Chapter 2: Legal and Ethical Aspects of
Nursing Prep Exam Fully Solved.
Which statement characterizes criminal law?
1. Criminal law applies to conduct that violates a person's rights.
2. Criminal law involves an offense against an individual.
3. Criminal law applies to conduct that is detrimental to society.
4. The purpose of criminal law is to restitute the victim. - Answer Criminal law applies to conduct that is
detrimental to society.
Rationale: Criminal law is concerned with offenses against society in general and applies to conduct that
is detrimental to society as a whole. Civil law deals with personal rights and applies to conduct that is
detrimental to an individual. The purpose of criminal law is to punish the crime and to deter and prevent
further crimes. Civil law's purpose is to make the aggrieved person whole again.
What is the term for injury to a person or the person's property that may result in legal action against
the person who caused the damage?
1. Assault
2. Harm
3. Malpractice
4. Negligence - Answer Harm
Rationale: Harm is the term for injury to a person or the person's property that gives rise to a basis for a
legal action against the person who caused the damage. Assault is an intentional threat to cause bodily
harm to another. It does not have to include actual bodily contact. Malpractice is the failure to meet a
legal duty that results in harm to another. Negligence is the commission of an act or omission of an act
that a reasonably prudent person would have done in a similar situation, leading to harm of another
person.
,What resource would the LPN/LVNs refer to know what they can and cannot do within their scope of
practice?
1. Interstate compact
2. ANA
3. The nurse practice act of their licensing state
4. Their employing institution - Answer The nurse practice act of their licensing state
Rationale: The state in which the nurse receives licensing has adopted a nurse practice act that defines
the scope of nursing practice for the LPN/LVN within that state. The interstate compact is a legal
agreement that allows the multistate practice of nursing. ANA is involved in developing standards of care
for nursing practice. The employing institution may further limit the scope of practice for an LPN/LVN,
but it is for that institution only.
The LPN/LVN knows that building the nurse-patient relationship is important in providing patient care,
and a legal relationship is being formed. If there is a breach in this relationship and harm to the patient
has occurred, which legal action can the nurse be charged with?
1. Assault
2. Negligence
3. Slander
4. Malpractice - Answer Malpractice
Rationale: Malpractice is the failure to meet a legal duty that results in harm to another.Assault is an
intentional threat to cause bodily harm to another. Negligence is the commission or omission of an act
that a reasonably prudent person would have done in a similar situation that leads to harm of another
person. Slander in malicious or untrue spoken words about another person or property.
The nurse is caring for a patient who is scheduled for surgery. Before going to surgery, the nurse would
make sure that the patient has been fully informed about the procedure to be done. What would the
patient sign to acknowledge that he or she is making an intelligent decision?
1. Patient's Bill of Rights
, 2. Accountability statement
3. Informed consent doctrine
4. Confidentiality statement - Answer Informed consent doctrine
Rationale: An informed consent doctrine is a person's agreement to allow a particular treatment based
on full disclosure of the facts needed to make an intelligent decision. The Patient's Bill of Rights is a list of
rights of the patient that includes the right of an informed consent. Accountability and confidentiality are
the responsibilities of the nurse as part of the care to be given to the patient.
When caring for patients, the nurse knows that part of the ethical principles include all patients having
the same right to nursing interventions. What is the term for this principle?
1. Autonomy
2. Nonmaleficence
3. Justice
4. Beneficence - Answer Justice
Rationale: Justice in nursing means that nurses must allocate time among all the assigned patients to
meet their needs. Autonomy refers to personal freedom of choice, a right to be independent and make
decisions freely. Nonmaleficence means to do no harm. Beneficence means doing what is good.
A federal regulation that came into effect April 14, 2003, has impacted the health care field regarding
privacy of a patient's health information. What is this regulation?
1. Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations
2. Patient Self-Determination Act
3. Patient's Bill of Rights
4. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act - Answer Health Insurance Portability and
Accountability Act
Rationale: The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) came into effect on
April 14, 2003, to safeguard a person's health information. It sets rules and limits on who can look at and
Nursing Prep Exam Fully Solved.
