Question 1

A student nurse was discussing the confidentiality of a patient's medical records. The student's comments demonstrated a clear understanding of the subject until he or she said:

Accepted Answer

The incorrect statement is D because there are circumstances where a copy of a patient's chart may be shared with the patient's insurance company, especially for purposes such as claims processing and verification of services provided. This is done with appropriate consent and within the bounds of healthcare regulations.

Question 2

A nurse explains to coworkers that care provided for a patient is based on the Nurse Practice Act (NPA), which covers the

Accepted Answer

The Nurse Practice Act (NPA) includes the rules and regulations that nurses must practice, such as their scope of practice, standards of care, and competency requirements. The Patient's Bill of Rights is a separate document that outlines the rights that patients have in receiving medical care. The American Nurses Association's (ANA) guidelines are a set of recommendations and best practices for nursing care, but are not legally binding like the NPA. The reasons that nurses may have action taken against their licenses would be outlined in the NPA, but this is not a defining characteristic of the act itself.

Question 3

A 17-year-old patient injured during a football game is in the emergency department. Before treatment, it is the responsibility of the nurse to

Accepted Answer

In most jurisdictions, a minor (under 18) cannot legally provide informed consent for medical treatment. Therefore, it is necessary to obtain the signature of the custodial parent or legal guardian.

Question 4

A nursing instructor is discussing the importance of a nurse's responsibility to serve as a patient's advocate. The instructor recognizes that additional explanation is warranted when a student nurse says:

Accepted Answer

While a nurse may consider a patient's values in advocating for their care, it is important for the nurse to maintain objectivity and avoid imposing their own values on the patient. Advocacy involves advocating for the patient's rights and needs, not imposing the nurse's own beliefs.

Question 5

In certain situations when a patient is in the terminal stages of a disease and not expected to live much longer, a physician may be authorized to write a do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order in the patient's chart that limits life-extending measures to

Accepted Answer

A DNR order focuses on providing comfort and dignity to the patient, rather than extending life through measures like CPR or ventilators.

Question 6

The potential exists for a complaint of sexual harassment if a nurse states which of the following?

Accepted Answer

B) This statement implies a quid pro quo arrangement, suggesting that one must do something for the speaker in exchange for a favor, which can be interpreted as sexual harassment. E) This statement stereotypes male nurses negatively based on gender, which can contribute to a hostile work environment, a form of sexual harassment.

Question 7

Following a discussion with a patient about treatment options given by the primary care physician, a nurse assures the patient that the physician will support whatever decision is made. This nurse is acting as the patient's

Accepted Answer

The nurse is acting as the patient's advocate by reassuring them that the physician will support their decision. An advocate is someone who supports and promotes the interests of another person. In this case, the nurse is advocating for the patient by ensuring they feel supported in their decision-making process.

Question 8

A mentally competent patient with a terminal illness refuses to take his medications, stating, "I don't want to live like this." The nurse will

Accepted Answer

The nurse should report the patient's decision to the physician and continue to provide appropriate compassionate care. It is the patient's right to refuse treatment, even if it may be life-saving. The nurse should respect the patient's autonomy and work with the healthcare team to ensure the patient is comfortable and has a high quality of life until the end. Asking the physician to change the medication or trying to convince the patient otherwise is not appropriate. Speaking to the family about the patient's decision also does not respect the patient's autonomy and may cause undue stress or pressure on the patient.

Question 9

A nursing student wants to use some information from an actual patient's chart to prepare a student care plan for class. The student must understand that any data collected from a patient's chart should

Accepted Answer

Patient information is confidential, and it is the responsibility of the healthcare provider to protect the patient's privacy. Therefore, any data collected from a patient's chart must be written in a way that upholds the patient's confidentiality. Options A and C are incorrect because patient identifiers, including name and any identifying numbers, should be removed to ensure anonymity. Option D is incorrect because patient information must be properly disposed of, such as by shredding, but only after the proper retention period has passed.

Question 10

In some situations, a nurse is required by law to report findings from nurse-patient interactions or the nurse's assessment. The nurse will notify the proper authorities when which of the following occurs?

Accepted Answer

The answer of In some situations, a nurse is required...

