Chapter, 7 Legal Dimensions of Nursing Practice
Test Bank, Chapter Assignments, Discussions Plus Case Studies and Answers
Fundamentals of Nursing: The Art and Science of Person-Centered Care (10th Edition Taylor)
1. Which aspect of nursing would most likely be defined by legislation at the state level?
A. Differences in scope of practice between registered nurses and licensed practical nurses
B. Criteria that a nurse must consider when delegating tasks to unlicensed assistive personnel
C. Criteria that clients must meet to qualify for Medicare or Medicaid
D. The process that nurses must follow when handling and administering medications
Answer: A
Rationale: The scope of practice defines the parameters within which nurses provide care and is
established by state legislation, most commonly in the form of a nurse practice act. The criteria
and due process for delegation in the clinical setting is addressed by a state board of nursing.
Qualification criteria for programs such as Medicare and Medicaid are established by federal
legislation, whereas the process for safe and appropriate medication administration is defined and
monitored by a state board of nursing.
Question format: Multiple Choice
Chapter 7: Legal Dimensions of Nursing Practice
Cognitive Level: Understand
Client Needs: Safe, Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
Integrated Process: Nursing Process
Reference: p. 147
2. During a clinical placement on a subacute, geriatric medicine unit, a student nurse fed a stroke
client some beef broth, despite the fact that the client's diet was restricted to thickened fluids. As a
result, the client aspirated and developed pneumonia. Which statement underlies the student's
potential liability in this situation?
A. The same standards of care that apply to a registered nurse apply to the student.
B. The student and the nursing instructor share liability for this lapse in care.
C. The client's primary nurse is liable for failing to ensure that delegated care was appropriate.
D. The student's potential liability is likely negated by the insurance carried by the school of
nursing.
Answer: A
Rationale: Despite the fact that their knowledge and skills are still under development, nursing
students are held to the same standards of care as registered nurses. Consequently, primary
liability does not lie with the student's instructor or the client's primary nurse. Insurance may be
carried by the school of nursing, but this does not negate the student's legal responsibility to
provide care at a high standard.
Question format: Multiple Choice
Chapter 7: Legal Dimensions of Nursing Practice
Cognitive Level: Apply
Client Needs: Safe, Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
Integrated Process: Nursing Process
Reference: p. 166
,3. A nurse is arrested for possession of illegal drugs. What kind of law is involved with this type
of activity?
A. Civil
B. Private
C. Public
D. Criminal
Answer: D
Rationale: Criminal law concerns state and federal criminal statutes, which define criminal actions
such as murder, manslaughter, criminal negligence, theft, and illegal possession of drugs. Civil
law, also called private law, includes laws relating to contracts, ownership of property, and the
practice of nursing, medicine, pharmacy, and dentistry. Public law is law in which the
government is involved directly. Private law is a branch of the law that deals with the relations
between individuals or institutions, rather than relations between these and the government.
Question format: Multiple Choice
Chapter 7: Legal Dimensions of Nursing Practice
Cognitive Level: Understand
Client Needs: Safe, Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
Integrated Process: Nursing Process
Reference: p. 144
4. A lawyer quotes a precedent for punishment of a crime committed by the defendant in a trial.
What is court-made law known as?
A. Public law
B. Statutory law
C. Common law
D. Administrative law
Answer: C
Rationale: The government provides for a judiciary system, which is responsible for reconciling
controversies. It interprets legislation at the local, state, and national levels as it has been applied
in specific instances and makes decisions concerning law enforcement. A body of law known as
common law has evolved from these accumulated judiciary decisions. Common law is thus court-
made law, and most law involving malpractice is common law. Statutory law or statute law is
written law set down by a body of legislature or by a singular legislator. Public law is that part of
law which governs relationships between individuals and the government, and those
relationships between individuals which are of direct concern to society. Administrative law is the
body of law that governs the activities of administrative agencies of government.
Question format: Multiple Choice
Chapter 7: Legal Dimensions of Nursing Practice
Cognitive Level: Understand
Client Needs: Safe, Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
Integrated Process: Nursing Process
Reference: p. 146
5. A client is suing a nurse for malpractice. What is the term for the person bringing suit?
A. Plaintiff
,B. Defendant
C. Litigator
D. Witness
Answer: A
Rationale: A lawsuit is a legal action in a court. Litigation is the process of bringing and trying a
lawsuit. The person or government bringing suit against another is called the plaintiff. The one
being accused of a crime or tort is called the defendant. A litigator is a lawyer who litigates, that
is, assists the plaintiffs or defendants with prosecuting or defending lawsuits. A witness is someone
who, either voluntarily or under compulsion, provides testimonial evidence, either oral or
written, of what the witness knows or claims to know about the matter before some official
authorized to take such testimony.
Question format: Multiple Choice
Chapter 7: Legal Dimensions of Nursing Practice
Cognitive Level: Remember
Client Needs: Safe, Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
Integrated Process: Nursing Process
Reference: p. 146
6. A nurse is providing client care in a hospital setting. Who has full legal responsibility and
accountability for the nurse's actions?
A. The nurse
B. The head nurse
C. The physician
D. The hospital
Answer: A
Rationale: In modern practice, nurses assess and diagnose clients and plan, implement, and
evaluate nursing care. Full legal responsibility and accountability for these nursing actions rest
with the nurse. The physician is responsible for the physician's own actions, and the hospital is
responsible for the health care that all the professions provide. The head nurse or nurse manager
is responsible for evaluating the performance of staff nurses, providing feedback and mentoring,
developing education programs, contributing to staff professional development, interviewing and
hiring nurses and medical staff, developing departmental budgets, and maintaining inventory of
supplies on the division.
Question format: Multiple Choice
Chapter 7: Legal Dimensions of Nursing Practice
Cognitive Level: Remember
Client Needs: Safe, Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
Integrated Process: Nursing Process
Reference: p. 144
7. What type of law regulates the practice of nursing?
A. Common law
B. Public law
C. Civil law
D. Criminal law
, Answer: C
Rationale: Civil laws regulate the practice of nursing. A law is a standard or rule of conduct
established and enforced by the government, chiefly to protect the rights of the public. Private
law, also called civil law, regulates relationships among people and includes laws related to the
practice of nursing. Public law is that part of law that governs relationships between individuals
and the government and relationships between individuals that are of direct concern to society.
Common law is law that is derived from custom and judicial precedent rather than statutes.
Criminal law is the body of law that relates to crime. It proscribes conduct perceived as
threatening, harmful, or otherwise endangering to the property, health, safety, and moral
welfare of people inclusive of one's self.
Question format: Multiple Choice
Chapter 7: Legal Dimensions of Nursing Practice
Cognitive Level: Remember
Client Needs: Safe, Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
Integrated Process: Nursing Process
Reference: p. 144
8. Which definition best describes voluntary standards?
A. Voluntary standards are guidelines for peer review, guided by the public's expectation of
nursing.
B. Voluntary standards set requirements for licensure and nursing education.
C. Voluntary standards meet criteria for recognition of a specified area of practice.
D. Voluntary standards determine violations for discipline and who may practice.
Answer: A
Rationale: Voluntary standards are developed and implemented by the nursing profession itself.
They are not mandatory but are used as guidelines for peer review. The organizations that set
standards are guided by society's need for nursing and by the public's expectations of nursing.
Voluntary standards are not requirements for licensure and nursing education, nor are they for
recognition of a specified area of practice. Voluntary standards do not determine violations for
nursing.
