PNC EXAM #1 QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Which action by the nurse is appropriate, according to deontology?
Checking on a patient at an agreed upon time.
Performing the 5 rights before giving a medication.
Allowing the patient to participate in care.
Telling the truth about the patient's diagnosis. - Answer -Checking on a patient at an
agreed upon time.
What actions could place the nurse at risk for violating the ethical principle of
nonmaleficence?
Ignoring an order to obtain vital signs every 2 hours on a post-surgical patient.
Checking a patient's respirations every 30 minutes.
Reinforcing a dressing that has come off.
Answering a call light for another nurse's patient. - Answer -Ignoring an order to obtain
vital signs every 2 hours on a post-surgical patient.
The nurse has been approached by a family member, who does not want the patient
know about a new cancer diagnosis. If the nurse agreed to this request, which ethical
principle would the nurse violate?
Veracity
Nonmaleficence
Beneficence
Autonomy - Answer -Veracity
When faced with situations in which two ethical principles compete, such as when a
nurse is balancing the patient's autonomy issues with attempting to do what the nurse
knows is in the patient's best interest, leads to a situation where the nurse is stressed
and the term for this situation is:
Ethics of duty
Negotiation
Moral Distress
Paternalism - Answer -Moral Distress
A nurse is caring for a client who needs a liver transplant to survive, but does not have
insurance or enough cash to pay for the procedure. A discussion about the ethics of this
situation would involve predominantly the ethical principle of:
Respect for others
Justice
Accountability
Paternalism - Answer -Justice
The principle that requires nurses to uphold a profession code of ethics, to practice
within the code of ethics, and to remain competent is which of the following?
Autonomy
, Honesty
Veracity
Fidelity - Answer -Fidelity
Nurse Managers employ which ethical principle when they encourage employees to
seek more challenging clinical experiences or encourage employees to take on
additional responsibilities?
Veracity
Beneficence
Nonmaleficence
Paternalism - Answer -Beneficence
For which information is the nurse expected to break confidentiality?
The patient's positive STD test
The patient with an injury, who is well known in the community
The patient with an illness, who is a family member
Suspected abuse of a child - Answer -Suspected abuse of a child
The nurse is preparing to obtain informed consent. Which action is expected of the
nurse?
To determine if the elements for a valid consent are in place
To evaluate whether the physician has discussed the risks and benefits with the patient
To offer the patient alternative treatment options
To fully explain the procedure to the patient - Answer -To determine if the elements for
a valid consent are in place
The nurse is caring for a patient who has been in a car accident, and needs a blood
transfusion due to religious beliefs. The patient's family member is insisting that the
nurse give the blood anyways. Which action should the nurse take to prevent violating
the ethical principle of autonomy?
Give the blood while the patient is asleep
Talk the patient into receiving the blood.
Ask another nurse to care for this patient.
Allow the patient to make the decision about receiving the blood. - Answer -Allow the
patient to make the decision about receiving the blood.
A homeless man presents to the emergency room with hypothermia. He tells the nurse
that he is positive for Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and sought revenge by
deliberately having unprotected sex with his mate, who doesn't not know of his HIV
status. This patients is violating which ethical principle?
Veracity
Autonomy
Nonmaleficence
Beneficence - Answer -Nonmaleficence
The single most important piece of legislation for nursing is:
Which action by the nurse is appropriate, according to deontology?
Checking on a patient at an agreed upon time.
Performing the 5 rights before giving a medication.
Allowing the patient to participate in care.
Telling the truth about the patient's diagnosis. - Answer -Checking on a patient at an
agreed upon time.
What actions could place the nurse at risk for violating the ethical principle of
nonmaleficence?
Ignoring an order to obtain vital signs every 2 hours on a post-surgical patient.
Checking a patient's respirations every 30 minutes.
Reinforcing a dressing that has come off.
Answering a call light for another nurse's patient. - Answer -Ignoring an order to obtain
vital signs every 2 hours on a post-surgical patient.
The nurse has been approached by a family member, who does not want the patient
know about a new cancer diagnosis. If the nurse agreed to this request, which ethical
principle would the nurse violate?
Veracity
Nonmaleficence
Beneficence
Autonomy - Answer -Veracity
When faced with situations in which two ethical principles compete, such as when a
nurse is balancing the patient's autonomy issues with attempting to do what the nurse
knows is in the patient's best interest, leads to a situation where the nurse is stressed
and the term for this situation is:
Ethics of duty
Negotiation
Moral Distress
Paternalism - Answer -Moral Distress
A nurse is caring for a client who needs a liver transplant to survive, but does not have
insurance or enough cash to pay for the procedure. A discussion about the ethics of this
situation would involve predominantly the ethical principle of:
Respect for others
Justice
Accountability
Paternalism - Answer -Justice
The principle that requires nurses to uphold a profession code of ethics, to practice
within the code of ethics, and to remain competent is which of the following?
Autonomy
, Honesty
Veracity
Fidelity - Answer -Fidelity
Nurse Managers employ which ethical principle when they encourage employees to
seek more challenging clinical experiences or encourage employees to take on
additional responsibilities?
Veracity
Beneficence
Nonmaleficence
Paternalism - Answer -Beneficence
For which information is the nurse expected to break confidentiality?
The patient's positive STD test
The patient with an injury, who is well known in the community
The patient with an illness, who is a family member
Suspected abuse of a child - Answer -Suspected abuse of a child
The nurse is preparing to obtain informed consent. Which action is expected of the
nurse?
To determine if the elements for a valid consent are in place
To evaluate whether the physician has discussed the risks and benefits with the patient
To offer the patient alternative treatment options
To fully explain the procedure to the patient - Answer -To determine if the elements for
a valid consent are in place
The nurse is caring for a patient who has been in a car accident, and needs a blood
transfusion due to religious beliefs. The patient's family member is insisting that the
nurse give the blood anyways. Which action should the nurse take to prevent violating
the ethical principle of autonomy?
Give the blood while the patient is asleep
Talk the patient into receiving the blood.
Ask another nurse to care for this patient.
Allow the patient to make the decision about receiving the blood. - Answer -Allow the
patient to make the decision about receiving the blood.
A homeless man presents to the emergency room with hypothermia. He tells the nurse
that he is positive for Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and sought revenge by
deliberately having unprotected sex with his mate, who doesn't not know of his HIV
status. This patients is violating which ethical principle?
Veracity
Autonomy
Nonmaleficence
Beneficence - Answer -Nonmaleficence
The single most important piece of legislation for nursing is:
