Quiz with Complete Solutions

Nursing Jurisprudence: Legal and

Ethical Considerations NCLEX Practice Quiz with Complete Solutions

In the United States, access to health care usually depends on a client's ability to pay for health care, either through insurance or by paying cash. The client the nurse is caring for needs a liver transplant to survive. This client has been out of work for several months and does not have insurance or enough cash. A discussion about the ethics of this situation would involve

predominantly the principle of:

• Accountability, because you as the nurse are accountable for the well being of this client
• Respect of autonomy, because this client's autonomy will be violated if he does not receive the

liver transplant

• Ethics of care, because the caring thing that a nurse could provide this patient is resources for a

liver transplant

• Justice, because the first and greatest question in this situation is how to determine the just

distribution of resources

• Justice, because the first and greatest question in this situation is how to determine the

just distribution of resources Justice refers to fairness. Health care providers agree to strive for justice in health care. The term often is used during discussions about resources. Decisions about who should receive available organs are always difficult.When the nurse described the client as "that nasty old man in 354," the nurse is exhibiting which ethical dilemma? 1 / 4

• Gender bias and ageism
• HIPPA violation
• Beneficence
• Code of ethics violation
• Gender bias and ageism

Stereotyping an “old man” as “nasty”is a gender bias and an ageism issue. The nurse is verbalizing a negative descriptor about the client.The nurse is working with parents of a seriously ill newborn. Surgery has been proposed for the infant, but the chances of success are unclear. In helping the parents resolve this ethical conflict,

the nurse knows that the first step is:

• Exploring reasonable courses of action
• Collecting all available information about the situation
• Clarifying values related to the cause of the dilemma
• Identifying people who can solve the difficulty
• Collecting all available information about the situation

Which of the following is not included in evaluating the degree of heritage consistency in a client?

• Gender
• Culture
• Ethnicity
• Religion 2 / 4

• Gender

The distribution of nurses to areas of "most need" in the time of a nursing shortage is an example

of:

• Utilitarianism theory
• Deontological theory
• Justice
• Beneficence
• Justice

Justice is defined as the fairness of distribution of resources. However, guidelines for a hierarchy of needs have been established, such as with organ transplantation. Nurses are moved to areas of greatest need when shortages occur on the floors. No floor is left without staff, and another floor that had five staff will give up two to go help the floor that had no staff.

Most litigation in the hospital comes from the:

• Nurse abandoning the clients when going to lunch
• Nurse following an order that is incomplete or incorrect
• Nurse documenting blame on the physician when a mistake is made
• Supervisor watching a new employee check his or her skills level
• Nurse following an order that is incomplete or incorrect

The nurse is responsible for clarifying all orders that are illegible, unreasonable, unsafe, or incorrect. The failure of the nurse to question the physician about an order creates an area of liability on the nurse’s part because this is perceived as a medical action and not the role of the nurse to write orders. Some RNs do have prescriptive privileges based upon advanced degrees 3 / 4

and certification. Therefore the nurse who cannot correct the order must document that the physician was called and clarification or a new order was given to correct the unclear or illegible one that was currently on the chart. Phone calls, follow-up, and lack of follow-up by the physician should also be documented if there is a problem with getting the information in a timely manner. The nurse must show the sequence of events of a situation in a clear manner if there is any conflict or question about any orders or procedures that were not appropriate.Assessments and documentation of the client’s status should also be included if there is a potential risk for harm present. Contact of the staff’s chain of command should also be specifically stated for the proof of the responsibilities being followed according to hospital policy.A client is hospitalized in the end stage of terminal cancer. His family members are sitting at his bedside. What can the nurse do to best aid the family at this time?

• Limit the time visitors may stay so they do not become overwhelmed by the situation
• Avoid telling family members about the client's actual condition so they will not lose hope
• Discourage spiritual practices because this will have little connection to the client at this time
• Find simple and appropriate care activities for the family to perform
• Find simple and appropriate care activities for the family to perform

It is helpful for the nurse to find simple care activities for the family to perform, such as feeding the client, washing the client’s face, combing hair, and filling out the client’s menu. This helps the family demonstrate their caring for the client and enables the client to feel their closeness and concern. a. Older adults often become particularly lonely at night and may feel more secure if a family member stays at the bedside during the night. The nurse should allow visitors to remain

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