Exam (elaborations)
Chapter 12. Ethical Dimensions of Nursing and Health Care
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- West Virginia School Of Osteopathic Medicine
Chapter 12. Ethical Dimensions of Nursing and Health Care
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Chapter 12: Ethical Dimensions of Nursing and Health CareMULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The practicing nurse best understands the concept of ethics to mean
a. acting on what is right in a situation.
b. always doing what patients want.
c. being of good moral character.
d. following strict guidelines for action.
ANS: A
The nurse who practices ethically can analyze ethical conflicts in light of situational variables
to determine what is right and wrong and then act on what is right.
Patients do have the right to make their own decisions, even when they could cause harm, but
being ethical does not mean a blanket approval for the patient to do what he or she wants in
every situation. The patient may not understand the facts of a situation, may be impaired by
drugs or alcohol, or may have cognitive disabilities that preclude full understanding.
Being of good moral character certainly does play into ethical practice, but ethical practice
goes well beyond just a characteristic and requires action.
No strict guidelines exist for ethical behavior, but standards can be used to guide ethical
decision making and action. No one set of guidelines will apply to every situation.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand REF: 224
TOP: Integrated Process: Teaching/Learning
MSC: NCLEX Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
2. A nurse subscribes to the philosophy of deontology. This means the nurse makes decisions
based on
a. cultural competence.
b. equal access.
c. greatest good.
d. perceived duty.
ANS: D
Deontology means acting according to a perceived duty.
Deontology does not denote cultural competence.
Deontology does not denote equal access.
Deontology does not denote working for the greatest good.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Remember REF: 226
TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation
MSC: NCLEX Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
3. A nurse has volunteered to practice in a disaster area in a developing country where supplies
are extremely scarce. Despite bringing large amounts of supplies to the area, the volunteer
group members find they are still very limited. The volunteer group decides to focus on
providing care according to the ethical concept of utilitarianism. Which action by the group
would best fit under this philosophy?
a. Choosing to treat children and pregnant women as priorities
b. Converting vehicles into ambulances for transport to hospitals
, c. Establishing a mobile ventilator unit for critically ill patients
d. Providing clean water, food, shelter, and basic health care
ANS: D
Utilitarianism focuses on doing the greatest good for the largest number of people.
Presumably, the majority of people need fresh water; good food; shelter from the elements;
and basic health care such as wound suturing, immunizations, and antibiotics.
Choosing to treat children and pregnant women as priorities would be acting according to a
perceived duty (assuming these patients are perceived as more “important” somehow), so this
would be more in line with deontology.
Converting vehicles into ambulances for transport to hospitals would not help the largest
number of people, most of whom do not require hospitalization.
Establishing a mobile ventilator unit for critically ill patients would only help a small number
of people.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation
MSC: NCLEX Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
4. A faculty member explains that professional ethics
a. guide behavior based on group consensus.
b. is completely an individual nurse’s concern.
c. is optional in groups considered professions.
d. should not consider the goals of the profession.
ANS: A
Members of a profession come to group consensus on what they consider ethical actions; then
each individual nurse is responsible for making sure his or her practice incorporates these
“good” actions as conceptualized by the group.
Professional ethics, although acted on by individual nurses, reflect the professional group’s
consensus of what is ethical.
One requirement for an occupation to be considered a profession is the existence of a
professional code of conduct that guides the members of that group.
The goals of a profession do partially determine what is considered ethical or nonethical
action.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand REF: 228
TOP: Integrated Process: Teaching/Learning
MSC: NCLEX Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
5. A nursing student is skeptical about the concept of professional ethics even being possible,
much less a requirement for professional practice. Which statement by this student best
justifies this belief?
a. “A group cannot determine what is right in each specific situation.”
b. “Each nurse should be smart enough to determine solutions to issues.”
c. “Ethics are too personal to be dictated by a professional organization.”
d. “There are too many gray areas for any code of ethics to be universally right.”
ANS: D
“There are too many gray areas for any code of ethics to be universally right” is an
understandable statement. Situational variables are innumerable and unique, and they
complicate every situation. There are usually no strict right or wrong answers.
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