Nursing Ethics & Legal Issues: Case Studies and Exam Prep 2025
Comprehensive Study Guide with 100 Questions and Verified Answers
Introduction
This study guide addresses critical ethical and legal concepts in nursing
practice based on current standards, laws, and professional guidelines.
It includes case studies, regulatory requirements, and practical
applications for contemporary nursing practice.
SECTION 1: FOUNDATIONAL ETHICAL PRINCIPLES (Questions 1-15)
1. Q: What are the four fundamental principles of biomedical ethics?
A: Autonomy (respect for self-determination), Beneficence (doing
good), Non-maleficence (do no harm), and Justice (fairness in
distribution of benefits and burdens).
2. Q: What is the principle of autonomy in nursing practice? A:
Respecting patients' right to make informed decisions about their care,
including the right to refuse treatment, even if healthcare providers
disagree with the decision.
3. Q: How does beneficence differ from non-maleficence? A:
Beneficence requires actively doing good and promoting patient
welfare, while non-maleficence requires avoiding harm and not
inflicting injury on patients.
4. Q: What constitutes distributive justice in healthcare? A: Fair
allocation of resources, benefits, and burdens among patients, ensuring
equal access to care regardless of socioeconomic status, race, or other
discriminatory factors.
,5. Q: What is the ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses? A: A framework of
nine provisions that guide ethical nursing practice, emphasizing
compassion, respect for human dignity, commitment to patients, and
professional accountability.
6. Q: What is informed consent and its key components? A: A process
ensuring patients understand their condition, proposed treatment,
risks/benefits, alternatives, and consequences of refusing treatment
before agreeing to care.
7. Q: When can informed consent be waived? A: In emergency
situations when delay would cause harm, when patients lack decision-
making capacity and no surrogate is available, or when patients
explicitly waive their right to information.
8. Q: What is the difference between ethics and law in nursing? A:
Ethics deals with moral principles of right and wrong behavior, while
law consists of enforceable rules established by government. Ethical
behavior may exceed legal requirements.
9. Q: What is moral distress in nursing? A: Psychological discomfort
experienced when nurses know the right action to take but are
constrained by institutional or other barriers from taking that action.
10. Q: How should nurses address moral distress? A: Seek support
from colleagues, utilize ethics committees, engage in self-care, advocate
for system changes, and consider professional counseling when needed.
Case Study 1: Q: A competent adult patient refuses a blood
transfusion due to religious beliefs, despite life-threatening anemia.
What ethical principles are involved? A: Primary principle is autonomy
- respecting the patient's informed decision. Conflict exists between
, beneficence (wanting to save life) and autonomy (respecting choice).
The nurse must respect the decision while exploring alternatives like
iron therapy or synthetic blood products.
11. Q: What is paternalism in healthcare? A: Acting in a way that limits
a patient's liberty or rights, justified by intentions to benefit the patient
or prevent harm, often overriding patient autonomy.
12. Q: When might paternalistic actions be justified? A: When patients
lack decision-making capacity, are at immediate risk of serious harm, or
when cultural norms support family decision-making over individual
autonomy.
13. Q: What is the principle of veracity? A: The obligation to tell the
truth and not deceive patients, including providing accurate information
and not withholding relevant facts about their condition or prognosis.
14. Q: What is the difference between confidentiality and privacy? A:
Privacy is the patient's right to control access to their body and personal
information. Confidentiality is the healthcare provider's duty to protect
private information shared in the therapeutic relationship.
15. Q: What are the limits of confidentiality? A: Mandatory reporting
requirements (abuse, neglect, communicable diseases), duty to warn
potential victims of harm, court orders, and patient consent to
disclosure.
SECTION 2: LEGAL FOUNDATIONS (Questions 16-30)
Comprehensive Study Guide with 100 Questions and Verified Answers
Introduction
This study guide addresses critical ethical and legal concepts in nursing
practice based on current standards, laws, and professional guidelines.
It includes case studies, regulatory requirements, and practical
applications for contemporary nursing practice.
SECTION 1: FOUNDATIONAL ETHICAL PRINCIPLES (Questions 1-15)
1. Q: What are the four fundamental principles of biomedical ethics?
A: Autonomy (respect for self-determination), Beneficence (doing
good), Non-maleficence (do no harm), and Justice (fairness in
distribution of benefits and burdens).
2. Q: What is the principle of autonomy in nursing practice? A:
Respecting patients' right to make informed decisions about their care,
including the right to refuse treatment, even if healthcare providers
disagree with the decision.
3. Q: How does beneficence differ from non-maleficence? A:
Beneficence requires actively doing good and promoting patient
welfare, while non-maleficence requires avoiding harm and not
inflicting injury on patients.
4. Q: What constitutes distributive justice in healthcare? A: Fair
allocation of resources, benefits, and burdens among patients, ensuring
equal access to care regardless of socioeconomic status, race, or other
discriminatory factors.
,5. Q: What is the ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses? A: A framework of
nine provisions that guide ethical nursing practice, emphasizing
compassion, respect for human dignity, commitment to patients, and
professional accountability.
6. Q: What is informed consent and its key components? A: A process
ensuring patients understand their condition, proposed treatment,
risks/benefits, alternatives, and consequences of refusing treatment
before agreeing to care.
7. Q: When can informed consent be waived? A: In emergency
situations when delay would cause harm, when patients lack decision-
making capacity and no surrogate is available, or when patients
explicitly waive their right to information.
8. Q: What is the difference between ethics and law in nursing? A:
Ethics deals with moral principles of right and wrong behavior, while
law consists of enforceable rules established by government. Ethical
behavior may exceed legal requirements.
9. Q: What is moral distress in nursing? A: Psychological discomfort
experienced when nurses know the right action to take but are
constrained by institutional or other barriers from taking that action.
10. Q: How should nurses address moral distress? A: Seek support
from colleagues, utilize ethics committees, engage in self-care, advocate
for system changes, and consider professional counseling when needed.
Case Study 1: Q: A competent adult patient refuses a blood
transfusion due to religious beliefs, despite life-threatening anemia.
What ethical principles are involved? A: Primary principle is autonomy
- respecting the patient's informed decision. Conflict exists between
, beneficence (wanting to save life) and autonomy (respecting choice).
The nurse must respect the decision while exploring alternatives like
iron therapy or synthetic blood products.
11. Q: What is paternalism in healthcare? A: Acting in a way that limits
a patient's liberty or rights, justified by intentions to benefit the patient
or prevent harm, often overriding patient autonomy.
12. Q: When might paternalistic actions be justified? A: When patients
lack decision-making capacity, are at immediate risk of serious harm, or
when cultural norms support family decision-making over individual
autonomy.
13. Q: What is the principle of veracity? A: The obligation to tell the
truth and not deceive patients, including providing accurate information
and not withholding relevant facts about their condition or prognosis.
14. Q: What is the difference between confidentiality and privacy? A:
Privacy is the patient's right to control access to their body and personal
information. Confidentiality is the healthcare provider's duty to protect
private information shared in the therapeutic relationship.
15. Q: What are the limits of confidentiality? A: Mandatory reporting
requirements (abuse, neglect, communicable diseases), duty to warn
potential victims of harm, court orders, and patient consent to
disclosure.
SECTION 2: LEGAL FOUNDATIONS (Questions 16-30)