Question format: Multiple Choice
Chapter 7: Legal Dimensions of Nursing Practice
Cognitive Level: Understand
Client Needs: Safe, Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
Integrated Process: Nursing Process
Reference: p. 147
9. Accreditation by which organization is legally required for a school of nursing to exist?
A. National League for Nursing (NLN) Accrediting Commission
B. American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN)
C. State board of nursing
D. American Nurses Association (ANA)
Answer: C
Test Bank, Chapter Assignments, Discussions Plus Case Studies and Answers
Fundamentals of Nursing: The Art and Science of Person-Centered Care (10th Edition Taylor)
1. Which aspect of nursing would most likely be defined by legislation at the state level?
A. Differences in scope of practice between registered nurses and licensed practical nurses
B. Criteria that a nurse must consider when delegating tasks to unlicensed assistive personnel
C. Criteria that clients must meet to qualify for Medicare or Medicaid
D. The process that nurses must follow when handling and administering medications
Answer: A
Rationale: The scope of practice defines the parameters within which nurses provide care and is
established by state legislation, most commonly in the form of a nurse practice act. The criteria
and due process for delegation in the clinical setting is addressed by a state board of nursing.
Qualification criteria for programs such as Medicare and Medicaid are established by federal
legislation, whereas the process for safe and appropriate medication administration is defined and
monitored by a state board of nursing.
Question format: Multiple Choice
Chapter 7: Legal Dimensions of Nursing Practice
Cognitive Level: Understand
Client Needs: Safe, Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
Integrated Process: Nursing Process
Reference: p. 147
2. During a clinical placement on a subacute, geriatric medicine unit, a student nurse fed a stroke
client some beef broth, despite the fact that the client's diet was restricted to thickened fluids. As a
result, the client aspirated and developed pneumonia. Which statement underlies the student's
potential liability in this situation?
A. The same standards of care that apply to a registered nurse apply to the student.
B. The student and the nursing instructor share liability for this lapse in care.
C. The client's primary nurse is liable for failing to ensure that delegated care was appropriate.
D. The student's potential liability is likely negated by the insurance carried by the school of
nursing.
Answer: A
Rationale: Despite the fact that their knowledge and skills are still under development, nursing
students are held to the same standards of care as registered nurses. Consequently, primary
liability does not lie with the student's instructor or the client's primary nurse. Insurance may be
carried by the school of nursing, but this does not negate the student's legal responsibility to
provide care at a high standard.
Question format: Multiple Choice
Chapter 7: Legal Dimensions of Nursing Practice
Cognitive Level: Apply
Client Needs: Safe, Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
Integrated Process: Nursing Process
Reference: p. 166
,3. A nurse is arrested for possession of illegal drugs. What kind of law is involved with this type
of activity?
A. Civil
B. Private
C. Public
D. Criminal
Answer: D
Rationale: Criminal law concerns state and federal criminal statutes, which define criminal actions
such as murder, manslaughter, criminal negligence, theft, and illegal possession of drugs. Civil
law, also called private law, includes laws relating to contracts, ownership of property, and the
practice of nursing, medicine, pharmacy, and dentistry. Public law is law in which the
government is involved directly. Private law is a branch of the law that deals with the relations
between individuals or institutions, rather than relations between these and the government.
Question format: Multiple Choice
Chapter 7: Legal Dimensions of Nursing Practice
Cognitive Level: Understand
Client Needs: Safe, Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
Integrated Process: Nursing Process
Reference: p. 144
4. A lawyer quotes a precedent for punishment of a crime committed by the defendant in a trial.
What is court-made law known as?
A. Public law
B. Statutory law
C. Common law
D. Administrative law
Answer: C
Rationale: The government provides for a judiciary system, which is responsible for reconciling
controversies. It interprets legislation at the local, state, and national levels as it has been applied
in specific instances and makes decisions concerning law enforcement. A body of law known as
common law has evolved from these accumulated judiciary decisions. Common law is thus court-
made law, and most law involving malpractice is common law. Statutory law or statute law is
written law set down by a body of legislature or by a singular legislator. Public law is that part of
law which governs relationships between individuals and the government, and those
relationships between individuals which are of direct concern to society. Administrative law is the
body of law that governs the activities of administrative agencies of government.