Which statement characterizes criminal law?
1. Criminal law applies to conduct that violates a person's rights.
2. Criminal law involves an offense against an individual.
3. Criminal law applies to conduct that is detrimental to society.
4. The purpose of criminal law is to restitute the victim. - Answer Criminal law applies to conduct that is
detrimental to society.
Rationale: Criminal law is concerned with offenses against society in general and applies to conduct that
is detrimental to society as a whole. Civil law deals with personal rights and applies to conduct that is
detrimental to an individual. The purpose of criminal law is to punish the crime and to deter and prevent
further crimes. Civil law's purpose is to make the aggrieved person whole again.
What is the term for injury to a person or the person's property that may result in legal action against
the person who caused the damage?
1. Assault
2. Harm
3. Malpractice
4. Negligence - Answer Harm
Rationale: Harm is the term for injury to a person or the person's property that gives rise to a basis for a
legal action against the person who caused the damage. Assault is an intentional threat to cause bodily
harm to another. It does not have to include actual bodily contact. Malpractice is the failure to meet a
legal duty that results in harm to another. Negligence is the commission of an act or omission of an act
that a reasonably prudent person would have done in a similar situation, leading to harm of another
person.
,What resource would the LPN/LVNs refer to know what they can and cannot do within their scope of
practice?
1. Interstate compact
2. ANA
3. The nurse practice act of their licensing state
4. Their employing institution - Answer The nurse practice act of their licensing state
Rationale: The state in which the nurse receives licensing has adopted a nurse practice act that defines
the scope of nursing practice for the LPN/LVN within that state. The interstate compact is a legal
agreement that allows the multistate practice of nursing. ANA is involved in developing standards of care
for nursing practice. The employing institution may further limit the scope of practice for an LPN/LVN,
but it is for that institution only.
The LPN/LVN knows that building the nurse-patient relationship is important in providing patient care,
and a legal relationship is being formed. If there is a breach in this relationship and harm to the patient
has occurred, which legal action can the nurse be charged with?
1. Assault
2. Negligence
3. Slander
4. Malpractice - Answer Malpractice
Rationale: Malpractice is the failure to meet a legal duty that results in harm to another.Assault is an
intentional threat to cause bodily harm to another. Negligence is the commission or omission of an act
that a reasonably prudent person would have done in a similar situation that leads to harm of another
person. Slander in malicious or untrue spoken words about another person or property.
The nurse is caring for a patient who is scheduled for surgery. Before going to surgery, the nurse would
make sure that the patient has been fully informed about the procedure to be done. What would the
patient sign to acknowledge that he or she is making an intelligent decision?
1. Patient's Bill of Rights
, 2. Accountability statement
3. Informed consent doctrine
4. Confidentiality statement - Answer Informed consent doctrine
Rationale: An informed consent doctrine is a person's agreement to allow a particular treatment based
on full disclosure of the facts needed to make an intelligent decision. The Patient's Bill of Rights is a list of
rights of the patient that includes the right of an informed consent. Accountability and confidentiality are
the responsibilities of the nurse as part of the care to be given to the patient.
When caring for patients, the nurse knows that part of the ethical principles include all patients having
the same right to nursing interventions. What is the term for this principle?
1. Autonomy
2. Nonmaleficence
3. Justice
4. Beneficence - Answer Justice
Rationale: Justice in nursing means that nurses must allocate time among all the assigned patients to
meet their needs. Autonomy refers to personal freedom of choice, a right to be independent and make
decisions freely. Nonmaleficence means to do no harm. Beneficence means doing what is good.
A federal regulation that came into effect April 14, 2003, has impacted the health care field regarding
privacy of a patient's health information. What is this regulation?
1. Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations
2. Patient Self-Determination Act
3. Patient's Bill of Rights
4. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act - Answer Health Insurance Portability and
Accountability Act
Rationale: The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) came into effect on
April 14, 2003, to safeguard a person's health information. It sets rules and limits on who can look at and
