screened and an investigation initiated if appropriate.
B) Nothing will be done as only another professional nurse is qualified to report nursing negligence.
C) The nurse or nurses will be placed on probation pending investigation of the complaint.
D) The incident will be recorded as a "first strike" against the nurse or nurses involved.

Question 12

The hospital nurse supervisor has concerns that a staff nurse is no longer capable of competent patient care because of alcohol use. Repeated counseling sessions with the nurse have not changed the behaviors that are of concern. What action should be taken by the supervisor?

A) Report the concerns to the state board of nursing.
B) Terminate the nurse's hospital employment.
C) Transfer the nurse to a non-patient care position.
D) Nothing as the nurse might sue the supervisor.

Question 13

Which information would the nurse provide as rationale for supporting the nurse licensure and mutual recognition movements?

A) Advancing technologies, especially telehealth and telephone triage makes single state licensure problematic.
B) Some areas have an oversupply of nurses while others are still experiencing a nursing shortage.
C) Multistate licensure will protect the safety of consumers who use call-in phone lines for health advice.
D) The number of practicing nurses holding more than one state license is increasing.

Question 14

A nurse executive has requested that additional budgetary funds be allocated to support staff seeking a baccalaureate degree in nursing or specialty certification. Which information should this executive provide during discussions of this funding?

A) "Research shows no correlation between an increased number of BSN prepared nurses and increased nursing salaries."
B) "Nurse specialty certification has been shown to lower patient mortality."
C) "If our nursing staff is educated at a higher level and are certified we will see fewer lawsuits for negligence and malpractice."
D) Higher failure-to-rescue rates
E) "Education at the BSN level, when coupled with specialty certification, has been shown to reduce adverse patient outcomes."

Question 15

The patient decides to discontinue standard medical treatment for diabetes mellitus and to rely on diet and herbal medications for blood sugar control. Which statements, made by the nurse, are appropriate?

A) "You are an adult and can do anything you want to do."
B) "We need to talk about how medications work to control diabetes mellitus."
C) "Tell me more about why you decided to make this change."
D) "Don't you know that you are gambling with your health?"
E) "I think that would be a mistake."