Exam 45: Legal Accountability

The charge nurse in a progressive care unit assigns the care of a patient receiving hemodialysis to a newly hired licensed practical nurse (LPN). The charge nurse does not ask whether or not the LPN is competent in caring for patients who are receiving hemodialysis. The LPN is in orientation and fails to inform the charge nurse that she does not have experience with patients who are undergoing hemodialysis treatments. Which term best describes the charge nurse's actions?

The unit manager stops the staff nurse in the hallway to discuss concerns about the staff nurse's delivery of unsafe patient care. The unit manager's comments are based on false information reported by a disgruntled patient. The conversation is overheard by other members of the healthcare team. Which term describes the unit manager's behavior?

A 4-year-old patient is transported to the emergency department by his mother. The patient presents with bruising on his chest and facial contusions. The patient's mother reports that her boyfriend became angry and intentionally pushed the patient down the stairs. The patient appears to be experiencing significant pain. Which action does the nurse take first?

The nurse enters a patient's room with a portable computer station to assess the patient. The nurse does not log out while assisting a patient to the bathroom. A visitor reads the patient's health record and begins to question the nurse about the patient information. This is an example of:

The staff nurse asks the clinical nurse leader to explain the main purpose of an incident report. Which response does the clinical nurse leader choose?

The nurse provides care to an adult patient who is admitted to a walk-in clinic for a follow-up visit. As a result of providing care to the patient over the course of several weeks, the nurse has developed a strong rapport with the patient. Which nursing actions represent a boundary violation? Select all that apply.

The nurse educator teaches a cohort of nursing students about intentional and unintentional torts. Which information does the nurse educator include in the discussion? Select all that apply.

A 75-year-old patient is admitted to the emergency department (ED) for evaluation of confusion and memory loss. The initial patient assessment reveals bruises and scratches in various stages of healing on the patient's arms, legs, and torso. Based on the assessment findings, the nurse suspects the patient may be a victim of physical abuse. Which legislation requires the nurse to notify a designated authority about the suspected abuse?

The charge nurse lists the nurses' patient assignments and the patients' diagnoses on a whiteboard located at the nurse's station. The charge nurse's practice represents a violation of which federal regulation?

A nurse who administers the wrong medication to a patient does not notify anyone of the error. Instead, the nurse documents administration of the correct medication. Ultimately, the error is discovered and the nurse is reported to the state board of nursing. Which action does the state board of nursing take against the nurse in this situation?

Effective delegation is a vital part of the nurse's responsibilities. Which factor is most important for the nurse to consider when correctly delegating a nursing task?

An alert, oriented, 87-year-old patient has just been diagnosed with cancer. According to the patient's durable power of attorney, the patient's son serves as the patient's surrogate decision maker. The patient's son tells the nurse he is refusing chemotherapy treatment on the patient's behalf due to concerns about medication side effects and quality of life. Meanwhile, the patient states, "I want to receive chemotherapy." Which action does the nurse take?

A patient files a court complaint related to care that was delivered during a recent hospital admission. In an effort to prevent a trial hearing, the hospital's legal team attempts to resolve the patient dispute. Which processes represent methods of alternative dispute resolution? Select all that apply.

Which issue is directly addressed by Safe Harbor laws?

The nursing student asks the nurse preceptor to explain the purpose of accurate documentation in the electronic health record (EHR). Which response does the nurse choose?

The patient asks the nurse, "Will you please help me understand advance directives?" Which information does the nurse include in the response? Select all that apply.

Which aspect of patient care is guaranteed by the American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics for Nurses?

The nurse provides care to an alert, oriented adult patient who is recovering from abdominal surgery. During a period of frustration, the patient states, "I'm leaving the hospital. Remove my IV and surgical drains or I will do it myself." In an effort to prevent the patient from removing the IV line and surgical drainage tubing, the nurse applies bilateral wrist restraints. Which terminology best describes the nurse's actions?

The nursing student creates a presentation about the impact of the American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics on nursing practice. Which information does the nursing student include in the presentation? Select all that apply.

Under which circumstance is deferral of informed consent allowable?