ition6Keatings
Chapter601:6An6Introduction6to6the6Ethics6and6the6Law:6A6Perspective6for6Nurses6Keating
s:6Ethical6&6Legal6Issues6in6Canadian6Nursing,64th6Edition
MULTIPLE6CHOICE
1. Which6of6the6following6mandates6that6nurses6have6a6basic6understanding6of6the6Canadian6legal6
system?
a. Provincial6and6federal6nursing6bodies
b. The6Supreme6Court6of6Canada
c. Provincial6nursing6labor6unions
d. The6Drug6and6Pharmacies6Regulation6Act,61990
ANS:6 A
Feedback
A Correct!6Provincial6and6territorial6regulatory6bodies,6have6certain6requirements6
related6to6nurses’6knowledge/skill,6which6includes6knowledge6of6the6legal6syst
em.
B Incorrect—
The6Supreme6Court,6which6is6the6final6court6of6appeal6in6Canada,6is6not6involve
d6in6the6regulation6of6health6care6professionals.
C Incorrect—
Labour6unions6do6not6focus6on6nursing6standards6and6knowledge;6rather,6they
6represent6the6collective6bargaining6rights6of6nurses.
D Incorrect—
This6Act6is6relevant6to6nursing6in6that6it6regulates6the6prescribing,6dispensing,
6and6handling6of6drugs.6It6does6not6mandate6the6knowledge6nurses6require6abo
ut6the6legal6system.
DIF: Cognitive6level:6Comprehension
2. Identify6one6of6the6reasons6why6nurses6need6to6have6an6understanding6of6ethics.
a. Nurses6do6not6share6the6same6perspectives6regarding6health6care6with6other6health6
care6professionals.
b. Morality6and6care6are6at6the6heart6of6nursing6practice.
c. Ethics6provides6a6clear6answer6to6nurses6regarding6the6correct6course6of6action.
d. Convincing6family6members6of6compassionate6courses6of6action6is6best6done6by6
nurses.
ANS:6 B
Feedback
A Incorrect—Professional6values6may6be6shared6across6multiple6professions,6and
perspectives6on6issues6may6be6similar.6When6views6on6an6issue6differ,6then6kno
wledge6of6ethics6assists6in6clarifying6and6defending6one’s6position6to6others.
B Correct!6One6reason6for6nurses6studying6ethics6is6that6morality6and6care6are6at6the6
heart6of6nursing6practice.
C Incorrect—
Ethical6theories6can6provide6a6framework6for6the6exploration6of6the6ethical6questi
ons6and6moral6issues6faced6in6health6care.6These6theories6guide6how6morality6is6u
nderstood6within6the6sphere6of6nursing6practice6and6the6nurse–patient6or6nurse–
client6relationship.6Ethical6theories6and6frameworks6can6assist/guide6nurses6as6th
mynursytest.store
,DOWNLOAD6THE6Test6Bank6for6Ethical6and6Legal6Issues6in6Canadian6Nursing64th6Ed
ition6Keatings
ey6consider6multiple6options6to6choose6the6best6or6the
mynursytest.store
, DOWNLOAD6THE6Test6Bank6for6Ethical6and6Legal6Issues6in6Canadian6Nursing64th6Ed
ition6Keatings
least6wrong6course6of6action.
D Incorrect—
Nurses6as6members6of6the6health6care6team6are6in6a6strong6position6to6support6fa
milies.6They6respect6the6values6and6beliefs6of6clients6and6families6and
support6them6in6decision6making6regarding6the6right6course6of6action.
DIF: Cognitive6level:6Synthesis
3. Why6is6it6advantageous6for6nurses6to6have6knowledge6of6ethical6theories6and6principles?
a. Ethical6theories6encourage6nurses6to6critique6others’6points6of6view.
b. Nurses6are6able6to6justify6and6defend6their6positions6on6a6situation.
c. Ethical6theories6help6nurses6explain6to6the6rest6of6the6team6why6nurses6have6a6
greater6understanding6of6the6patient’s6perspective.
d. This6knowledge6allows6nurses6to6convince6patients6to6choose6comfort6measures6
only.
ANS:6 B
Feedback
A Incorrect—
Ethics6encourages6nurses6to6respect6the6values6of6others6and6assists6in6understandi
ng6opposing6points6of6view.6Ethics6offers6tools6to6nurses6to6respectfully6argue6in6
favour6of6their6positions6while6respecting6the6perspectives6of6others.
B Correct!6When6views6differ,6ethical6theories6help6clarify6one’s6position6and6make6
arguments6in6support6of6it.6Nurses6ensure6that6all6relevant6information6is6shared6
with6the6team6and6the6client.
C Incorrect—
The6perspective6of6all6team6members6is6important6and6is6based6on6the6unique6rela
tionships6each6nurse6has6with6the6patient6or6client.
D Incorrect—
This6approach6is6paternalistic.6Nurses6and6the6health6care6team,6while6respecting6a6
person’s6autonomy,6support6him6or6her6in6making6decisions6about
what6is6best6in6a6particular6context.6This6includes6ensuring6that6patients6are6aware6
of6all6the6options6available6to6them.
DIF: Cognitive6level:6Comprehension
4. Why6must6nurses6be6familiar6with6the6legal6system?
a. Some6nursing6actions6are6governed6by6the6law.
b. Nurses’6decisions6may6not6be6supported6by6the6law.
c. Nurses6are6sometimes6at6risk6for6litigation.
d. All6are6correct.
ANS:6 D
Feedback
A Incorrect—
Reserved6or6controlled6acts6and6the6administration6of6narcotics6are6two6examp
les6of6nursing6actions6governed6by6the6law.6A6nurse6may6think6an6action6is6“et
hical,”6but6it6may6not6be6legal.6Nurses’6decisions6sometimes6have
untoward6consequences,6and6errors6or6omissions6may6lead6to6negligence6claims.
mynursytest.store