Test bank Leadership Roles and Management Functions in Nursing: Theory and Application newest 2025/2026 complete questions and detailed answers

1. Two registered nurses have disagreed about their scope of practice regarding medication administration. What resource should the nurse consult? A. The Nurse Practice Act B. The nursing standards of practice C. The attorney general's office D. The code of ethics: A. The Nurse Practice Act Feedback: Nurse Practice Acts define and limit the practice of nursing, stating what constitutes authorized practice as well as what exceeds the scope of authority. An attorney general's oflce cannot supersede the provisions of a Nurse Practice Act. Ethical guidelines do not establish a nurse's scope of practice. Standards of practice describe the quality of a nurse's care but not the legal scope. 2. A nurse is facing a malpractice suit after a client was injured in a fall. When establishing whether the nurse committed a breach of duty, the court will consult with: A. Medical experts from the same area of specialty B. Members of public who have been treated in similar care setting C. The administrators of health facility where the fall occurred D. Other nurses who practice in similar settings and specialties: D. Other nurses who practice in similar settings and specialties Feedback: The testimony of other nurses in the same specialty as the defendant may be used to prove breach of duty. These people are considered a reliable and valid source of information by the court, more so than members of the public, administrators, or medical experts 3. A health care provider prescribes a medical procedure that the staff nurse has reason to believe will harm the client. Which principle should guide the nurses choice of action? a. The staff nurse cannot be held legally liable for any harm to the client if the procedure is carried out with due care. b. The nurse may lose his or her license by refusing to carry out the procedure. c. The nurse can be held legally liable for any harm if the procedure is carried out 1 / 18 Test bank Leadership Roles and Management Functions in Nursing: Theory and Application newest 2025/2026 complete questions and detailed answers without questioning it. d. Liability rests with the health-care provider, not the nurse.: ANS: C Feedback: The rule of personal liability says that every person is liable for his or her own conduct, even if someone else prescribed the intervention. The law does not permit a wrongdoer to avoid legal liability for his or her own wrongdoing, even though someone else also may be sued and held legally liable. "Due care" does not negate the consequences of the nurse's actions or release the nurse from liability if he or she knowingly committed an unsafe act. Refusal to carry out the procedure would not be a basis for losing a nursing license. 4. The preoperative admitting nurse witnessed a client sign an operative con- sent form. The nurse then cosigned the same document as a witness. The client suffered an injury during surgery and names the nurse in the suit because the nurse witnessed the consent form. What is the most likely outcome? a. The nurse is not likely liable because the signature only specifies that the nurse witnessed the client signing the consent form. b. The nurse is likely not liable because surgery is beyond the nurse's scope of practice. c. The nurse may be liable because cosigning the consent form makes the nurse an equal member of the surgical team. d. The nurse is liable because cosigning the consent form confirms that the client fully understood the risks of surgery.: ANS: A Feedback: Informed consent is obtained by a physician; therefore, in most cases, a nurse is not legally responsible for informed consent but is confirming that the client signed the consent form. If the nurse acts solely in the role of a witness, there are not likely to be legal consequences for the nurse. The nurse would not be considered to be a full member of the 2 / 18 Test bank Leadership Roles and Management Functions in Nursing: Theory and Application newest 2025/2026 complete questions and detailed answers surgical team if his or her role was limited to admitting the client. Surgery is beyond the nurse's scope of practice, but this does not form the basis for the nurse's likely exemption from liability. 5. A client is preparing to be discharged from the health-care facility and has told the nurse that he would like to read his medical record. What is the nurse's best initial action? a. Arrange for the medical record to be provided to the client. b. Inform the client that this request will be communicated to the facility's ethics committee. c. Confirm the facility's policy around providing medical records to clients. d. Check whether this provision is included in the jurisdiction's Nurse Practice Act.: ANS: C Feedback: Clients possess a right to view their medical records, but the protocols for facilitating this vary. Consequently, the nurse should check this facility's policy before acting. It would likely be premature for the nurse to provide the medical record to the client before communicating with other members of the care team or administrators to ensure policy is followed. This matter is outside the purview of ethics committees because it does not involve a dilemma. The Nurse Practice Act focuses on scope of practice and other regulatory issues, not client rights 6. A charge nurse has discovered that a medication error was made on the previous shift. What is the nurse's best action? a. Share that information with the charge nurse on the previous shift. b. Document the incident and follow it up as per hospital policy. c. Write a memo to the nurse who made the error requesting an incident report be written. d. Document in the client's chart that an incident report will be completed.: ANS: B Feedback: It is the responsibility as manager to immediately document the error according 3 / 18 Test bank Leadership Roles and Management Functions in Nursing: Theory and Application newest 2025/2026 complete questions and detailed answers to hospital policy. Because policies concerning such situations vary, it is vital to know and follow established policies. It is not generally appropriate to make such a note on the client's chart. Speaking to another nurse or manager is not a suflcient response, although this may be one part of the follow-up process. 7. What is the best reason that nurse-managers have an ongoing responsibility to be aware of legislation affecting nursing practice? a. Laws are created by people who are not nurses. b. Laws are fluid and subject to change. c. Awareness will help ensure ethical practice. d. Awareness is included in nursing standards of practice.: ANS: B Feedback: When using doctrines as a guide for nursing practice, the nurse must remember that all laws are fluid and subject to change. Laws are not static. It is the responsibility of each manager to keep abreast of legislation and laws attecting both nursing practice and management practice. It is true that laws are made by people who are not nurses, but this does not necessarily create a need for managers to stay abreast of laws. Standards of practice do not explicitly guide nurses to remain aware of changes in legislation. Awareness is unlikely to have a direct ettect on ethical practice, which is rooted in values and beliefs about what is good 8. The novice nurse can reduce the likelihood of being sued for malpractice by: a. beginning his or her career in a lower acuity setting. b. avoiding performing interventions without a witness present. c. establishing positive, therapeutic relationships with clients and families. d. engaging in lifelong learning.: ANS: C Feedback: It has been shown that despite technical competence, nurses who have diflculty establishing positive interpersonal relationships with patients and their families are at greater risk for being sued. Relationship building is a skill that consequently has the potential to reduce a nurse's risk of a lawsuit. Many malpractice suits originate in lower acuity settings, such as long-term care, so practicing in such an environment may not necessarily reduce the nurse's risk of a lawsuit. It is unrealistic and unnecessary to perform all interventions with a witness, and there is no evidence that this would reduce the risk of a