C HAPTER 23: L EGAL I MPLICATIONS IN
N URSING P RACTICE
Fundamentals of Nursing 10th Edition; Potter Perry
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. A nurse stealing narcotics from an acu te care nursing unit is guilt y of a:
A. Civil offense
B. Criminal offense
C. Common law offense
D. Administrative law offense
ANS: B
Criminal laws prevent harm to societ y and provide punishment for
crimes (often imprisonment). A felony is a crime of a serious nature
that has a penalt y of imprisonment for greater than 1 year or even
death. A misdemeanor is a less serious crime that has a penalty of a
fine or imprisonment for less than 1 year. An example of criminal
conduct for nurses is misuse of a controlled substanc e. Civil laws
protect the rights of individual persons within our societ y and
encourage fair and equitable treatment among people. Common law is
created by judicial decisions made in courts when individual legal
cases are decided (i.e., informed consent). Administrative law is
created by administrative bodies, such as state boards of nursing, when
they pass rules and regulations.
, DIF: A dm 326 OBJ: Comprehension TOP: Nursing
Process: Implementation MSC: NC LEX test plan
designation: Safe, Effective Care E nvironment
2. The case of a nurse accused of unethical nursing conduct will be heard by
the state board of nursing. This is an example of:
A. Civil law
B. Criminal law
C. Common law
D. Administrative law
ANS: D
Administrative law is created by administrative bodies, s uch as state
boards of nursing when they pass rules and regulations such as
unethical nursing conduct. Civil laws protect the rights of individual
persons within our societ y and encourage fair and equitable treatment
among people. Criminal laws prevent har m to societ y and provide
punishment for crimes (often imprisonment). Common law is created
by judicial decisions made in courts when individual legal cases are
decided.
DIF: A dm 330 OBJ: Comprehension TOP: Nursing
Process: Implementation MSC: NC LEX test plan
designation: Safe, Effective Care Environment
3. Which of the following statements made by a nursing student regarding
responsibilit y for provided care requires immediate follow -up by the
nursing instructor?
A. I’m not held to the same standards as a lic ensed RN.
, B. I am required to provide the safest, appropriate care I am capable
of.
C. My clinical instructor is ultimatel y responsible for the care I
provide.
D. No one expects nursing students to provide care on the level as an
experienced RN.
ANS: C
Student nurses are expected to perform as professional nurses, that is,
as an RN would in providing safe, appropriate client care. The clinical
instructor is responsible for proper instruction, supervision, and
guidance but the student is responsible for their own a cts. The
remaining options do reflect misconceptions, but the issue of
responsibilit y has priorit y.
DIF: C dm 333 OBJ: Anal ysis TOP: Nursing Process:
Implementation MSC: NC LEX test plan designation: Safe,
Effective Care Environment
4. The nurse is having difficult y reading the prescribed dosage on a
handwritten order for a pain medication. The most appropriate action to
ensure the clients safet y 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 book to determine the normal dosage range
ANS: C
, A nurse carrying out an inaccurate or inappropriate order may be
legall y responsible for any harm suffered by t he client. The nurse
should clarify the order with the prescriber if unable to read the order.
Although asking others to interpret the order may appear prudent, it is
ultimatel y the nurses responsibilit y if a medication error is made.
Although the drug boo k may provide a normal range it does not aid in
determining definitivel y what the order intended.
DIF: A dm 336 OBJ: Comprehension TOP: Nursing
Process: Implementation MSC: NC LEX test plan
designation: Safe, Effective Care Environment
5. The legal basis for a nurse to provide emergency treatment without
consent to a client incapable of informed consent is:
A. Such care is clearl y a nursing responsibilit y
B. To fail to provide such care is nursing negligence
C. It is presumed that the client would want the emergency treatment
D. Health care providers have an obligation to provide emergency
treatment
ANS: C
In emergency situations, if it is impossible to obtain consent from the
client or an authorized person, the law assumes that the client would
wish to be treated. Pr oviding appropriate nursing care is a nursing
responsibilit y, and failure to do so is negligence.
