NEW YORK ETHICS FOR PRACTICAL NURSES EXAM PRACTICE EXAM | STUDY
GUIDE | TESTBANK | LATEST UPDATE 2026/2027 | QUESTIONS & 100% CORRECT
ANSWERS
Table of Contents: 1. Ethical Principles & Professional Duties; 2. New York Nursing
Scope & Accountability; 3. Patient Rights & Autonomy; 4. Confidentiality & Privacy; 5.
Informed Consent & Refusal; 6. Delegation & Supervision; 7. Documentation &
Professional Boundaries; 8. Medication & Patient Safety Ethics; 9. Cultural
Competence & Advocacy; 10. End-of-Life & Emerging Ethical Issues
INTRODUCTION
This practice examination focuses on advanced ethical decision-making for New
York practical nurses, emphasizing professional accountability, patient autonomy,
confidentiality, informed consent, scope of practice, delegation, documentation,
advocacy, professional boundaries, and ethical conflicts encountered in clinical
practice. Questions are designed for a high-level professional licensing context and
require application of ethical principles to realistic nursing scenarios rather than
simple memorization. Students should be prepared to distinguish legal
requirements from ethical obligations, identify appropriate escalation pathways,
evaluate competing patient interests, and recognize situations requiring
consultation or intervention. The examination also addresses complex issues
involving vulnerable patients, refusal of treatment, privacy, delegation, end-of-life
decisions, and professional conduct.
Question 1
A practical nurse in a long-term care facility is caring for a competent adult resident
who refuses a prescribed wound treatment because the resident believes it conflicts
with personal values. The nurse believes refusal will substantially delay healing.
Which action best demonstrates ethical practice?
A. Perform the treatment because preventing harm takes precedence over refusal.
B. Ask another nurse to persuade the resident until the resident agrees.
C. Assess the resident's understanding, respect the refusal, document it, and notify
the appropriate provider.
,D. Withhold all future wound care until the resident accepts the prescribed
treatment.
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: A competent adult generally has the right to make informed
decisions, including refusing recommended care. The nurse should assess
understanding, provide appropriate education, document the decision, and
communicate clinically significant refusal through the proper chain of
responsibility.
Question 2
A practical nurse discovers that a coworker documented administration of a
medication that the coworker actually forgot to give. The coworker asks the
practical nurse to remain silent because the medication is unlikely to cause harm.
What is the most ethically appropriate response?
A. Remain silent because the medication error did not result in injury.
B. Tell the coworker to correct the record and report the discrepancy through the
established process.
C. Delete the coworker's documentation and enter a replacement administration
record.
D. Wait until the patient's next assessment before deciding whether reporting is
necessary.
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: Accurate documentation and patient safety require that omissions
and errors be addressed promptly. Concealing or falsifying a record creates an
additional ethical and professional problem.
Question 3
A competent patient tells the practical nurse, "I do not want my adult children to
know about my diagnosis." Later, the patient's daughter asks the nurse for details,
,explaining that she pays the patient's medical bills. Which response is most
appropriate?
A. Provide the information because the daughter financially supports the patient.
B. Provide only information that the nurse believes is harmless.
C. Explain that patient information cannot be disclosed without appropriate
authorization or another lawful basis.
D. Provide the diagnosis but withhold the treatment plan.
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Financial involvement does not automatically authorize disclosure of
protected patient information. The nurse must respect confidentiality and follow
applicable privacy requirements and facility policy.
Question 4
A practical nurse is asked to perform a clinical task that the nurse has never
performed independently. The task is within the general scope of practical nursing
but requires specialized competence in the particular setting. What should the
nurse do first?
A. Perform the task because it is generally within the LPN scope of practice.
B. Refuse permanently because unfamiliar procedures are outside practical nursing.
C. Determine whether the nurse has the education, training, competence, and
authorization required for the task.
D. Perform the task while asking an unlicensed assistive personnel worker to
observe.
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Scope of practice and individual competency are not identical. A task
may be potentially permissible within the role while still requiring additional
education, supervision, or demonstrated competency before independent
performance.
Question 5
, A patient with decision-making capacity refuses a blood transfusion after receiving
an explanation of the potential consequences. The family insists that the nurse
should authorize the transfusion because the patient is making an "irrational"
choice. What is the best ethical response?
A. Follow the family's wishes because they are acting in the patient's best interests.
B. Respect the patient's informed refusal and communicate the decision to the
appropriate healthcare professionals.
C. Ask the provider to obtain a court order immediately in every case of treatment
refusal.
D. Administer the transfusion if the nurse believes the patient's decision is medically
unwise.
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: Autonomy includes the right of a competent patient to refuse
recommended treatment, even when the decision may result in serious harm. The
nurse should ensure that the refusal is informed and communicate appropriately.
Question 6
A practical nurse notices that a patient appears confused immediately after
receiving a medication. The medication record indicates that the dose was correctly
prescribed, but the nurse suspects the wrong medication may have been
administered. Which ethical priority should guide the nurse's immediate response?
A. Protecting the reputation of the nurse who administered the medication.
B. Determining whether disciplinary action is warranted before assessing the
patient.
C. Protecting the patient's safety through immediate assessment and appropriate
notification.
D. Waiting for the next scheduled medication round to determine whether
symptoms resolve.