Question format: Multiple Choice
Chapter 7: Legal Dimensions of Nursing Practice
Cognitive Level: Understand
Client Needs: Safe, Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
Integrated Process: Nursing Process
Reference: p. 146
5. A client is suing a nurse for malpractice. What is the term for the person bringing suit?
A. Plaintiff
,B. Defendant
C. Litigator
D. Witness
Answer: A
Rationale: A lawsuit is a legal action in a court. Litigation is the process of bringing and trying a
lawsuit. The person or government bringing suit against another is called the plaintiff. The one
being accused of a crime or tort is called the defendant. A litigator is a lawyer who litigates, that
is, assists the plaintiffs or defendants with prosecuting or defending lawsuits. A witness is someone
who, either voluntarily or under compulsion, provides testimonial evidence, either oral or
written, of what the witness knows or claims to know about the matter before some official
authorized to take such testimony.
Question format: Multiple Choice
Chapter 7: Legal Dimensions of Nursing Practice
Cognitive Level: Remember
Client Needs: Safe, Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
Integrated Process: Nursing Process
Reference: p. 146
6. A nurse is providing client care in a hospital setting. Who has full legal responsibility and
accountability for the nurse's actions?
A. The nurse
B. The head nurse
C. The physician
D. The hospital
Answer: A
Rationale: In modern practice, nurses assess and diagnose clients and plan, implement, and
evaluate nursing care. Full legal responsibility and accountability for these nursing actions rest
with the nurse. The physician is responsible for the physician's own actions, and the hospital is
responsible for the health care that all the professions provide. The head nurse or nurse manager
is responsible for evaluating the performance of staff nurses, providing feedback and mentoring,
developing education programs, contributing to staff professional development, interviewing and
hiring nurses and medical staff, developing departmental budgets, and maintaining inventory of
supplies on the division.
Question format: Multiple Choice
Chapter 7: Legal Dimensions of Nursing Practice
Cognitive Level: Remember
Client Needs: Safe, Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
Integrated Process: Nursing Process
Reference: p. 144
7. What type of law regulates the practice of nursing?
A. Common law
B. Public law
C. Civil law
D. Criminal law
, Answer: C
Rationale: Civil laws regulate the practice of nursing. A law is a standard or rule of conduct
established and enforced by the government, chiefly to protect the rights of the public. Private
law, also called civil law, regulates relationships among people and includes laws related to the
practice of nursing. Public law is that part of law that governs relationships between individuals
and the government and relationships between individuals that are of direct concern to society.
Common law is law that is derived from custom and judicial precedent rather than statutes.
Criminal law is the body of law that relates to crime. It proscribes conduct perceived as
threatening, harmful, or otherwise endangering to the property, health, safety, and moral
welfare of people inclusive of one's self.
Question format: Multiple Choice
Chapter 7: Legal Dimensions of Nursing Practice
Cognitive Level: Remember
Client Needs: Safe, Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
Integrated Process: Nursing Process
Reference: p. 144
8. Which definition best describes voluntary standards?
A. Voluntary standards are guidelines for peer review, guided by the public's expectation of
nursing.
B. Voluntary standards set requirements for licensure and nursing education.
C. Voluntary standards meet criteria for recognition of a specified area of practice.
D. Voluntary standards determine violations for discipline and who may practice.
Answer: A
Rationale: Voluntary standards are developed and implemented by the nursing profession itself.
They are not mandatory but are used as guidelines for peer review. The organizations that set
standards are guided by society's need for nursing and by the public's expectations of nursing.
Voluntary standards are not requirements for licensure and nursing education, nor are they for
recognition of a specified area of practice. Voluntary standards do not determine violations for
nursing.
Question format: Multiple Choice
Chapter 7: Legal Dimensions of Nursing Practice
Cognitive Level: Understand
Client Needs: Safe, Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
Integrated Process: Nursing Process
Reference: p. 147
9. Accreditation by which organization is legally required for a school of nursing to exist?
A. National League for Nursing (NLN) Accrediting Commission
B. American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN)
C. State board of nursing
D. American Nurses Association (ANA)
Answer: C
