Deck 3: Ethical and Legal Issues

Question 1

The charge nurse on a busy inpatient psychiatric unit is concerned because a nurse and nursing assistant have called out for the shift.Upon calling the nursing office,the charge nurse is informed that there is no one to replace them.In addition,the emergency call button at the nurse's station is malfunctioning.This charge nurse sees this as a violation of

A)Legal rights
B)The patient's bill of rights
C)Care provider rights
D)Ethical principles

Answer 1

Care provider rights

Question 2

The nurse encounters a client crying in her room.Upon talking to the client it is discovered that she is upset because a new nursing assistant made her go out for a walk with the group even though the client informed her that she waits for her daughter to go for her walk.This is a potential violation of which ethical principle?

A)Beneficence
B)Autonomy
C)Confidentiality
D)Nonmaleficence

Answer 2

Autonomy

Question 3

Which of the following circumstances,when it occurs on an inpatient mental health unit,would be considered false imprisonment?

A)An alert and oriented client is confined to his room after being loud and argumentative with another client in the recreation area.
B)Restraints are placed on a client who has been admitted in a lethargic state because of misuse of medications and who has fallen three times since admission.
C)A client is housed in a private room with visual monitors after attempting suicide at home on the previous day.
D)An alert and oriented client who was admitted for a 72-hour involuntary commitment is prevented from leaving the facility 2 days after admission.

Answer 3

An alert and oriented client is confined to his room after being loud and argumentative with another client in the recreation area.

Question 4

Standards of nursing practice for mental health can best be described as helping to ensure:

A)That certain clients receive care
B)Quality and effectiveness of care
C)Proper documentation
D)Proper medication administration

Question 5

An order written by a physician is reviewed by the nursing staff,and no one is familiar with the treatment instructions.A nurse who was recently hired knows that this treatment is covered by the state's nurse practice act.What is the nurse's best course of action?

A)Call the physician to ask for clarification
B)Check the state's nurse practice act again
C)Contact the nursing supervisor for approval to carry out the treatment
D)Refer to the facility's policy and procedure to determine the course of action

Question 6

If a person is perceived to be a threat to himself or others,who can implement an involuntary commitment to a mental health facility? (Select all that apply. )

A)Family members
B)Police
C)Physicians
D)Social workers
E)Representatives of a county administrator

Question 7

The client is feeling very anxious and has requested that a p.r.n.antianxiety medication be ordered.The nurse informs the client that the medication can be administered only every 4 hours and was given 3 hours ago.The nurse promises to give the client the medication as soon as it is due,but the nurse goes to lunch 1 hour later without giving the client the medication.Which ethical principle did the nurse violate?

A)Fidelity
B)Veracity
C)Confidentiality
D)Justice

Question 8

A male client is being argumentative during a group therapy session.The psychiatric technician warns the client that if he does not cooperate with the nurse,he will be physically restrained and taken to his room for the remainder of the day.For which action could the technician be held liable?

A)Assault
B)Battery
C)Privacy
D)Fraud

Question 9

A client frequently wanders around the unit,and the staff frequently needs to reorient the client to the environment and remind her not to walk into the rooms of other clients on the unit.Due to short staffing,the decision is made to use a restraint device to prevent this from occurring.This action may constitute:

A)Assault
B)Defamation
C)False imprisonment
D)Negligence

Question 10

If a female client tells the nurse of extensive plans she has to harm the girlfriend of her ex-husband,what is the nurse's best action?

A)Try to talk with the client to convince her not to harm the girlfriend
B)Have the client sign a contract with you stating that she will not harm the girlfriend
C)Inform the ex-husband of the intentions of the client
D)Inform the girlfriend of the intentions of the client

Question 11

If a client is involuntarily committed to a mental health care facility indefinitely,the law requires that the case must be reviewed every:

A)3 months
B)6 months
C)12 months
D)15 months

Question 12

A male teenage client tells the nurse that his friends like to drink alcohol occasionally to get drunk.The client's friends see nothing wrong with their drinking habits.The client states that he was taught by his parents and agrees that underage drinking is not acceptable.Also,he has never seen his parents drunk;therefore,he refuses to drink with his friends.Which mode of transmission best describes how this client's particular value was formed?

