Galen College NU 180 Exam 2 (pdf) | 2026/2027 | Nursing and
Healthcare II Q&A | Nursing
1. Which ethical principle is demonstrated when a nurse respects a
competent patient's decision to refuse a life-saving blood transfusion?
A) Beneficence
B) Autonomy
C) Justice
D) Non-maleficence
Correct Answer: Autonomy
Rationale: Autonomy upholds the patient's right to self-determination and to
make informed decisions about their own care, even when those choices
conflict with medical advice. Beneficence is doing good, justice is fairness,
and non-maleficence is avoiding harm.
2. The legal duties and scope of practice for a registered nurse in a specific
state are primarily determined by which document?
A) The ANA Code of Ethics
B) The Nurse Practice Act of that state
C) The NCSBN Model Rules
D) The facility's policy and procedure manual
Correct Answer: The Nurse Practice Act of that state
Rationale: Each state's Nurse Practice Act defines the legal boundaries of
nursing practice, establishes licensure requirements, and grants authority to
the Board of Nursing to enforce regulations. It is the most important legal
document for nursing practice in that jurisdiction.
,3. A nurse threatens to give an injection to a patient who refuses it. The
nurse has committed which legal violation?
A) Battery
B) Assault
C) Negligence
D) Malpractice
Correct Answer: Assault
Rationale: Assault is the intentional threat of unwanted physical contact,
causing the patient to fear being touched. Battery would occur if the
injection were actually given. Negligence and malpractice involve failure to
meet standards of care.
4. Which finding requires immediate follow-up when assessing a patient
receiving continuous enteral feeding?
A) Bowel sounds present in all quadrants
B) Gastric residual volume of 150 mL
C) Complaints of nausea and vomiting
D) pH of gastric aspirate of 3.0
Correct Answer: Complaints of nausea and vomiting
Rationale: Nausea and vomiting during enteral feeding may indicate
intolerance, high residual, or aspiration risk. The feeding should be stopped
immediately, the patient assessed, and the provider notified. A gastric pH of
3.0 is normal.
5. The nurse discusses the patient's condition on the phone with the patient's
brother. On learning this, the patient is upset, saying he has not spoken with
,his brother for years and does not want his brother to know anything about
his condition. The nurse has:
A) Acted appropriately by including family
B) Breached confidentiality
C) Followed HIPAA guidelines
D) Protected the patient's privacy
Correct Answer: Breached confidentiality
Rationale: Confidentiality and privacy are protected by HIPAA. The nurse
cannot share patient information without the patient's explicit consent, even
with family members, unless the patient has authorized it.
6. A purely task-centered leadership style that thrives on power and involves
telling someone what to do, with little regard for the employee as a person,
is which style?
A) Democratic
B) Laissez-faire
C) Autocratic
D) Transformational
Correct Answer: Autocratic
Rationale: An autocratic leadership style is task-centered and thrives on
power, involving telling others what to do with little regard for the employee
as a person. Democratic leadership involves collaboration, and laissez-faire
involves minimal direction.
7. An example of statutory law is:
, A) The ANA Code of Ethics
B) The Nurse Practice Act
C) Hospital policy
D) Institutional procedure
Correct Answer: The Nurse Practice Act
Rationale: The Nurse Practice Act is an example of statutory law. Statutory
law is written and enacted by legislative bodies. The ANA Code of Ethics is
not law, and hospital policies and procedures are not statutory.
8. What is the definition of ethics?
A) Laws governing nursing practice
B) The study of what is right and wrong in human conduct
C) Hospital policies and procedures
D) Legal standards of care
Correct Answer: The study of what is right and wrong in human conduct
Rationale: Ethics is the study of what is right and wrong in human conduct. It
provides a framework for making moral decisions. Laws are formal rules
enforced by government, while ethics are moral principles that guide
behavior.
9. In which situation would the LPN/LVN charge nurse be in violation of OBRA
provisions?
