ETHICAL AND LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS WITH CORRECT
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
A client is told by his nurse that he has to take the medications, including an injection. The client refuses
the medications, but continues to have them administered by the nurse. This action is an example of the
intentional tort of:
a. assault
b. battery
c. malpractice
d. invasion of privacy - -b. battery
-A nurse has noticed several occasions in the past week when another nurse on the unit seemed drowsy
and unable to focus on the issue at hand. Today, the nurse was found asleep in a chair in the break room
not during a break time. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?
a. alert the American Nurses Association
b. fill out an incident report
c. report the observations to the nurse manager on the unit
d. leave the nurse alone sleep - -c. report the observations to the nurse manager on the unit
-A nurse if 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:
a. ask another RN to confirm the order
b. request the pharmacist to interpret the order
c. call the health care provider to clarify the order
d. consult a current drug hand book to determine the normal dosage range - -c. call the health care
provider to clarify the order
-A nurse in a surgeon's office is providing preoperative teaching for a client who is scheduled for surgery
the following week. The client tells the nurse that "I plan to prepare my advance directives before I
come to the hospital." Which of the following statements made by the client should indicate to the
nurse an understanding of advance directives?
a. "I'd rather have my brother make decisions for me, but i know it has to be my wife"
b. "I know they won't go ahead with the surgery unless I prepare these forms"
c. "I plan to write that I don't want them to keep me on a breathing machine"
d. "I will get my regular doctor to approve my plan before I hand it in at the hospital" - -c. "I plan to write
that I don't want them to keep me on a breathing machine"
-A nurse in an emergency department is caring for four clients. Which of the following clients require
mandatory reporting?
a. an adolescent client who has a fractured tibia following a football game
b. a young adult client who is positive for TB
c. an older adult client who has dementia, a history of falls, and bruising on their knees
d. a preschooler who has frequent enuresis - -b. a young adult who is positive for tuberculosis
-A nurse in an emergency department overhears a provider say they will not accept any more clients
who do not have health insurance. Which of the following is the provider violating?
, a. The Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA)
b. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA)
c. Tort law
d. Good Samaritan laws - -a. The Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA)
-A nurse is at the end of their shift realizes they forgot to give a client their scheduled vitamins. The
nurse decides to document that the vitamins were administered. Which of the following describes the
nurse's action?
a. HIPAA violation
b. Falsification of records
c. Assault
d. Defamation - -b. falsification of records
-A nurse is caring for a client who asks why they chose the nursing profession. The nurse states that it
was because they wanted to help others. The nurse is referring to which of the following professional
values?
a. integrity
b. human dignity
c. altruism
d. social justice - -c. altruism
-A nurse is caring for a client who decides not to have surgery despite significant blockages of the
coronary arteries. The nurse understands that this client's choice is an example of which of the following
ethical principles?
a. fidelity
b. autonomy
c. justice
d. nonmaleficence - -b. autonomy
-A nurse is caring for a client who is about to undergo elective surgical procedure. The nurse should take
which of the following actions regarding informed consent? (select all that apply)
a. make sure the surgeon obtained the client's consent
b. witness the client's signature on the consent form
c. explain the risks and benefits of the procedure
d. describe the consequences of choosing not to have the surgery
e. tell the client about alternatives to having the surgery - -a. make sure the surgeon obtained the
client's consent
b. witness the client's signature on the consent form
-A nurse is caring for a client who is alone and has just received a serious diagnosis. The client asks the
nurse if they can pray together, and the nurse agrees. The nurse is demonstrating which of the following
ethical principles?
a. autonomy
b. beneficence
c. nonmaleficence
d. justice - -b. beneficence
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
A client is told by his nurse that he has to take the medications, including an injection. The client refuses
the medications, but continues to have them administered by the nurse. This action is an example of the
intentional tort of:
a. assault
b. battery
c. malpractice
d. invasion of privacy - -b. battery
-A nurse has noticed several occasions in the past week when another nurse on the unit seemed drowsy
and unable to focus on the issue at hand. Today, the nurse was found asleep in a chair in the break room
not during a break time. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?
a. alert the American Nurses Association
b. fill out an incident report
c. report the observations to the nurse manager on the unit
d. leave the nurse alone sleep - -c. report the observations to the nurse manager on the unit
-A nurse if 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:
a. ask another RN to confirm the order
b. request the pharmacist to interpret the order
c. call the health care provider to clarify the order
d. consult a current drug hand book to determine the normal dosage range - -c. call the health care
provider to clarify the order
-A nurse in a surgeon's office is providing preoperative teaching for a client who is scheduled for surgery
the following week. The client tells the nurse that "I plan to prepare my advance directives before I
come to the hospital." Which of the following statements made by the client should indicate to the
nurse an understanding of advance directives?
a. "I'd rather have my brother make decisions for me, but i know it has to be my wife"
b. "I know they won't go ahead with the surgery unless I prepare these forms"
c. "I plan to write that I don't want them to keep me on a breathing machine"
d. "I will get my regular doctor to approve my plan before I hand it in at the hospital" - -c. "I plan to write
that I don't want them to keep me on a breathing machine"
-A nurse in an emergency department is caring for four clients. Which of the following clients require
mandatory reporting?
a. an adolescent client who has a fractured tibia following a football game
b. a young adult client who is positive for TB
c. an older adult client who has dementia, a history of falls, and bruising on their knees
d. a preschooler who has frequent enuresis - -b. a young adult who is positive for tuberculosis
-A nurse in an emergency department overhears a provider say they will not accept any more clients
who do not have health insurance. Which of the following is the provider violating?
, a. The Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA)
b. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA)
c. Tort law
d. Good Samaritan laws - -a. The Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA)
-A nurse is at the end of their shift realizes they forgot to give a client their scheduled vitamins. The
nurse decides to document that the vitamins were administered. Which of the following describes the
nurse's action?
a. HIPAA violation
b. Falsification of records
c. Assault
d. Defamation - -b. falsification of records
-A nurse is caring for a client who asks why they chose the nursing profession. The nurse states that it
was because they wanted to help others. The nurse is referring to which of the following professional
values?
a. integrity
b. human dignity
c. altruism
d. social justice - -c. altruism
-A nurse is caring for a client who decides not to have surgery despite significant blockages of the
coronary arteries. The nurse understands that this client's choice is an example of which of the following
ethical principles?
a. fidelity
b. autonomy
c. justice
d. nonmaleficence - -b. autonomy
-A nurse is caring for a client who is about to undergo elective surgical procedure. The nurse should take
which of the following actions regarding informed consent? (select all that apply)
a. make sure the surgeon obtained the client's consent
b. witness the client's signature on the consent form
c. explain the risks and benefits of the procedure
d. describe the consequences of choosing not to have the surgery
e. tell the client about alternatives to having the surgery - -a. make sure the surgeon obtained the
client's consent
b. witness the client's signature on the consent form
-A nurse is caring for a client who is alone and has just received a serious diagnosis. The client asks the
nurse if they can pray together, and the nurse agrees. The nurse is demonstrating which of the following
ethical principles?
a. autonomy
b. beneficence
c. nonmaleficence
d. justice - -b. beneficence