Question 11

A nurse has been reported to the board of nursing for performing skills that are outside her scope of practice. The nurse should expect

Accepted Answer

The nurse should expect a hearing by the board of nursing to determine whether the charges are true. The board of nursing will review the allegations and determine if the nurse violated any state nursing laws or regulations. Depending on the severity of the violation, the nurse may face disciplinary action, such as a fine or suspension of their license. A lawsuit by the institution for malpractice is possible, but it is not the immediate action that the nurse should expect. Immediate revocation of her nursing license is also unlikely without a formal review process. Continuing education units (CEUs) may be required as part of disciplinary action, but this is not the immediate consequence the nurse should expect.

Question 12

Aware that continuing education is a must in providing a high standard of patient care, a nurse will enhance her practice by

Accepted Answer

Using research to improve practice is the best choice as it directly relates to enhancing patient care by staying up-to-date with the latest evidence-based practices, which can ultimately lead to better patient outcomes. A cooking class and studying the history of nursing may be interesting but do not directly contribute to improving patient care. Becoming computer literate may be helpful in terms of electronic charting, but it does not necessarily enhance patient care on its own.

Question 13

A nurse feels that his patient needs to be placed in a protective-restraint device to protect him from injury. To place a patient in restraints,

Accepted Answer

According to nursing ethics and standards, the use of restraints should always be a last resort and should only be used when all other methods of protecting the patient have been tried and failed. It is also important to have documented evidence that other methods were attempted before using restraints. Both A and B are not the correct options as patient and family consent is not required for the use of restraints, as it is done to protect the patient's safety. The patient's level of consciousness is not a determining factor for the use of restraints.

Question 14

A nursing instructor explains that a good nurse must make certain that the professional nurse-patient relationship boundaries are never crossed. The instructor realizes that additional clarification is needed when a student nurse says:

Accepted Answer

Serving as the patient's advocate is actually an important part of the nurse's role and responsibilities. The nurse is the patient's advocate and must always act in their best interest, ensuring they receive the proper care, treatment, and resources they need to recover. This involves advocating for the patient's rights, communicating their needs and preferences to other healthcare professionals, and making sure they are fully informed about their treatment options.

Question 15

A patient has refused to take the medications brought in by a nurse. The nurse will chart,

Accepted Answer

Option C accurately documents the fact that the patient refused the medications, and also notifies the physician of this refusal, which is appropriate for further clinical management. Option A is not objective and leaves out important details, while option B is not within the nurse's scope of practice to issue a discharge. Option D is subjective and not helpful in documenting the refusal of medications.

Question 16

A nurse explains to a patient that an instructional directive means

Accepted Answer

An instructional directive is a written document that specifies the care desired by a patient and under what circumstances.

Question 17

After providing a.m. care for his patient, a nurse forgot to put the bed in the lowest position and left one of the bed rails down. The patient got out of bed and fell. The nurse could be reported to the board of nursing for

Accepted Answer

Negligence refers to the failure to take reasonable care in doing something, which leads to harm or injury to another person. In this case, the nurse's failure to put the bed in the lowest position and leave one of the bed rails down resulted in the patient getting out of bed and falling, which is a clear example of negligence. Assault and battery involve intentional harm to another person, while libel involves making false statements that harm someone's reputation.

Question 18

A nurse witnesses a coworker taking a medication ordered for a patient. The nurse's first course of action is to

Accepted Answer

The nurse should report the incident to the nurse supervisor to ensure that proper action is taken and the safety of the patient is maintained. It is not appropriate to ask other nurses what to do or offer to care for the coworker's patients. Warning the coworker is also not an effective course of action.

Question 19

A patient requests that a nurse copy his chart for his daughter. The nurse replies:

Accepted Answer

The nurse is correct that the patient cannot simply request a copy of their chart, but they can give written permission for a copy to be made. This is in compliance with HIPAA regulations, which require patient authorization for the release of protected health information. The nurse's response shows respect for the patient's request while also following legal guidelines.

Question 20

A student nurse was discussing the subject of incident reports. All of the statements made by the student were accurate until she said:

Accepted Answer

Incident reports are internal documents and should not be filed as part of the patient's chart. They are used by the healthcare facility for quality improvement and risk management purposes, not for documenting patient care in the medical record.

Quiz 3: Nursing Ethics and Law