Exam (elaborations)
Chapter 2 Legal and Ethical Aspects of Nursing
- Course
- Nursing
- Institution
- Western Piedmont Community College
Chapter 2 Legal and Ethical Aspects of Nursing
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Chapter 2: Legal and Ethical Aspects of NursingMULTIPLE CHOICE
1. When a nurse becomes involved in a legal action, the first step to occur is that a document is
filed in an appropriate court. What is this document called?
a. Deposition
b. Appeal
c. Complaint
d. Summons
ANS: C
A document called a complaint is filed in an appropriate court as the first step in litigation. A
deposition is when witnesses are required to undergo questioning by the attorneys. An appeal
is a request for a review of a decision by a higher court. A summons is a court order that
notifies the defendant of the legal action.
PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Knowledge REF: Page 23
OBJ: 1 TOP: Legal KEY: Nursing Process Step: N/A
MSC: NCLEX: N/A
2. The nurse caring for a patient in the acute care setting assumes responsibility for a patient‘s
care. What is this legally binding situation?
a. Nurse-patient relationship
b. Accountability
c. Advocacy
d. Standard of care
ANS: A
When the nurse assumes responsibility for a patient‘s care, the nurse-patient relationship is
formed. This is a legally binding ―contract‖ for which the nurse must take responsibility.
Accountability is being responsible for one‘s own actions. An advocate is one who defends or
pleads a cause or issue on behalf of another. Standards of care define acts whose performance
is required, permitted, or prohibited.
PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Comprehension REF: Page 24
OBJ: 3 TOP: Legal KEY: Nursing Process Step: N/A
MSC: NCLEX: N/A
3. What are the universal guidelines that define appropriate measures for all nursing
interventions?
a. Scope of practice
b. Advocacy
c. Standard of care
d. Prudent practice
ANS: C
, Standards of care define actions that are permitted or prohibited in most nursing interventions.
These standards are accepted as legal guidelines for appropriateness of performance. The laws
that formally define and limit the scope of nursing practice are called nurse practice acts. An
advocate is one who defends or pleads a cause or issue on behalf of another. Prudent is a term
that refers to careful and/or wise practice.
PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Knowledge REF: Page 25
OBJ: 4 TOP: Legal KEY: Nursing Process Step: N/A
MSC: NCLEX: N/A
4. An LPN/LVN is asked by the RN to administer an IV chemotherapeutic agent to a patient in
the acute care setting. What law should this nurse refer to before initiating this intervention?
a. Standards of care
b. Regulation of practice
c. American Nurses‘ Association Code
d. Nurse practice act
ANS: D
It is the nurse‘s responsibility to know the nurse practice act in his or her state. Standards of
care, regulation of practice, and the American Nurses‘ code are not laws that the nurse should
refer to before initiating this treatment.
PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: Page 25
OBJ: 5 TOP: Legal KEY: Nursing Process Step: N/A
MSC: NCLEX: N/A
5. A nurse fails to irrigate a feeding tube as ordered, resulting in harm to the patient. This nurse
could be found guilty of:
a. malpractice.
b. harm to the patient.
c. negligence.
d. failure to follow the nurse practice act.
ANS: A
The nurse can be held liable for malpractice for acts of omission. Failure to meet a legal duty,
thus causing harm to another, is malpractice. The nurse practice act has general guidelines that
can support the charge of malpractice.
PTS: 1 DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: Pages 22-23
OBJ: 2 TOP: Legal KEY: Nursing Process Step: N/A
MSC: NCLEX: N/A
6. Patients have expectations regarding the health care services they receive. To protect these
expectations, which of the following has become law?
a. American Hospital Association‘s Patient‘s Bill of Rights
b. Self-determination act
c. American Hospital Association‘s Standards of Care
d. The Joint Commission‘s rights and responsibilities of patients
ANS: A
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