A) Assigning tasks according to staff skill levels
B) Letting the unit secretary take a verbal order from a physician
C) Ensuring resident rights are protected
Healthcare II Q&A | Nursing
1. Which ethical principle is demonstrated when a nurse respects a
competent patient's decision to refuse a life-saving blood transfusion?
A) Beneficence
B) Autonomy
C) Justice
D) Non-maleficence
Correct Answer: Autonomy
Rationale: Autonomy upholds the patient's right to self-determination and to
make informed decisions about their own care, even when those choices
conflict with medical advice. Beneficence is doing good, justice is fairness,
and non-maleficence is avoiding harm.
2. The legal duties and scope of practice for a registered nurse in a specific
state are primarily determined by which document?
A) The ANA Code of Ethics
B) The Nurse Practice Act of that state
C) The NCSBN Model Rules
D) The facility's policy and procedure manual
Correct Answer: The Nurse Practice Act of that state
Rationale: Each state's Nurse Practice Act defines the legal boundaries of
nursing practice, establishes licensure requirements, and grants authority to
the Board of Nursing to enforce regulations. It is the most important legal
document for nursing practice in that jurisdiction.
,3. A nurse threatens to give an injection to a patient who refuses it. The
nurse has committed which legal violation?
A) Battery
B) Assault
C) Negligence
D) Malpractice
Correct Answer: Assault
Rationale: Assault is the intentional threat of unwanted physical contact,
causing the patient to fear being touched. Battery would occur if the
injection were actually given. Negligence and malpractice involve failure to
meet standards of care.
4. Which finding requires immediate follow-up when assessing a patient
receiving continuous enteral feeding?
A) Bowel sounds present in all quadrants
B) Gastric residual volume of 150 mL
C) Complaints of nausea and vomiting
D) pH of gastric aspirate of 3.0
Correct Answer: Complaints of nausea and vomiting
Rationale: Nausea and vomiting during enteral feeding may indicate
intolerance, high residual, or aspiration risk. The feeding should be stopped
immediately, the patient assessed, and the provider notified. A gastric pH of
3.0 is normal.
5. The nurse discusses the patient's condition on the phone with the patient's
brother. On learning this, the patient is upset, saying he has not spoken with
,his brother for years and does not want his brother to know anything about
his condition. The nurse has:
A) Acted appropriately by including family
B) Breached confidentiality
C) Followed HIPAA guidelines
D) Protected the patient's privacy
Correct Answer: Breached confidentiality
Rationale: Confidentiality and privacy are protected by HIPAA. The nurse
cannot share patient information without the patient's explicit consent, even
with family members, unless the patient has authorized it.
6. A purely task-centered leadership style that thrives on power and involves
telling someone what to do, with little regard for the employee as a person,
is which style?
A) Democratic
B) Laissez-faire
C) Autocratic
D) Transformational
Correct Answer: Autocratic
Rationale: An autocratic leadership style is task-centered and thrives on
power, involving telling others what to do with little regard for the employee
as a person. Democratic leadership involves collaboration, and laissez-faire
involves minimal direction.
7. An example of statutory law is:
, A) The ANA Code of Ethics
B) The Nurse Practice Act
C) Hospital policy
D) Institutional procedure
Correct Answer: The Nurse Practice Act
Rationale: The Nurse Practice Act is an example of statutory law. Statutory
law is written and enacted by legislative bodies. The ANA Code of Ethics is
not law, and hospital policies and procedures are not statutory.
8. What is the definition of ethics?
A) Laws governing nursing practice
B) The study of what is right and wrong in human conduct
C) Hospital policies and procedures
D) Legal standards of care
Correct Answer: The study of what is right and wrong in human conduct
Rationale: Ethics is the study of what is right and wrong in human conduct. It
provides a framework for making moral decisions. Laws are formal rules
enforced by government, while ethics are moral principles that guide
behavior.
9. In which situation would the LPN/LVN charge nurse be in violation of OBRA
provisions?
A) Assigning tasks according to staff skill levels
B) Letting the unit secretary take a verbal order from a physician
C) Ensuring resident rights are protected
