Question 1

The nurse is having difficulty reading the prescribed dosage on a handwritten order for a pain medication.The most appropriate action to ensure the client's safety and to minimize legal issues is for the nurse to:

Accepted Answer

A nurse carrying out an inaccurate or inappropriate order may be legally responsible for any harm suffered by the client.The nurse should clarify the order with the prescriber if unable to read the order.Although asking others to interpret the order may appear prudent,it is ultimately the nurse's responsibility if a medication error is made.Although the drug book may provide a normal range it does not aid in determining definitively what the order intended.

Question 2

Which of the following statements made by a nurse reflects a lack of understanding regarding a DNR (do not resuscitate)order?

Accepted Answer

If there is no living will or durable power of attorney appointed,members of the family will be consulted regarding a DNR order.Although not all family members need to agree,an order will usually not be written if some family members express strong opposition to the status change.DNR orders are not necessarily maintained throughout the client's stay because a client's condition may warrant a change in DNR status.To ensure client safety,the attending physician must review the DNR orders every 3 days for hospitalized clients or every 60 days for clients in residential health facilities.If no family can be located,the attending physician has the legal right to write the order.There is no legal requirement for a terminally ill client to be required to assume DNR status.

Question 3

The legal basis for a nurse to provide emergency treatment without consent to a client incapable of informed consent is:

Accepted Answer

In emergency situations,if it is impossible to obtain consent from the client or an authorized person,the law assumes that the client would wish to be treated.Providing appropriate nursing care is a nursing responsibility,and failure to do so is negligence.

Question 4

Which of the following statements best reflects a nurse's understanding of the proper critical thinking process regarding the need for personal malpractice insurance?

Accepted Answer

The employing institution's insurance only covers nurses while they are working within the scope of their employment.Because nurses are professionals and it is often difficult to separate their private lives from their professional skills,nurses need to consider purchasing individual professional liability insurance,even if the employing institution has coverage.It would be important to know the time frames of the employer's malpractice coverage.The nurse may be only covered during the times he or she is working within the institution.Good Samaritan laws have a narrow scope and would not cover many nursing activities.Although it is true that some areas of nursing have a higher potential for liability claims,all areas have risk.The hospital's insurance may not cover all potential expenses and may not be applicable in all liability situations.

Question 5

Which of the following statements made by a nurse reflects the best understanding of the legal safeguards of a DNR (do not resuscitate)order?

Accepted Answer

DNR orders are not necessarily maintained throughout the client's stay because a client's condition may warrant a change in DNR status.To ensure client safety,the attending physician must review the DNR orders every 3 days for hospitalized clients or every 60 days for clients in residential health facilities.If there is no living will or durable power of attorney appointed,members of the family will be consulted regarding a DNR order.Although not all family members need to agree,an order will usually not be written if some family members express strong opposition to the status change.If no family can be located,the attending physician has the legal right to write the order.There is no legal requirement for a terminally ill client to be required to assume DNR status.

Question 6

Which of the following statements reflects a nurse's need for further instructions regarding an incident report?

Accepted Answer

The report is confidential and separate from the medical record.The remaining options reflect an understanding about incident reports.

Question 7

While working as a nursing assistant,a nursing student is asked to reinsert a Foley catheter by the RN.Which of the following reflects the most appropriate initial student response to the request?

Accepted Answer

When students work as nursing assistants or nurses' aides,they should not perform tasks that do not appear in a job description for a nurses' aide or assistant.The remaining options do not appropriately address the immediate situation.

Question 8

Which of the following statements made by a nurse puts the nurse at risk for assault of the client?

Accepted Answer

Assault is any intentional threat to bring about harmful or offensive contact.No actual contact is necessary.Threatening to tell a family member may be a breech of confidentiality;the remaining options are examples of unnecessary pressuring of the client.
This case is not an example of invasion of privacy.

Question 9

Regarding hours worked and frequency of errors,recent research has shown that nurses working more than 12.5 hours per shift and more than a 40-hour week are:

Accepted Answer

Results showed that nurses who worked shifts lasting 12.5 hours or more had a three times greater likelihood of making an error.Overtime increased the odds of making at least one error regardless of length of original shift scheduled.The remaining options are not supported by research data.

Question 10

Which of the following statements made by a nursing student regarding responsibility for provided care requires immediate follow-up by the nursing instructor?

Accepted Answer

Student nurses are expected to perform as professional nurses,that is,as an RN would in providing safe,appropriate client care.The clinical instructor is responsible for proper instruction,supervision,and guidance but the student is responsible for their own acts.The remaining options do reflect misconceptions,but the issue of responsibility has priority.

Question 11

Which of the following statements made by a nurse shows the best understanding regarding the requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)of 2003?

Accepted Answer

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)requires all hospitals and health care agencies to have specific policies and procedures in place to ensure that there are reasonable safeguards to protect written and verbal communications about clients.By notifying the receiver of an impending client-oriented fax,the nurse has taken a reasonable measures to ensure it is seen by only the appropriate individuals.Although the remaining options deal with safeguards,the potential for a breech in client confidentiality is not as great in those scenarios.

Question 12

Although a nurse may not agree,the nurse recognizes that a terminally ill client has the legal right to:

Accepted Answer

Competent clients have the right to refuse treatment.This includes life-saving hydration and nutrition.Physician-assisted suicide is legal in the state of Oregon,and it is legally a client's decision to declare a DNR status or to sign an organ donor card.

Question 13

Which of the following nursing statements reflects the best understanding of the importance of appropriate nursing documentation regarding risk management?

Accepted Answer

The nurse's documentation is often the evidence of care received by a client and serves as proof that the nurse acted reasonably and safely.The remaining options are not incorrect but do not identify the primary importance to the nurse.

Question 14

The nurse is heard stating to another staff member that,"the client in Room 54 is such a whiner;you would think she was dying." This nurse is liable of:

Accepted Answer

Defamation of character is the publication of false statements either verbally or in writing that result in damage to a person's reputation.Slander occurs when one verbalizes the false statement.Libel is the written defamation of character,whereas invasion of privacy occurs when the client has unwanted intrusion into his or her private affairs.Malpractice is negligence committed by a professional such as a nurse or physician.Nursing malpractice results when care falls below the standard of care.

Question 15

Which of the following statements made by a nurse shows a lack of understanding regarding the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act?

Accepted Answer

An individual who is at least 18 years of age has the right to make an organ donation (defined as a "donation of all or part of a human body to take effect upon or after death").Donors need to make the gift in writing with their signature.In many states,adults sign the back of their driver's license,indicating consent to organ donation.In most states,required request laws mandate that at the time of admission to a hospital,a qualified health care provider has to ask each client older than 18 whether he or she is an organ or tissue donor.

Question 16

An experienced pediatric nurse is reassigned to an adult oncology floor because of staffing issues and immediately recognizes a lack of experience in this specialty.Which of the following nursing actions shows a lack of professionalism?

Accepted Answer

A nurse who refuses to accept an assignment may be considered insubordinate,and clients will not benefit from having less staff available.This is an unprofessional attempt to resolve the problem.Asking to work with another oncology nurse,sending a written protest,and notifying the state nursing board would be appropriates action,and so are not examples of unprofessional behavior.

Quiz 23: Legal Implications in Nursing Practice