Question 1

_________ refers to situations in which interventions are judged to have very little or no medical benefit, or in which the chance for success is low.

Accepted Answer

A)  Euthanasia 
B)  Medical futility 
C)  Do not resuscitate (DNR) 
D)  Palliative care B

Question 2

Withholding or removing treatments where the burden or harm to the person is determined to outweigh benefits is:

Accepted Answer

A)  allowing the person to die as a result of the natural progression of the disease process. 
B)  causing the painless death of the person in order to end or prevent more suffering. 
C)  providing the person the means to end his or her own life when they are ready to die. 
D)  following the directives to avoid suffering included in do not resuscitate orders. A

Question 3

Ethical dilemmas that arise from use of life-sustaining technologies may be associated with all of the following except:

Accepted Answer

A)  attitudes and beliefs about when life begins. 
B)  attitudes about what constitutes death. 
C)  unreasonable expectations of medical interventions. 
D)  similar opinions regarding use of technology. D

Question 4

Ethical and legal obligation to protect the confidentiality of patient information directs nurses to do which of the following regarding electronic storing and transfer of personal health information?

Accepted Answer

A)  Avoid using fax machines to transfer personal health information. 
B)  Share personal secure passwords with immediate co-workers only. 
C)  Rely on HIPAA regulations to assure the security of electronic devices. 
D)  Use password-protected screen savers and data encryption technology.

Question 5

Since a prime nursing focus is to relieve suffering, nurses must understand that health care technologies:

Accepted Answer

A)  are good because they always support a patient's health and well-being. 
B)  may cause conflict between doing good and avoiding harm to patients. 
C)  are necessary interventions even if they cause patients to suffer. 
D)  may cause nurses to do harmful things to patients against their wishes.

Question 6

The process of creating a cell or an entire organism that is identical in every way to another is called:

Accepted Answer

A)  stem cell research 
B)  cloning 
C)  genetic screening 
D)  eugenics

Question 7

Which of the following can be both a benefit and challenge of technological advances in health care?

Accepted Answer

A)  Supports healthy living 
B)  Availability and cost 
C)  Can prolong living 
D)  Alleviates suffering

Question 8

Do not resuscitate (DNR) orders indicate that:

Accepted Answer

A)  medical therapies and interventions are to be avoided. 
B)  life-sustaining interventions are to be discontinued. 
C)  cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is to be avoided. 
D)  palliative care is to be discontinued or avoided.

Question 9

Which of the following disciplines generally make up an ethics committee? Select all that apply.

Accepted Answer

A)  Nursing 
B)  Medicine 
C)  Social work 
D)  Chaplains 
E)  Client's family

Question 10

The ability to alter organisms genetically for a variety of purposes is:

Accepted Answer

A)  eugenics 
B)  genetic screening 
C)  genetic diagnosis 
D)  genetic engineering

Question 11

Appropriate utilization of health care technology requires that health care providers, patients, and families understand its:

Accepted Answer

A)  purpose, benefits, limitations. 
B)  cost, availability, usefulness. 
C)  outcomes, benefits, cost. 
D)  risks, availability, purpose.

Question 12

In assessing a patient's quality of life (QOL), the nurse needs to understand that QOL:

Accepted Answer

A)  is an objective measure of comfort and factors that make life worth living. 
B)  is only considered good if the patient feels fulfilled and can be independent. 
C)  generally means the same thing to most patients, families, and nurses. 
D)  includes subjective ideas about conditions of life and functional ability.

Question 13

Instructions indicating a client's wishes regarding health care interventions or designating someone to act as a surrogate in making such decisions are called:

Accepted Answer

A)  healthcare provider orders 
B)  palliative care 
C)  advance directives 
D)  nursing care plan

Question 14

Palliative care includes all of the following except:

Accepted Answer

A)  comprehensive, interdisciplinary, and total care. 
B)  aggressive treatment of chronic health problems. 
C)  comfort and support of patients and families. 
D)  delivery of coordinated and continuous services.

Question 15

Ethical considerations related to situations of medical futility relate to which of the following?

Accepted Answer

A)  Views about whether the intervention is prolonging living or prolonging dying 
B)  Values and views of involved parties regarding what is benefit or burden 
C)  Values of involved parties regarding availability and cost of the medical care 
D)  a and b 
E)  All of the above

Exam 10: Practice Issues Related to Technology