LEGAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES NSG 4100 EXAM / NSG 4100 LEGAL AND ETHICAL
ISSUES IN NURSING EXAM 3 ACCURATE EXAM 2026 ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES (100% CORRECT
VERIFIED SOLUTIONS) NEWEST UPDATED VERSION |ALREADY GRADED A+
(BRAND NEW!)
A nurse shares a patient’s health information with a friend. Which law is violated?
a. EMTALA
b. HIPAA
c. Nurse Practice Act
d. OSHA
correct answer: b. HIPAA
rationale: HIPAA protects patient privacy and confidentiality; sharing information
without consent is illegal.
A patient refuses a blood transfusion for religious reasons. The nurse should:
a. ignores the patient’s wishes
b. respect the patient’s autonomy
c. override the refusal
d. call security
correct answer: b. respect the patient’s autonomy
rationale: Patient autonomy is an ethical principle that supports informed refusal
of treatment.
Which of the following constitutes negligence?
a. failing to turn a patient and causing a pressure injury
b. educating a patient on medication side effects
,c. reporting a medication error promptly
d. delegating tasks appropriately
correct answer: a. failing to turn a patient and causing a pressure injury
rationale: Negligence is the failure to provide the standard of care, resulting in
patient harm.
A nurse administers a medication to the wrong patient, causing harm. This is an
example of:
a. malpractice
b. battery
c. false imprisonment
d. assault
correct answer: a. malpractice
rationale: Malpractice is professional negligence that results in patient injury.
Which principle obligates the nurse to do good and promote patient well-being?
a. autonomy
b. beneficence
c. no maleficence
d. justice
correct answer: b. beneficence
rationale: Beneficence requires acting in the best interest of the patient.
Which principle requires the nurse to do no harm?
a. autonomy
,b. beneficence
c. no maleficence
d. fidelity
correct answer: c. no maleficence
rationale: No maleficence obligates the nurse to avoid actions that cause harm.
Which situation represents a breach of patient confidentiality?
a. discussing a patient’s diagnosis with the healthcare team
b. sharing patient information on social media
c. reporting suspected abuse to authorities
d. documenting care in the medical record
correct answer: b. sharing patient information on social media
rationale: Confidentiality is violated when private patient information is shared
publicly without consent.
Which scenario demonstrates informed consent?
a. patient signs a procedure form after understanding risks, benefits, and
alternatives
b. patient is told only the procedure name
c. patient is coerced to sign
d. family signs without patient knowledge
correct answer: a. patient signs a procedure form after understanding risks,
benefits, and alternatives
rationale: Informed consent requires comprehension, voluntariness, and legal
competence.
, A nurse restrains a patient without physician order or consent. This is:
a. battery
b. malpractice
c. negligence
d. assault
correct answer: a. battery
rationale: Battery is unauthorized physical contact, including improper use of
restraints.
Which of the following is an example of ethical dilemma in nursing?
a. deciding whether to respect a patient’s refusal of life-saving treatment
b. administering prescribed medication
c. documenting vital signs
d. delegating tasks to UAPs
correct answer: a. deciding whether to respect a patient’s refusal of life-saving
treatment
rationale: Ethical dilemmas involve conflicts between two morally justifiable
options.
A patient with dementia cannot understand a procedure. Who provides consent?
a. the patient
b. the RN
c. the legal guardian or surrogate decision-maker
d. the nursing assistant
correct answer: c. the legal guardian or surrogate decision-maker
ISSUES IN NURSING EXAM 3 ACCURATE EXAM 2026 ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES (100% CORRECT
VERIFIED SOLUTIONS) NEWEST UPDATED VERSION |ALREADY GRADED A+
(BRAND NEW!)
A nurse shares a patient’s health information with a friend. Which law is violated?
a. EMTALA
b. HIPAA
c. Nurse Practice Act
d. OSHA
correct answer: b. HIPAA
rationale: HIPAA protects patient privacy and confidentiality; sharing information
without consent is illegal.
A patient refuses a blood transfusion for religious reasons. The nurse should:
a. ignores the patient’s wishes
b. respect the patient’s autonomy
c. override the refusal
d. call security
correct answer: b. respect the patient’s autonomy
rationale: Patient autonomy is an ethical principle that supports informed refusal
of treatment.
Which of the following constitutes negligence?
a. failing to turn a patient and causing a pressure injury
b. educating a patient on medication side effects
,c. reporting a medication error promptly
d. delegating tasks appropriately
correct answer: a. failing to turn a patient and causing a pressure injury
rationale: Negligence is the failure to provide the standard of care, resulting in
patient harm.
A nurse administers a medication to the wrong patient, causing harm. This is an
example of:
a. malpractice
b. battery
c. false imprisonment
d. assault
correct answer: a. malpractice
rationale: Malpractice is professional negligence that results in patient injury.
Which principle obligates the nurse to do good and promote patient well-being?
a. autonomy
b. beneficence
c. no maleficence
d. justice
correct answer: b. beneficence
rationale: Beneficence requires acting in the best interest of the patient.
Which principle requires the nurse to do no harm?
a. autonomy
,b. beneficence
c. no maleficence
d. fidelity
correct answer: c. no maleficence
rationale: No maleficence obligates the nurse to avoid actions that cause harm.
Which situation represents a breach of patient confidentiality?
a. discussing a patient’s diagnosis with the healthcare team
b. sharing patient information on social media
c. reporting suspected abuse to authorities
d. documenting care in the medical record
correct answer: b. sharing patient information on social media
rationale: Confidentiality is violated when private patient information is shared
publicly without consent.
Which scenario demonstrates informed consent?
a. patient signs a procedure form after understanding risks, benefits, and
alternatives
b. patient is told only the procedure name
c. patient is coerced to sign
d. family signs without patient knowledge
correct answer: a. patient signs a procedure form after understanding risks,
benefits, and alternatives
rationale: Informed consent requires comprehension, voluntariness, and legal
competence.
, A nurse restrains a patient without physician order or consent. This is:
a. battery
b. malpractice
c. negligence
d. assault
correct answer: a. battery
rationale: Battery is unauthorized physical contact, including improper use of
restraints.
Which of the following is an example of ethical dilemma in nursing?
a. deciding whether to respect a patient’s refusal of life-saving treatment
b. administering prescribed medication
c. documenting vital signs
d. delegating tasks to UAPs
correct answer: a. deciding whether to respect a patient’s refusal of life-saving
treatment
rationale: Ethical dilemmas involve conflicts between two morally justifiable
options.
A patient with dementia cannot understand a procedure. Who provides consent?
a. the patient
b. the RN
c. the legal guardian or surrogate decision-maker
d. the nursing assistant
correct answer: c. the legal guardian or surrogate decision-maker
