Question 1

An elderly, slightly confused patient sustains an injury from a heating pad that was wrongly applied by the nurse. The nurse should:

Accepted Answer

A)  pretend to be unaware of the injury to the patient. 
B)  report the incident to the risk management team via an incident report. 
C)  document in the patient's chart that an incident report was filled out. 
D)  not chart anything about the injury in the patient's chart.

Question 2

Criteria that justify becoming an emancipated minor and able to sign a medical consent include all of the following except:

Accepted Answer

A)  independence established through a court order. 
B)  service in the armed forces. 
C)  a 14-year-old whose parents are dead. 
D)  a 17-year-old pregnant female.

Question 3

A 48-year-old man refuses to take a medication ordered for the control of his blood pressure. The nurse's most effective response would be:

Accepted Answer

A)  "Your doctor expects you to be compliant." 
B)  "You have the right to refuse. This medication keeps your blood pressure under control." 
C)  "Fine. I will document that you are refusing this drug." 
D)  "Are you aware that you could have a stroke?"

Question 4

A postoperative patient in the intensive care unit (ICU) is so confused and agitated that staff have not been able to safely care for him. He has pulled out his central line once, and he slides to the bottom of the bed, where he attempts to climb out, pulling and disrupting the various tubes and monitors. The nurse's best course of action is to:

Accepted Answer

A)  place him in a protective vest device. 
B)  use a sheet to tie him in a chair at the nurses' station. 
C)  request that the doctor write an order for a protective device and/or medication. 
D)  call a family member to stay with the patient.

Question 5

A nurse arrives at the scene of a motor vehicle accident. A person in the vehicle mumbles incoherently when asked his name. Which actions are not covered by the Good Samaritan Act? (Select all that apply.)

Accepted Answer

A)  Using two magazines and a bandana to splint a broken arm 
B)  Applying a tourniquet to a lacerated leg while awaiting emergency personnel 
C)  Pulling the individual from the surface of the highway 
D)  Initiating an emergency tracheotomy when the individual goes into respiratory arrest 
E)  Compressing a bleeding wound with a soiled shirt

Question 6

A 16-year-old boy is admitted to the emergency room after fracturing his arm from falling off his bike while visiting with his stepfather who is not the custodial parent. The nurse is preparing him to go to the operating room but must obtain a valid informed consent by:

Accepted Answer

A)  having the patient sign the consent for surgery. 
B)  obtaining the signature of his stepfather for the surgery. 
C)  declaring the patient to be an emancipated minor. 
D)  obtaining permission of the custodial parent for the surgery.

Question 7

A patient who is refusing to take his medication is threatened that he will be held down and forced to take the dose. This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

A)  battery. 
B)  defamation. 
C)  assault. 
D)  invasion of privacy.

Question 8

A patient has advance directives spelled out in a durable power of attorney, with the appointment of his daughter as his health care agent. The daughter will be responsible for:

Accepted Answer

A)  paying all the medical bills associated with the father's illness. 
B)  making all informed consent decisions for her father. 
C)  making all choices about her father's health care if the father is unable. 
D)  paying only for those health care decisions based on the advance directives.

Question 9

The Ethics Committee of a facility has the responsibility to: (Select all that apply.)

Accepted Answer

A)  develop policies. 
B)  address issues in their facility. 
C)  modify the established codes of ethics as suits the situation. 
D)  create a master plan for decision making to be followed in ethical dilemmas. 
E)  help to find a better understanding of ethical dilemmas from different standpoints.

Question 10

Nursing liability insurance is a policy purchased and put into effect by the nurse for the purpose of:

Accepted Answer

A)  providing protection against being sued. 
B)  reducing the chance of litigation. 
C)  paying attorney fees and any award won by the plaintiff. 
D)  providing the hospital with added protection.

Question 11

A written statement expressing the wishes of a patient regarding future consent for or refusal of treatment in case the patient is incapable of participating in decision making is an example of:

Accepted Answer

A)  a privileged relationship. 
B)  a health care agent. 
C)  an advance directive. 
D)  witnessed will.

Question 12

The acronym SBAR is a method to communicate with a physician that clarifies a situation that may result in litigation. The acronym stands for:

Accepted Answer

A)  situation, background, alterations, results. 
B)  subjective, believable, actual, recommendation. 
C)  situation, background, assessment, recommendation. 
D)  situation, basis, assessment, recommendation.

Question 13

If a nurse is reported to a state board of nursing for repeatedly making medication errors, it is most likely that:

Accepted Answer

A)  the nurse will immediately have his or her license revoked. 
B)  the nurse will have to take the licensing examination again. 
C)  a course in legal aspects of nursing care will be required. 
D)  there will be a hearing to determine whether the charges are true.

Question 14

The commonalities of The Codes of Ethics of the National Association for Practical Education and Service (NAPNES) and The National Federation of Licensed Practical Nurses (NFLPN) include: (Select all that apply.)

Accepted Answer

A)  commitment to continuing education. 
B)  respect for human dignity. 
C)  maintenance of competence. 
D)  requirement for membership in a national organization. 
E)  preserving the confidentiality of the nurse-patient relationship.

Question 15

When a student nurse performs a nursing skill, it is expected that the student:

Accepted Answer

A)  perform the skill as quickly as the licensed nurse. 
B)  achieve the same result as the licensed nurse. 
C)  not be held to the same standard as the licensed nurse. 
D)  always be directly supervised by an instructor.

Question 16

A nurse co-worker arrives at work 30 minutes late, smelling strongly of alcohol. The fellow nurses' legal course of action is to:

Accepted Answer

A)  have the nurse lie down in the nurses' lounge and sleep while others do the work. 
B)  state that, if this happens again, it will be reported. 
C)  report the condition of the nurse to the nursing supervisor. 
D)  offer a breath mint and instruct the nurse co-worker to work.

Question 17

A licensed nurse is liable for charges of malpractice when she:

Accepted Answer

A)  does not show up for work and fails to call to notify the agency. 
B)  clocks in for another nurse to prevent that nurse from having pay docked. 
C)  falsifies data, causing the patient to suffer problems resulting in death. 
D)  assists in performing CPR that is unsuccessful, and the patient dies.

Question 18

Professional accountability includes: (Select all that apply.)

Accepted Answer

A)  understanding theory. 
B)  adhering to the dress code of the facility. 
C)  asking for assistance when unsure of a procedure or physician order. 
D)  participating in continuing education classes. 
E)  meeting the health care needs of the patient.
F) reporting patient health status changes to all family members.

Question 19

A nurse is caring for an unmarried 16-year-old patient who has just given birth to a baby boy. The nurse will get the consent to perform a circumcision on the patient's son from the:

Accepted Answer

A)  patient's father. 
B)  patient's physician. 
C)  patient's mother. 
D)  16-year-old patient.

Question 20

The LPN (LVN) assigns part of the care for her patients to a nursing assistant. The LPN is legally required to perform which of the following for the residents assigned to the assistant?

Accepted Answer

A)  Toilet the residents every 2 hours and as needed. 
B)  Feed breakfast to one of the residents who needs assistance. 
C)  Give medications to the residents at the prescribed times. 
D)  Transport the residents to the physical therapy department.

Exam 3: Legal and Ethical Aspects of Nursing