Deck 3: Nursing Ethics and Law

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:

A) "The patient has the right to request a copy of her chart."
B) "A patient's chart is considered confidential and may only be accessed by health-care workers providing care to the patient."
C) "The chart does not belong to the patient, but is the property of the hospital or of the physician in a clinic setting."
D) "Under no circumstances should a copy of a patient's chart be given to the patient's insurance company."

Answer 1

"Under no circumstances should a copy of a patient's chart be given to the patient's insurance company."

Question 2

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

A) Patient's Bill of Rights.
B) Rules and regulations that nurses must practice.
C) American Nurses Association's (ANA) guidelines.
D) Reasons that nurses may have action taken against their licenses.

Answer 2

Rules and regulations that nurses must practice.

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

A) Have the step-parent sign the informed consent.
B) Have the patient sign the informed consent.
C) Obtain the custodial parent's signature on the informed consent.
D) Solicit the signature of the noncustodial parent on the informed consent.

Answer 3

Obtain the custodial parent's signature on the informed consent.

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:

A) "As a patient's advocate, I must assert myself in the patient's best interest."
B) "As a patient's advocate, I must subjectively examine the patient's values."
C) "As a patient's advocate, I must provide my patients with care and comfort."
D) "As a patient's advocate, I must develop empathy for my patients and their families."

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

A) Tube feeding.
B) Use of a ventilator.
C) Comfort and dignity.
D) Cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Question 6

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

A) "Would you please help me with one of my female patients? She is uncomfortable asking me to assist her to the restroom."
B) "If I take your patient in Room 203 her pain medication, what are you going to do for me?"
C) "When my patient's physician arrives on the floor, let me know. I would like to make rounds with him."
D) "Could you help me with my patient? She's very large and difficult to get up."
E) "Male nurses never carry their weight. I think they use the fact that a female patient won't let them catheterize them as an excuse so they don't have to put in a Foley catheter."

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

A) Ethics board
B) Value system
C) Advocate
D) Conscience

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

A) Ask the physician to change the patient's medications so they can be given intravenously.
B) Speak to the patient's family about his refusal of medications so they can discuss it with him.
C) Report the patient's decision to the physician and continue to provide appropriate compassionate care.
D) Explain to the patient the unwise nature of his decision and the effect that it will have on his family.

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

A) Include the patient's name and any identifying numbers.
B) Be written in a way that it maintains confidentiality for the patient.
C) Be photocopied before being taken outside the hospital walls.
D) Be shredded after the assignment is graded.

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?

A) A patient admits that her husband frequently hits her and she has broken several bones.
B) An elderly patient tells the nurse that she is afraid of her grandson.
C) There are multiple bruises of varying colors on the back and abdomen of a 9-year-old.
D) An adolescent has a black eye.
E) A patient refuses to answer the nurse's question because his or her son will be mad.

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

A) A lawsuit by the institution for malpractice.
B) A hearing by the board of nursing to determine whether the charges are true.
C) Immediate revocation of her nursing license.
D) Requirement to complete a minimum of 10 continuing education units (CEUs).

Question 12

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

A) Taking a cooking class.
B) Becoming computer literate.
C) Studying the history of nursing.
D) Using research to improve practice.

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,

A) The patient must give his or her consent for restraints to be used.
B) A family member must give his or her consent to use restraints.
C) The nurse must have documentation that other methods have been used and failed to protect the patient.
D) The patient must be alert and oriented.

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:

A) "I must be careful to never get emotionally involved with my patients."
B) "I should avoid serving as the patient's advocate."
C) "I should never become physically involved with a patient."
D) "It is unethical to accept gifts or tips from a patient."

Question 15

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

A) "Instructed patient that the medications will be taken now or later."
B) "Explained to patient that unless medications are taken, the physician will likely issue a discharge."
C) "Medications refused; physician notified."
D) "Physician notified that patient is uncooperative."

Question 16

A nurse explains to a patient that an instructional directive means

A) A family member has been appointed as having power of attorney.
B) A patient's wishes must be followed in the event of a major illness.
C) There is a do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order for emergency personnel.
D) There are written guidelines specifying care desired 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

A) Assault.
B) Battery.
C) Negligence.
D) Libel.

Question 18

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

A) Ask the other nurses on the unit what they would do.
B) Tell the coworker that the incident will be reported the next time it happens.
C) Offer to care for the nurse's patients until the medication is no longer effective.
D) Report the incident to the nurse supervisor.

Question 19

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

A) "I'll get a copy made right away. How many copies do you need?"
B) "Only your lawyer can request a copy, so you need to contact her."
C) "The chart belongs to the hospital, but if you give written permission, a copy can be made for you."
D) "The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA, prevents the hospital from copying your chart, but you could speak to your physician about it."

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:

A) "Incident reports are to be completed in the event of an unusual occurrence or an accident."
B) "An incident report should be completed according to agency policy, including notification of the supervisor and designated personnel."
C) "A copy of the incident report should be filed as part of the involved patient's chart."
D) "An incident report should include what happened, who was involved, witnesses to the event, and treatment provided."
Multiple Response
Identify one or more choices that best complete the statement or answer the question.

Question 21

A nurse manager discusses with staff that tort law may be applicable in certain patient situations. The five areas of tort law that apply to nurses are negligence, malpractice, assault and battery, false imprisonment, and ____________________.

Question 22

All 50 states have ____________________ laws that require that a nurse report to authorities even suspected child abuse, including physical, verbal, sexual, and emotional abuse, and abuse by neglect.

Question 23

The ability to intellectually or emotionally understand the feelings of another person without actually experiencing or even agreeing with the person's situation, thoughts, feelings, distress, or pain is known as ____________________.

Question 24

As a nurse or as a student, discussion of patients on social media, even if the patients are unnamed, can cause action to be taken on one's nursing license if it violates the state's ____________________ and Rules.

Question 25

Inappropriate use of ____________________ devices, including bed rails, chemical restraints such as sedatives and tranquilizers, belts, tied sheets, wrist or ankle restraints, and vest or halter restraints, can be considered false imprisonment.