ition5Keatings
Chapter501:5An5Introduction5to5the5Ethics5and5the5Law:5A5Perspective5for5Nurses5Keating
s:5Ethical5&5Legal5Issues5in5Canadian5Nursing,54th5Edition
MULTIPLE5CHOICE
1. Which5of5the5following5mandates5that5nurses5have5a5basic5understanding5of5the5Canadian5legal
5system?
a. Provincial5and5federal5nursing5bodies
b. The5Supreme5Court5of5Canada
c. Provincial5nursing5labor5unions
d. The5Drug5and5Pharmacies5Regulation5Act,51990
ANS:5 A
Feedback
A Correct!5Provincial5and5territorial5regulatory5bodies,5have5certain5requirements5re
lated5to5nurses’5knowledge/skill,5which5includes5knowledge5of5the5legal5system.
B Incorrect—
The5Supreme5Court,5which5is5the5final5court5of5appeal5in5Canada,5is5not5involved5
in5the5regulation5of5health5care5professionals.
C Incorrect—
Labour5unions5do5not5focus5on5nursing5standards5and5knowledge;5rather,5they5repr
esent5the5collective5bargaining5rights5of5nurses.
D Incorrect—
This5Act5is5relevant5to5nursing5in5that5it5regulates5the5prescribing,5dispensing,
5and5handling5of5drugs.5It5does5not5mandate5the5knowledge5nurses5require5ab
out5the5legal5system.
DIF: Cognitive5level:5Comprehension
2. Identify5one5of5the5reasons5why5nurses5need5to5have5an5understanding5of5ethics.
a. Nurses5do5not5share5the5same5perspectives5regarding5health5care5with5other5health
5 care5professionals.
b. Morality5and5care5are5at5the5heart5of5nursing5practice.
c. Ethics5provides5a5clear5answer5to5nurses5regarding5the5correct5course5of5action.
d. Convincing5family5members5of5compassionate5courses5of5action5is5best5done5by
5 nurses.
ANS:5 B
Feedback
A Incorrect—
Professional5values5may5be5shared5across5multiple5professions,5and5perspectives5o
n5issues5may5be5similar.5When5views5on5an5issue5differ,5then
knowledge5of5ethics5assists5in5clarifying5and5defending5one’s5position5to5others.
B Correct!5One5reason5for5nurses5studying5ethics5is5that5morality5and5care5are5at5the5
heart5of5nursing5practice.
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,DOWNLOAD5THE5Test5Bank5for5Ethical5and5Legal5Issues5in5Canadian5Nursing54th5Ed
ition5Keatings
C Incorrect—
Ethical5theories5can5provide5a5framework5for5the5exploration5of5the5ethical5questio
ns5and5moral5issues5faced5in5health5care.5These5theories5guide5how5morality5is5und
erstood5within5the5sphere5of5nursing5practice5and5the
nurse–patient5or5nurse–
client5relationship.5Ethical5theories5and5frameworks5can5assist/guide5nurses5as5the
y5consider5multiple5options5to5choose5the5best5or5the
least5wrong5course5of5action.
D Incorrect—
Nurses5as5members5of5the5health5care5team5are5in5a5strong5position5to5support5fami
lies.5They5respect5the5values5and5beliefs5of5clients5and5families5and
support5them5in5decision5making5regarding5the5right5course5of5action.
DIF: Cognitive5level:5Synthesis
3. Why5is5it5advantageous5for5nurses5to5have5knowledge5of5ethical5theories5and5principles?
a. Ethical5theories5encourage5nurses5to5critique5others’5points5of5view.
b. Nurses5are5able5to5justify5and5defend5their5positions5on5a5situation.
c. Ethical5theories5help5nurses5explain5to5the5rest5of5the5team5why5nurses5have5a
5 greater5understanding5of5the5patient’s5perspective.
d. This5knowledge5allows5nurses5to5convince5patients5to5choose5comfort5measures
5 only.
