Deck 45: Legal Aspects of Pediatric Nursing Care

Question 1

An adolescent patient with a sexually transmitted infection (STI)says to the nurse,"Promise you won't tell my parents about my condition." Which action by the nurse is appropriate?

A) Disclosing information to the parents
B) Communicating only necessary information
C) Respecting the patient's privacy and confidentiality
D) Honoring the patient's wishes

Answer 1

Communicating only necessary information

Question 2

The nurse is caring for a child on a medical-surgical unit that has just implemented electronic medical records for patient documentation.The child's parent asks the nurse about the facility's computerized system for keeping patient information,especially in regard to confidentiality.Which is the best response by the nurse?

A) "I can see why you're worried,with all the computer hackers out there these days."
B) "Our system was designed with a lot of input from nursing staff."
C) "Information in the electronic medical record requires a password to retrieve."
D) "Don't worry; your child's information is always safe."

Answer 2

"Information in the electronic medical record requires a password to retrieve."

Question 3

Which is the priority when providing care for a pediatric patient who is the victim of child abuse?

A) Exploring options for self-development
B) Improving quality of life by increasing self-esteem
C) Exploring options for getting help for the parent
D) Ensuring the child is safe

Answer 3

Ensuring the child is safe

Question 4

A novice nurse attends a lecture regarding risk management.Which action should the nurse implement to reduce risks in practice?

A) Not discussing errors made
B) Purchasing liability insurance
C) Storing unused equipment in the halls of the unit
D) Questioning every order that the physician writes

Question 5

Which term should the nurse use to describe a wrongful act that produced harm,regardless of whether or not the act was committed intentionally or unintentionally?

A) Tort
B) Crime
C) Negligence
D) Malpractice

Question 6

The nursing instructor is evaluating the success of training provided to staff nurses on ways to reduce the incidence of pediatric medication errors.Which observation indicates the need for additional training?

A) Staff nurses are double-checking medication calculations.
B) Staff nurses are using liquid preparations.
C) Staff nurses are asking the pharmacy to prepare the exact doses.
D) Staff nurses are asking each other to validate placement of decimal points.

Question 7

A child on a medical-surgical unit experienced a code blue situation unexpectedly.The emergency situation has ended,and the child survived.The nurses are breaking for lunch and plan to process their feelings about the emergency.Which action by the nurses will facilitate this?

A) Discussing the event outside the hospital
B) Asking management for the use of a private room to debrief
C) Talking while riding in the staff elevator
D) Debriefing the situation at home

Question 8

Which entity may allow a peer assistance program for a nurse who is found guilty of providing patient care while impaired by drugs or alcohol?

A) The unit manager
B) The patient's family
C) The state board of nursing
D) The president of the hospital

Question 9

A home health-care case manager often receives documents pertaining to the care of patients through a shared fax machine.The case manager is aware of how important it is to protect each patient's health information.Which action by the nurse ensures that the HIPAA requirements are met in this situation?

A) Having transmitting agencies call before any information is sent
B) Taking relevant information over the phone
C) Having the patient sign a consent form for information to be released
D) Not utilizing the fax machine; depending on the mail system

Question 10

The nurse receives a notice that the state board of nursing has become a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact.How does this change in the structure of the state board of nursing influence his ability to practice nursing?

A) The nurse can practice nursing only in the residing state.
B) The nurse can practice nursing in other states not listed in the compact.
C) The nurse is accountable to the state in which he and his patients reside.
D) The nurse has to obtain an additional license.

Question 11

The nurse is asked to participate on a committee to ensure that no breaches of confidentiality occur when providing care.Which actions help ensure patient confidentiality when providing care? (Select all that apply.)

A) Withholding private information from other staff unless needed for care
B) Sharing the name and diagnosis of clients upon request
C) Discussing patient care with nurses on other units
D) Restricting the discussion of patient care to the report room
E) Reviewing the patient's care needs with a designated health insurance agent

Question 12

A nurse working on a medical-surgical unit wants to ensure that care is provided within the standard of nursing care.Which actions by the nurse are appropriate? (Select all that apply.)

A) Analyzing the position description
B) Reviewing and becoming familiar with the policy and procedure manual
C) Questioning the value of collaborating with other disciplines
D) Ensuring that the nursing process steps are practiced
E) Adhering to national standards of practice and care

Question 13

From which child should the nurse obtain assent during the informed consent process?

A) A 4-year-old patient
B) A 5-year-old patient
C) A 6-year-old patient
D) A 7-year-old patient

Question 14

A medication error occurred,and the nurse is preparing to complete an incident report.Which information is extraneous and should be excluded from the report?

A) Name of the client involved in the incident
B) Location of a completed incident report in the medical record
C) Date and time of the incident
D) Medication involved in the incident

Question 15

The nurse is providing care to a child who has suffered abuse.Which nursing action is appropriate?

A) Asking the child what he did to cause his parents to beat him so badly
B) Telling the child that the individual who hurt him is a bad person
C) Following protocols for mandatory reporting
D) Asking the child what really happened

Question 16

During an assessment of a child in the urgent care clinic,the nurse notes that the child has a swollen and split lip.When asked how the child's lip injury occurred,the parent responds,"We are here for my child's ear,not my child's lip." Which is the rationale for reporting this incident?

A) The child reports that a parent caused the injury.
B) The lip injury is unrelated to the ear infection.
C) The nurse can be sued if there is abuse.
D) The suspected abuse must be reported.

Question 17

While making rounds,the nurse enters a room and finds an infant patient's father violently shaking the infant.The father makes it appear as though the infant was choking.Upon further assessment,the nurse notes bruised areas on the infant's arms and legs.What priority action should the nurse take?

A) Discussing what she witnessed with the infant's mother
B) Discussing what she witnessed with the other nurses
C) Reporting what she witnessed and assessed to child protective services
D) Reporting what she witnessed and assessed to the local law enforcement agency

Question 18

Which criterion should the nurse review to determine if an adolescent is considered legally emancipated?

A) Over the age of 18 years
B) Resides outside of the family home
C) Legally married
D) Receives money from parents each month

Question 19

The nurse is concerned about being sued for negligence when providing care.Which nursing actions may be grounds for negligence? (Select all that apply.)

A) Patient fell getting out of bed because the call light was not used.
B) Patient's name band was checked prior to providing all medications.
C) Patient's morning medications were administered in the early afternoon.
D) Patient states misunderstanding activity restrictions,and a wound is eviscerated.
E) Patient documentation did not include the appearance of an infiltrated IV site.

Question 20

Who can provide informed consent for a school-aged pediatric patient?

A) Parent
B) Sibling
C) Physician
D) Grandparent