OpenStax Medical-Surgical Nursing Test Bank
Chapter 5: Ethical Decision Making
OpenStax Medical-Surgical Nursing Test
Bank
Chapter 5: Ethical Decision Making
Review Questions
Multiple Choice
1. A person’s or society’s idea of what is right and wrong that is usually associated with one’s
behavior is called ________.
A. ethics
B. values
C. morality *
D. principles
LO: 05.1.1
Difficulty: Easy
Blooms: Remember
AACN: 1.1b
2. Which ethical principle of nursing is akin to the Hippocratic Oath?
A. beneficence
B. nonmaleficence *
C. justice
D. autonomy
LO: 05.1.2
Difficulty: Easy
Blooms: Remember
AACN: 1.1b
3. The concept of equity versus equality falls under which ethical principle of nursing?
A. autonomy
B. nonmaleficence
C. beneficence
D. justice *
LO: 05.1.2
Difficulty: Easy
Blooms: Remember
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1 7/10/2024
, OpenStax Medical-Surgical Nursing Test Bank
Chapter 5: Ethical Decision Making
AACN: 1.1b
4. Juanita’s patient, Mrs. Jackson, has returned to her room from a procedure, and her family
has been waiting in the room to see her. The anesthesia has not yet worn off and Mrs.
Jackson is still sedated. Her family has taken pictures of Mrs. Jackson, saying that she
“would want to see what she looked like” when she wakes up. What is the most
appropriate action?
A. allow the family to take pictures because they know her wishes best.
B. offer to take pictures of the family with Mrs. Jackson.
C. inform the family that cannot take pictures of Mrs. Jackson without her consent. *
D. say nothing because it is not the nurse’s responsibility to decide who can take pictures.
LO 05.2.2
Difficulty: Moderate
Blooms: Apply
AACN: 1.2d; 1.2e
5. The doctors are doing morning rounds on their patients. They have a computer workstation
on which they are reviewing the patients’ charts. They enter a patient’s room to do an
assessment, leaving the computer outside with the patient’s chart pulled up. Family
members of other patients are walking around the unit; you see one walk by the computer
and glance at the screen. What is the most appropriate action?
A. tell the person that is private information and to walk away
B. walk over to the computer and log the doctors out of the medical chart *
C. call the doctors out of the room to log out of the computer
D. turn the computer to the wall so people walking by cannot see the screen
LO: 5.2.3
Difficulty: Moderate
Blooms: Apply
AACN: 9.1c; 9.1f; 8.5a
6. A nursing colleague has come to you because they have a religious objection to birth control
and are discharging a patient who has been given a prescription for one. They are upset that
they must provide education to the patient about something they morally disagree with and
are considering not giving the patient the educational materials at all. What is the most
appropriate action?
A. tell the nurse that it is their duty to provide education to patients and that you will report
them if they do not
B. tell the nurse it’s probably safe to assume the patient will read the materials and it’s enough
if they just hand the patient the materials with no further comment
For more free, peer-reviewed, openly licensed resources visit OpenStax.org.
2 7/10/2024
Chapter 5: Ethical Decision Making
OpenStax Medical-Surgical Nursing Test
Bank
Chapter 5: Ethical Decision Making
Review Questions
Multiple Choice
1. A person’s or society’s idea of what is right and wrong that is usually associated with one’s
behavior is called ________.
A. ethics
B. values
C. morality *
D. principles
LO: 05.1.1
Difficulty: Easy
Blooms: Remember
AACN: 1.1b
2. Which ethical principle of nursing is akin to the Hippocratic Oath?
A. beneficence
B. nonmaleficence *
C. justice
D. autonomy
LO: 05.1.2
Difficulty: Easy
Blooms: Remember
AACN: 1.1b
3. The concept of equity versus equality falls under which ethical principle of nursing?
A. autonomy
B. nonmaleficence
C. beneficence
D. justice *
LO: 05.1.2
Difficulty: Easy
Blooms: Remember
For more free, peer-reviewed, openly licensed resources visit OpenStax.org.
1 7/10/2024
, OpenStax Medical-Surgical Nursing Test Bank
Chapter 5: Ethical Decision Making
AACN: 1.1b
4. Juanita’s patient, Mrs. Jackson, has returned to her room from a procedure, and her family
has been waiting in the room to see her. The anesthesia has not yet worn off and Mrs.
Jackson is still sedated. Her family has taken pictures of Mrs. Jackson, saying that she
“would want to see what she looked like” when she wakes up. What is the most
appropriate action?
A. allow the family to take pictures because they know her wishes best.
B. offer to take pictures of the family with Mrs. Jackson.
C. inform the family that cannot take pictures of Mrs. Jackson without her consent. *
D. say nothing because it is not the nurse’s responsibility to decide who can take pictures.
LO 05.2.2
Difficulty: Moderate
Blooms: Apply
AACN: 1.2d; 1.2e
5. The doctors are doing morning rounds on their patients. They have a computer workstation
on which they are reviewing the patients’ charts. They enter a patient’s room to do an
assessment, leaving the computer outside with the patient’s chart pulled up. Family
members of other patients are walking around the unit; you see one walk by the computer
and glance at the screen. What is the most appropriate action?
A. tell the person that is private information and to walk away
B. walk over to the computer and log the doctors out of the medical chart *
C. call the doctors out of the room to log out of the computer
D. turn the computer to the wall so people walking by cannot see the screen
LO: 5.2.3
Difficulty: Moderate
Blooms: Apply
AACN: 9.1c; 9.1f; 8.5a
6. A nursing colleague has come to you because they have a religious objection to birth control
and are discharging a patient who has been given a prescription for one. They are upset that
they must provide education to the patient about something they morally disagree with and
are considering not giving the patient the educational materials at all. What is the most
appropriate action?
A. tell the nurse that it is their duty to provide education to patients and that you will report
them if they do not
B. tell the nurse it’s probably safe to assume the patient will read the materials and it’s enough
if they just hand the patient the materials with no further comment
For more free, peer-reviewed, openly licensed resources visit OpenStax.org.
2 7/10/2024
