A client is referred to a surgeon by the general practitioner. After meeting
the surgeon,
client decides to find a different surgeon to continue treatment. The
nurse
the supports
client's action, utilizing which ethical
principle?
1.
Beneficence
2.
Veracity
3.
Autonomy
4. Privacy Correct answers
Answer: 3 Autonomy is the right of individuals to take action for
Rationale:
themselves.
Beneficence is an ethical principle to do good and applies when the nurse
has aothers
help city toby doing what is best for them. Veracity refers to truthfulness.
Privacy is the of information by the health care
nondisclosure
team.
Cognitive Level:
Applying
Client Need: Management of
Care
Integrated Process: Nursing Process:
Implementation
Content Area:
Fundamentals
Strategy: The core issue of the question is the ability to interpret which
ethical
is principle
operating in a specific situation. Eliminate beneficence and veracity
next because
they focus on the obligation of the nurse rather than on a right of
the client.
A nurse forgets to administer a client's diuretic and the client experiences f
an episode edema.
pulmonary o The charge nurse would consider the medication error to
constitute
negligence because the situation contains which
element?
1. Purposeful failure to perform a health care
2. Unintentional failure to perform a health care
procedure
procedure
3. Act of substituting a different medication for the one
ordered
4. Failure to follow a direct order by a physician Correct answers
Answer: 2 Negligence is the unintentional failure of an individual to
Rationale:
perform oran not
act that a reasonable person would or would not do in the
same or similar A purposeful failure to perform a procedure would be the
circumstances.
negligence,
opposite of which is unintentional. Substituting a different medication does
not fit the of the situation in the question. Failure to follow a direct order
description
does not fit in
description thethe situation in the
question.
Cognitive Level:
Applying
Client Need: Management of
Care
Integrated Process: Nursing Process:
Assessment
Content Area:
Fundamentals
Strategy: Two options are opposites, which is a clue that one of them may
be correct.
Choose unintentional failure to carry out a procedure over purposeful failure
because it
matches the definition of
negligence.
, A client asks why a diagnostic test has been ordered and the nurse replies,
"I'mwill
but unsure
find out for you." When the nurse later returns and provides an
explanation,
nurse is acting theunder which
principle?
1.
Nonmaleficence
2.
Veracity
3.
Beneficence
4. Fidelity Correct answers
Answer: 4 Fidelity means being faithful to agreements and promises.
Rationale:
This nurse
acting on theis client's behalf to obtain needed information and report it back
to the client.
Nonmaleficence is the duty to do no harm. Veracity refers to telling
the truth for
example, not lying to a client about a serious prognosis. Beneficence
meanssuch
good, doing as by implementing actions (e.g. keeping a salt shaker out of
sight) that
benefit a client (heart condition requiring sodium-
restricted Level:
Cognitive diet).
Understanding
Client Need: Management of
Care
Integrated Process: Nursing Process:
Implementation
Content Area:
Fundamentals
Strategy: Use the process of elimination. The correct answer is the one
thatdescription
the matches in the stem; that is, the nurse made a promise to a client
and kept
which it,
constitutes
fidelity.
An individual has a seizure while walking down the street. During the
seizure,
from a nurse office is noticed driving past without stopping to assist.
a physician's
The individual
sues the nurse for negligence but fails to win a judgement for
which reason?
1. The nurse had no duty to the
individual.
2. The nurse did what most nurses would do in the same
circumstance.
3. The nurse did not cause the client's
4. The nurse was off-duty at the time. Correct answers
injuries.
Answer: 1 To be guilty of negligence, the nurse must have a relationship with
Rationale:
the client
that involves a duty to provide care. The relationship is usually a
component ofThe nurse did not necessarily do what others would do in
employment.
this situation.
Although the nurse did not cause the client's injuries, it does not prevent the
nurse from
assisting in this situation. Although the nurse was off-duty, the nurse
could have
assisted if motivated to
do so.
Cognitive Level:
Understanding
Client Need: Management of
Care
Integrated Process: Nursing Process:
Implementation
Content Area:
Fundamentals
Strategy: Use the process of elimination and nursing knowledge. The correct
answer
the one isthat recognizes that the nurse was not in the role of employee at the
time of the
incident, removing the requirement of acting on the
client's behalf.