Ethics & Advocacy - 2026 Professional Nursing Standards:
Exam 2 - Questions with Correct Answers
100 questions
1. Moral agency means:
A. The capacity to make moral judgments and act on them, being accountable for one's actions
B. Following orders without thought
C. Lack of responsibility
D. Legal representation
Correct Answer: A. The capacity to make moral judgments and act on them, being
accountable for one's actions
Rationale: Nurses are moral agents. Organizational constraints can limit agency.
2. The social contract between nursing and society means that:
A. Nurses owe nothing to society
B. Society controls all decisions
C. Nurses work only for employers
D. Society grants nursing authority to practice in exchange for nurses' commitment to serve the
public good
Correct Answer: D. Society grants nursing authority to practice in exchange for nurses'
commitment to serve the public good
Rationale: Nursing's Social Policy Statement describes this contract. Trust must be maintained.
3. Personal religious beliefs in nursing practice:
A. Must be shared with all patients
B. May inform a nurse's values but should not be imposed on patients
C. Override patient wishes
D. Are irrelevant to ethics
Correct Answer: B. May inform a nurse's values but should not be imposed on patients
Rationale: Respect for patients' beliefs is required. Nurses may seek accommodation for
conscience.
,4. Professional ethics differs from personal ethics in that professional ethics:
A. Reflects obligations accepted by members of a profession toward the public
B. Is only personal belief
C. Is optional
D. Applies only outside work
Correct Answer: A. Reflects obligations accepted by members of a profession toward the
public
Rationale: Professions have codes expressing shared values. Members are accountable to
them.
5. Ethical competence in nursing includes:
A. Only legal knowledge
B. Ethical knowledge, sensitivity, reasoning and the courage to act
C. Only compliance
D. Only feelings
Correct Answer: B. Ethical knowledge, sensitivity, reasoning and the courage to act
Rationale: Competence integrates thinking and action. It develops over a career.
6. Narrative ethics focuses on:
A. Statistical analysis
B. Understanding patients' stories to inform ethical decisions
C. Legal precedent only
D. Rules only
Correct Answer: B. Understanding patients' stories to inform ethical decisions
Rationale: Stories reveal values and meaning. Listening improves ethical care.
,7. Utilitarianism (consequentialism) judges actions by:
A. Their outcomes, aiming for the greatest good for the greatest number
B. Adherence to rules alone
C. The actor's character
D. Divine command
Correct Answer: A. Their outcomes, aiming for the greatest good for the greatest number
Rationale: Mill and Bentham are associated with it. Resource allocation often uses utilitarian
reasoning.
8. Natural law theory holds that:
A. Laws are arbitrary
B. Only outcomes matter
C. Morals are invented by individuals
D. Moral principles can be derived from human nature and reason, often linked to religious
traditions
Correct Answer: D. Moral principles can be derived from human nature and reason, often
linked to religious traditions
Rationale: Aquinas is associated with natural law. It underlies some views on end-of-life issues.
9. Coercion undermines autonomy by:
A. Providing information
B. Offering choices
C. Using threats or force to obtain agreement
D. Respecting refusal
Correct Answer: C. Using threats or force to obtain agreement
Rationale: Consent obtained by coercion is invalid. Manipulation also undermines autonomy.
, 10. Conditions necessary for an autonomous decision include:
A. Agreement with the clinician
B. Family approval
C. Insurance coverage
D. Decision-making capacity, adequate information and voluntariness
Correct Answer: D. Decision-making capacity, adequate information and voluntariness
Rationale: Coercion or lack of information undermines autonomy. Nurses help ensure these
conditions.
11. Nonmaleficence is relevant to nursing practice when nurses:
A. Avoid medication errors, prevent pressure injuries and question unsafe orders
B. Prioritize convenience
C. Skip safety checks
D. Ignore risks
Correct Answer: A. Avoid medication errors, prevent pressure injuries and question unsafe
orders
Rationale: Preventing harm is a daily obligation. Safety practices reflect it.
12. Respecting autonomy in culturally diverse patients may include:
A. Asking whether they prefer to involve family in decisions
B. Assuming they want family to decide
C. Ignoring culture
D. Excluding family
Correct Answer: A. Asking whether they prefer to involve family in decisions
Rationale: Some patients choose to delegate decisions. Asking honors their autonomy.