ANS:5 B
Feedback
A Incorrect—
Ethics5encourages5nurses5to5respect5the5values5of5others5and5assists5in5understand
ing5opposing5points5of5view.5Ethics5offers5tools5to5nurses5to5respectfully5argue5in
5favour5of5their5positions5while5respecting5the5perspectives5of5others.
B Correct!5When5views5differ,5ethical5theories5help5clarify5one’s5position5and5make5
arguments5in5support5of5it.5Nurses5ensure5that5all5relevant5information5is5shared5w
ith5the5team5and5the5client.
C Incorrect—
The5perspective5of5all5team5members5is5important5and5is5based5on5the5unique5relati
onships5each5nurse5has5with5the5patient5or5client.
D Incorrect—
This5approach5is5paternalistic.5Nurses5and5the5health5care5team,5while5respecting5a
5person’s5autonomy,5support5him5or5her5in5making5decisions5about
what5is5best5in5a5particular5context.5This5includes5ensuring5that5patients5are5aware5
of5all5the5options5available5to5them.
DIF: Cognitive5level:5Comprehension
4. Why5must5nurses5be5familiar5with5the5legal5system?
a. Some5nursing5actions5are5governed5by5the5law.
b. Nurses’5decisions5may5not5be5supported5by5the5law.
c. Nurses5are5sometimes5at5risk5for5litigation.
d. All5are5correct.
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, DOWNLOAD5THE5Test5Bank5for5Ethical5and5Legal5Issues5in5Canadian5Nursing54th5Ed
ition5Keatings
ANS:5 D
Feedback
A Incorrect—
Reserved5or5controlled5acts5and5the5administration5of5narcotics5are5two5examples
5of5nursing5actions5governed5by5the5law.5A5nurse5may5think5an5action5is5“ethical,
”5but5it5may5not5be5legal.5Nurses’5decisions5sometimes5have
untoward5consequences,5and5errors5or5omissions5may5lead5to5negligence5claims.
B Incorrect—
Reserved5or5controlled5acts5and5the5administration5of5narcotics5are5two5examples
5of5nursing5actions5governed5by5the5law.5A5nurse5may5think5an5action5is5“ethical,
”5but5it5may5not5be5legal.5Nurses’5decisions5sometimes5have
untoward5consequences,5and5errors5or5omissions5may5lead5to5negligence5claims.
C Incorrect—
Reserved5or5controlled5acts5and5the5administration5of5narcotics5are5two5examples
5of5nursing5actions5governed5by5the5law.5A5nurse5may5think5an5action5is5“ethical,
”5but5it5may5not5be5legal.5Nurses’5decisions5sometimes5have
untoward5consequences,5and5errors5or5omissions5may5lead5to5negligence5claims.
D Correct!5Reserved5or5controlled5acts5and5the5administration5of5narcotics5are5two5e
xamples5of5nursing5actions5governed5by5the5law.5A5nurse5may5think5an5action5is5“e
thical,”5but5it5may5not5be5legal.5Nurses’5decisions5sometimes5have5untoward
consequences,5and5errors5or5omissions5may5lead5to5negligence5claims.
DIF: Cognitive5level:5Analysis
5. What5existing5legislation5has5been5influenced5by5the5shifting5of5Canadian5values5over5time?
a. The5abolition5of5capital5punishment
b. Privacy
c. Medical5Assistance5in5Dying
d. All5are5correct
ANS:5 D
Feedback
A Incorrect—
One5reason5for5the5abolition5of5capital5punishment5is5based5on5the5belief5in5the5san
ctity5of5life5and5the5concern5that5an5innocent5person5may5be5executed.
B Incorrect—
Respect5for5autonomy5and5privacy5led5to5legislation5in5provinces5across5Canada.
C Incorrect—
Shifting5views5regarding5euthanasia5for5the5terminally5ill5led5the5Supreme5Court5t
o5create5a5law5regarding5assistance5in5dying.5This5resulted5in5the5legislation5“Medi
cal5Assistance5in5Dying,”5which5was5introduced5in52016.
D Correct!5All5of5these5are5examples5of5how5shifting5Canadian5values5have5influenc
ed5legislation.
DIF: Cognitive5level:5Comprehension
TRUE/FALSE
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