Chapter 02: Ethical Theories: Their Meaning for Nursing
Keatings: Ethical & Legal Issues in Canadian Nursing, 4th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. How may ethics be best described?
a. The philosophical study of morality
b. The process of value clarification
c. The beliefs and norms of a society
d. The application of ethical principles to moral issues
ANS: A
Feedback
A Correct! Ethics, the philosophical study of morality, is a comprehensive
approach to the systematic exploration of what is morally right and wrong.
B Incorrect—Value clarification is a process through which individuals come to
understand the values they hold and the relative importance of each of these
values and hence come to understand the various and shared perspectives they
hold.
C Incorrect—The beliefs and norms of a society influence ethical perspectives and
are explored in the study of ethics.
D Incorrect—Applying ethical principles to moral issues helps provide frameworks
for ethical decision making and is a component of the study of ethics.
DIF: Cognitive level: Knowledge
2. Which of the following is the focus of normative ethics?
a. The analysis of morality without taking a moral position
b. The question of what is right or wrong
c. Explaining how moral attitudes and beliefs differ from person to person
d. Distinguishing between what is normal and what is not
ANS: B
Feedback
A Incorrect—This is a focus of descriptive ethics.
B Correct! Normative ethics focuses on the reasons, principles, or arguments that
guide decisions about what is right and wrong. Basic principles and virtues are
identified to guide morality and provide coherent, systematic, and justifiable
answers to moral questions.
C Incorrect—A person’s differing moral attitudes and beliefs help to shape his or
her personal values; and influence views about what is right or wrong.
D Incorrect—People’s ideas of normal and abnormal could be based on values, but
these distinctions are not necessarily ethical.
DIF: Cognitive level: Comprehension
, 3. Which of the following fields of ethics applies ethical theories and principles to actual moral
problems?
a. Philosophical ethics
b. Biomedical ethics
c. Nursing ethics
d. Applied ethics
ANS: D
Feedback
A Incorrect—Ethics in general is a philosophical study.
B Incorrect—Biomedical ethics explores moral issues and ethical questions
associated with health care.
C Incorrect—Nursing ethics focuses on moral questions within all domains of
nursing.
D Correct! Applied ethics is a specific field of ethics where theories and principles
are applied to actual moral problems to assist in guiding decision making.
DIF: Cognitive level: Knowledge
4. Which of the following exists when mutually exclusive alternatives can both be supported by
strong moral reasons?
a. Moral distress
b. An ethical dilemma
c. A value conflict
d. An ethical violation
ANS: B
Feedback
A Incorrect—Moral distress results when a person is faced with ethical issues or
conflicting values and cannot deal effectively with them or is obstructed from
doing so.
B Correct! An ethical dilemma arises when the best course of action is unclear and
there are strong moral reasons supporting each opposing position.
C Incorrect—A value conflict occurs when people encounter other individuals or
groups whose value system are in conflict with their own.
D Incorrect—An ethical violation occurs when actions and behaviours contradict
what is clearly the right action or fail to meet an ethical standard or code of
ethics.
DIF: Cognitive level: Comprehension
5. What is the result when a nurse believes that a course of action is correct, but is prevented
(e.g., through a law or policy) from carrying out that action or influencing the decision,
resulting in feelings of guilt?
a. An ethical dilemma
b. Moral distress
c. Ethical reasoning
d. Moral irresponsibility
Keatings: Ethical & Legal Issues in Canadian Nursing, 4th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. How may ethics be best described?
a. The philosophical study of morality
b. The process of value clarification
c. The beliefs and norms of a society
d. The application of ethical principles to moral issues
ANS: A
Feedback
A Correct! Ethics, the philosophical study of morality, is a comprehensive
approach to the systematic exploration of what is morally right and wrong.
B Incorrect—Value clarification is a process through which individuals come to
understand the values they hold and the relative importance of each of these
values and hence come to understand the various and shared perspectives they
hold.
C Incorrect—The beliefs and norms of a society influence ethical perspectives and
are explored in the study of ethics.
D Incorrect—Applying ethical principles to moral issues helps provide frameworks
for ethical decision making and is a component of the study of ethics.
DIF: Cognitive level: Knowledge
2. Which of the following is the focus of normative ethics?
a. The analysis of morality without taking a moral position
b. The question of what is right or wrong
c. Explaining how moral attitudes and beliefs differ from person to person
d. Distinguishing between what is normal and what is not
ANS: B
Feedback
A Incorrect—This is a focus of descriptive ethics.
B Correct! Normative ethics focuses on the reasons, principles, or arguments that
guide decisions about what is right and wrong. Basic principles and virtues are
identified to guide morality and provide coherent, systematic, and justifiable
answers to moral questions.
C Incorrect—A person’s differing moral attitudes and beliefs help to shape his or
her personal values; and influence views about what is right or wrong.
D Incorrect—People’s ideas of normal and abnormal could be based on values, but
these distinctions are not necessarily ethical.
DIF: Cognitive level: Comprehension
, 3. Which of the following fields of ethics applies ethical theories and principles to actual moral
problems?
a. Philosophical ethics
b. Biomedical ethics
c. Nursing ethics
d. Applied ethics
ANS: D
Feedback
A Incorrect—Ethics in general is a philosophical study.
B Incorrect—Biomedical ethics explores moral issues and ethical questions
associated with health care.
C Incorrect—Nursing ethics focuses on moral questions within all domains of
nursing.
D Correct! Applied ethics is a specific field of ethics where theories and principles
are applied to actual moral problems to assist in guiding decision making.
DIF: Cognitive level: Knowledge
4. Which of the following exists when mutually exclusive alternatives can both be supported by
strong moral reasons?
a. Moral distress
b. An ethical dilemma
c. A value conflict
d. An ethical violation
ANS: B
Feedback
A Incorrect—Moral distress results when a person is faced with ethical issues or
conflicting values and cannot deal effectively with them or is obstructed from
doing so.
B Correct! An ethical dilemma arises when the best course of action is unclear and
there are strong moral reasons supporting each opposing position.
C Incorrect—A value conflict occurs when people encounter other individuals or
groups whose value system are in conflict with their own.
D Incorrect—An ethical violation occurs when actions and behaviours contradict
what is clearly the right action or fail to meet an ethical standard or code of
ethics.
DIF: Cognitive level: Comprehension
5. What is the result when a nurse believes that a course of action is correct, but is prevented
(e.g., through a law or policy) from carrying out that action or influencing the decision,
resulting in feelings of guilt?
a. An ethical dilemma
b. Moral distress
c. Ethical reasoning
d. Moral irresponsibility