A)Moralizing
B)Modeling
C)Reward-punishment
D)Laissez-faire

Question 13

A client preparing for discharge from an inpatient unit asks a nurse which psychiatrist she would recommend to use for follow-up as an outpatient.The nurse responds,"There are several good physicians on your list.Make sure you do not use Dr.Smith.I have heard some terrible things about his methods of treatment." This is an example of which type of potential liability?

A)Slander
B)Invasion of privacy
C)Assault
D)Libel

Question 14

The psychiatrist asks the nurse to perform a procedure that she is not familiar with,and the nurse is unsure whether this is something within the scope of practice.Where can the nurse find the answer to her question?

A)National nurse practice act
B)State nurse practice act
C)Regional nurse practice act
D)Community nurse practice act

Question 15

A female client asks the nurse if the medication risperidone (Risperdal),an antipsychotic medication for schizophrenia,has any side effects.Which response by the nurse would violate the ethical concept of veracity?

A)"I am not sure,but I will find out."
B)"Risperdal has no documented side effects."
C)"Risperdal does have some side effects."
D)"Let's talk to your physician about potential side effects."

Question 16

A female client becomes combative when the nurse attempts to administer routine medications.The nurse would like to ignore the client but chooses to talk with the client to calm her.The nurse is successful in calming the client,and the client takes her medications.What process best describes how the nurse decided on the course of action taken?

A)Values clarification
B)Nurse's rights
C)Beliefs
D)Morals

Question 17

An important responsibility of the nurse in a mental health facility is to ensure that clients do not __________ from the facility without a discharge order,by carefully supervising and accurately documenting client behaviors and therapeutic actions.

A)Escape
B)Abandon
C)Flee
D)Elope

Question 18

A male client is seeking help in a mental health clinic for anger management problems.He voices that he is fearful that his wife may divorce him because of his anger problem,and he is willing to do "whatever it takes" to control his anger.Later in the week,the client's wife also seeks assistance because she is going to divorce her husband.The nurse who is caring for both of these clients tries to decide the correct action to take.The nurse is experiencing:

A)A moral dilemma
B)Value clarification
C)An ethical conflict (or dilemma)
D)A breach of confidentiality

Question 19

The nurse often assists in the process of obtaining informed consent from the client for treatment and/or procedures.Who has the responsibility of providing information to the client so he can give informed consent?

A)Social worker
B)Nurse
C)Physician
D)Facility's legal representative

Question 20

Twenty-three states have enacted mental health parity laws.The most accurate description of these laws is that they require insurance companies to:

A)Include coverage for mental illness
B)Include coverage for substance abuse treatment
C)Include coverage for mental illness that is equal to coverage for physical illness
D)Include coverage for outpatient therapy for individuals with substance abuse

Question 21

The nurse documents on the medication administration record that a medication has been given as ordered on a daily basis,but the medication actually has been out of stock for a week.This nurse is guilty of __________.

Question 22

For a nurse or health care provider to be found negligent,what requirements must the provider's misconduct meet? (Select all that apply. )

A)The provider owed a duty to the client.
B)The provider breached a duty to the client.
C)The provider had intent to harm the client.
D)The provider caused injury to the client by action or inaction.
E)The provider caused loss or damage through his or her actions.

Question 23

The term __________ describes an individual's attitudes,beliefs,and values and helps a person distinguish between what is considered right and wrong behavior.

Question 24

The use of protective devices may be considered false imprisonment.In order to assure the rights of the client are not violated,which practices must be implemented when using a device? (Select all that apply. )

A)A written medical order must be on the medical record
B)Client must be confined to bed.
C)Restraints must be removed and limb exercised every 2 hours.
D)Restraints must be implemented in the event of short staffing as a preventive measure.
E)Client must be assessed and monitored every 15 minutes.

Question 25

__________ is either omitting or committing a duty that a reasonable and prudent person would or would not do that brings harm to an individual in a health care environment.