Correct Answer: C
GUIDE | TESTBANK | LATEST UPDATE 2026/2027 | QUESTIONS & 100% CORRECT
ANSWERS
Table of Contents: 1. Ethical Principles & Professional Duties; 2. New York Nursing
Scope & Accountability; 3. Patient Rights & Autonomy; 4. Confidentiality & Privacy; 5.
Informed Consent & Refusal; 6. Delegation & Supervision; 7. Documentation &
Professional Boundaries; 8. Medication & Patient Safety Ethics; 9. Cultural
Competence & Advocacy; 10. End-of-Life & Emerging Ethical Issues
INTRODUCTION
This practice examination focuses on advanced ethical decision-making for New
York practical nurses, emphasizing professional accountability, patient autonomy,
confidentiality, informed consent, scope of practice, delegation, documentation,
advocacy, professional boundaries, and ethical conflicts encountered in clinical
practice. Questions are designed for a high-level professional licensing context and
require application of ethical principles to realistic nursing scenarios rather than
simple memorization. Students should be prepared to distinguish legal
requirements from ethical obligations, identify appropriate escalation pathways,
evaluate competing patient interests, and recognize situations requiring
consultation or intervention. The examination also addresses complex issues
involving vulnerable patients, refusal of treatment, privacy, delegation, end-of-life
decisions, and professional conduct.
Question 1
A practical nurse in a long-term care facility is caring for a competent adult resident
who refuses a prescribed wound treatment because the resident believes it conflicts
with personal values. The nurse believes refusal will substantially delay healing.
Which action best demonstrates ethical practice?
A. Perform the treatment because preventing harm takes precedence over refusal.
B. Ask another nurse to persuade the resident until the resident agrees.
C. Assess the resident's understanding, respect the refusal, document it, and notify
the appropriate provider.
,D. Withhold all future wound care until the resident accepts the prescribed
treatment.
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: A competent adult generally has the right to make informed
decisions, including refusing recommended care. The nurse should assess
understanding, provide appropriate education, document the decision, and
communicate clinically significant refusal through the proper chain of
responsibility.
Question 2
A practical nurse discovers that a coworker documented administration of a
medication that the coworker actually forgot to give. The coworker asks the
practical nurse to remain silent because the medication is unlikely to cause harm.
What is the most ethically appropriate response?
A. Remain silent because the medication error did not result in injury.
B. Tell the coworker to correct the record and report the discrepancy through the
established process.
C. Delete the coworker's documentation and enter a replacement administration
record.
D. Wait until the patient's next assessment before deciding whether reporting is
necessary.
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: Accurate documentation and patient safety require that omissions
and errors be addressed promptly. Concealing or falsifying a record creates an
additional ethical and professional problem.
Question 3
A competent patient tells the practical nurse, "I do not want my adult children to
know about my diagnosis." Later, the patient's daughter asks the nurse for details,
,explaining that she pays the patient's medical bills. Which response is most
appropriate?
A. Provide the information because the daughter financially supports the patient.
B. Provide only information that the nurse believes is harmless.
C. Explain that patient information cannot be disclosed without appropriate
authorization or another lawful basis.
D. Provide the diagnosis but withhold the treatment plan.
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Financial involvement does not automatically authorize disclosure of
protected patient information. The nurse must respect confidentiality and follow
applicable privacy requirements and facility policy.
Question 4
A practical nurse is asked to perform a clinical task that the nurse has never
performed independently. The task is within the general scope of practical nursing
but requires specialized competence in the particular setting. What should the
nurse do first?
A. Perform the task because it is generally within the LPN scope of practice.
B. Refuse permanently because unfamiliar procedures are outside practical nursing.
C. Determine whether the nurse has the education, training, competence, and
authorization required for the task.
D. Perform the task while asking an unlicensed assistive personnel worker to
observe.
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Scope of practice and individual competency are not identical. A task
may be potentially permissible within the role while still requiring additional
education, supervision, or demonstrated competency before independent
performance.
Question 5
, A patient with decision-making capacity refuses a blood transfusion after receiving
an explanation of the potential consequences. The family insists that the nurse
should authorize the transfusion because the patient is making an "irrational"
choice. What is the best ethical response?
A. Follow the family's wishes because they are acting in the patient's best interests.
B. Respect the patient's informed refusal and communicate the decision to the
appropriate healthcare professionals.
C. Ask the provider to obtain a court order immediately in every case of treatment
refusal.
D. Administer the transfusion if the nurse believes the patient's decision is medically
unwise.
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: Autonomy includes the right of a competent patient to refuse
recommended treatment, even when the decision may result in serious harm. The
nurse should ensure that the refusal is informed and communicate appropriately.
Question 6
A practical nurse notices that a patient appears confused immediately after
receiving a medication. The medication record indicates that the dose was correctly
prescribed, but the nurse suspects the wrong medication may have been
administered. Which ethical priority should guide the nurse's immediate response?
A. Protecting the reputation of the nurse who administered the medication.
B. Determining whether disciplinary action is warranted before assessing the
patient.
C. Protecting the patient's safety through immediate assessment and appropriate
notification.
D. Waiting for the next scheduled medication round to determine whether
symptoms resolve.
Correct Answer: C