Exam 2 - Questions with Correct Answers
100 questions
1. Moral agency means:
A. The capacity to make moral judgments and act on them, being accountable for one's actions
B. Following orders without thought
C. Lack of responsibility
D. Legal representation
Correct Answer: A. The capacity to make moral judgments and act on them, being
accountable for one's actions
Rationale: Nurses are moral agents. Organizational constraints can limit agency.
2. The social contract between nursing and society means that:
A. Nurses owe nothing to society
B. Society controls all decisions
C. Nurses work only for employers
D. Society grants nursing authority to practice in exchange for nurses' commitment to serve the
public good
Correct Answer: D. Society grants nursing authority to practice in exchange for nurses'
commitment to serve the public good
Rationale: Nursing's Social Policy Statement describes this contract. Trust must be maintained.
3. Personal religious beliefs in nursing practice:
A. Must be shared with all patients
B. May inform a nurse's values but should not be imposed on patients
C. Override patient wishes
D. Are irrelevant to ethics
Correct Answer: B. May inform a nurse's values but should not be imposed on patients
Rationale: Respect for patients' beliefs is required. Nurses may seek accommodation for
conscience.
,4. Professional ethics differs from personal ethics in that professional ethics:
A. Reflects obligations accepted by members of a profession toward the public
B. Is only personal belief
C. Is optional
D. Applies only outside work
Correct Answer: A. Reflects obligations accepted by members of a profession toward the
public
Rationale: Professions have codes expressing shared values. Members are accountable to
them.
5. Ethical competence in nursing includes:
A. Only legal knowledge
B. Ethical knowledge, sensitivity, reasoning and the courage to act
C. Only compliance
D. Only feelings
Correct Answer: B. Ethical knowledge, sensitivity, reasoning and the courage to act
Rationale: Competence integrates thinking and action. It develops over a career.
6. Narrative ethics focuses on:
A. Statistical analysis
B. Understanding patients' stories to inform ethical decisions
C. Legal precedent only
D. Rules only
Correct Answer: B. Understanding patients' stories to inform ethical decisions
Rationale: Stories reveal values and meaning. Listening improves ethical care.
,7. Utilitarianism (consequentialism) judges actions by:
A. Their outcomes, aiming for the greatest good for the greatest number
B. Adherence to rules alone
C. The actor's character
D. Divine command
Correct Answer: A. Their outcomes, aiming for the greatest good for the greatest number
Rationale: Mill and Bentham are associated with it. Resource allocation often uses utilitarian
reasoning.
8. Natural law theory holds that:
A. Laws are arbitrary
B. Only outcomes matter
C. Morals are invented by individuals
D. Moral principles can be derived from human nature and reason, often linked to religious
traditions
Correct Answer: D. Moral principles can be derived from human nature and reason, often
linked to religious traditions
Rationale: Aquinas is associated with natural law. It underlies some views on end-of-life issues.
9. Coercion undermines autonomy by:
A. Providing information
B. Offering choices
C. Using threats or force to obtain agreement
D. Respecting refusal
Correct Answer: C. Using threats or force to obtain agreement
Rationale: Consent obtained by coercion is invalid. Manipulation also undermines autonomy.
, 10. Conditions necessary for an autonomous decision include:
A. Agreement with the clinician
B. Family approval
C. Insurance coverage
D. Decision-making capacity, adequate information and voluntariness
Correct Answer: D. Decision-making capacity, adequate information and voluntariness
Rationale: Coercion or lack of information undermines autonomy. Nurses help ensure these
conditions.
11. Nonmaleficence is relevant to nursing practice when nurses:
A. Avoid medication errors, prevent pressure injuries and question unsafe orders
B. Prioritize convenience
C. Skip safety checks
D. Ignore risks
Correct Answer: A. Avoid medication errors, prevent pressure injuries and question unsafe
orders
Rationale: Preventing harm is a daily obligation. Safety practices reflect it.
12. Respecting autonomy in culturally diverse patients may include:
A. Asking whether they prefer to involve family in decisions
B. Assuming they want family to decide
C. Ignoring culture
D. Excluding family
Correct Answer: A. Asking whether they prefer to involve family in decisions
Rationale: Some patients choose to delegate decisions. Asking honors their autonomy.