DIF: C dm 332 OBJ: Anal ysis TOP: Nursing Process:
Implementation MSC: NC LEX test plan designation: Safe,
Effective Care Environment
N URSING P RACTICE
Fundamentals of Nursing 10th Edition; Potter Perry
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. A nurse stealing narcotics from an acu te care nursing unit is guilt y of a:
A. Civil offense
B. Criminal offense
C. Common law offense
D. Administrative law offense
ANS: B
Criminal laws prevent harm to societ y and provide punishment for
crimes (often imprisonment). A felony is a crime of a serious nature
that has a penalt y of imprisonment for greater than 1 year or even
death. A misdemeanor is a less serious crime that has a penalty of a
fine or imprisonment for less than 1 year. An example of criminal
conduct for nurses is misuse of a controlled substanc e. Civil laws
protect the rights of individual persons within our societ y and
encourage fair and equitable treatment among people. Common law is
created by judicial decisions made in courts when individual legal
cases are decided (i.e., informed consent). Administrative law is
created by administrative bodies, such as state boards of nursing, when
they pass rules and regulations.
, DIF: A dm 326 OBJ: Comprehension TOP: Nursing
Process: Implementation MSC: NC LEX test plan
designation: Safe, Effective Care E nvironment
2. The case of a nurse accused of unethical nursing conduct will be heard by
the state board of nursing. This is an example of:
A. Civil law
B. Criminal law
C. Common law
D. Administrative law
ANS: D
Administrative law is created by administrative bodies, s uch as state
boards of nursing when they pass rules and regulations such as
unethical nursing conduct. Civil laws protect the rights of individual
persons within our societ y and encourage fair and equitable treatment
among people. Criminal laws prevent har m to societ y and provide
punishment for crimes (often imprisonment). Common law is created
by judicial decisions made in courts when individual legal cases are
decided.
DIF: A dm 330 OBJ: Comprehension TOP: Nursing
Process: Implementation MSC: NC LEX test plan
designation: Safe, Effective Care Environment
3. Which of the following statements made by a nursing student regarding
responsibilit y for provided care requires immediate follow -up by the
nursing instructor?
A. I’m not held to the same standards as a lic ensed RN.
, B. I am required to provide the safest, appropriate care I am capable
of.
C. My clinical instructor is ultimatel y responsible for the care I
provide.
D. No one expects nursing students to provide care on the level as an
experienced RN.
ANS: C
Student nurses are expected to perform as professional nurses, that is,
as an RN would in providing safe, appropriate client care. The clinical
instructor is responsible for proper instruction, supervision, and
guidance but the student is responsible for their own a cts. The
remaining options do reflect misconceptions, but the issue of
responsibilit y has priorit y.
DIF: C dm 333 OBJ: Anal ysis TOP: Nursing Process:
Implementation MSC: NC LEX test plan designation: Safe,
Effective Care Environment
4. The nurse is having difficult y reading the prescribed dosage on a
handwritten order for a pain medication. The most appropriate action to
ensure the clients safet y 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 book to determine the normal dosage range
ANS: C
, A nurse carrying out an inaccurate or inappropriate order may be
legall y responsible for any harm suffered by t he client. The nurse
should clarify the order with the prescriber if unable to read the order.
Although asking others to interpret the order may appear prudent, it is
ultimatel y the nurses responsibilit y if a medication error is made.
Although the drug boo k may provide a normal range it does not aid in
determining definitivel y what the order intended.
DIF: A dm 336 OBJ: Comprehension TOP: Nursing
Process: Implementation MSC: NC LEX test plan
designation: Safe, Effective Care Environment
5. The legal basis for a nurse to provide emergency treatment without
consent to a client incapable of informed consent is:
A. Such care is clearl y a nursing responsibilit y
B. To fail to provide such care is nursing negligence
C. It is presumed that the client would want the emergency treatment
D. Health care providers have an obligation to provide emergency
treatment
ANS: C
In emergency situations, if it is impossible to obtain consent from the
client or an authorized person, the law assumes that the client would
wish to be treated. Pr oviding appropriate nursing care is a nursing
responsibilit y, and failure to do so is negligence.
DIF: C dm 332 OBJ: Anal ysis TOP: Nursing Process:
Implementation MSC: NC LEX test plan designation: Safe,
Effective Care Environment
