Chapter 10: Safeguarding Patient Rights
Keatings: Ethical & Legal Issues in Canadian Nursing, 4th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Which of the following best describes a “right”?
a.
A legal claim or privilege
b.
A claim or privilege to which one is justly entitled, either legally or morally
c.
A claim or privilege that carries no corresponding obligations
d.
The rights of patients are a grey area open to interpretation
ANS: B
Feedback
A Incorrect—Rights are not required to be legally based.
B Correct! A right is a claim or privilege to which one is justly entitled, either
legally or morally.
C Incorrect—A right carries a corresponding obligation. Otherwise, the right loses
its meaning.
D Incorrect—The rights of patients are explicit and clear through standards
contained in professional codes of ethics.
DIF: Cognitive level: Comprehension
2. The nurse is in the process of obtaining informed consent from a patient. Which of the
following best describes thisprocess?
a.
The nurse’s right
b.
The nurse’s autonomy
c.
The nurse’s obligation
d.
The patient’s obligation
ANS: C
Feedback
A Incorrect—This process does not relate to the nurse’s rights.
B Incorrect—This process relates to the patient’s autonomy, not that of the nurse.
C Correct! It is the nurse’s obligation to obtain the patient’s informed consent. The
nurse must ensure that all relevant information has been provided so that the
patient may exercise the right to make an informed consent.
D Incorrect—Although the patient’s informed consent is needed, the patient is not
obligated to give it.
DIF: Cognitive level: Comprehension
3. A patient in the nurse’s care is being investigated for diarrhea. The nurse remembers this
patient from another facility and recalls that he was diagnosed as HIV-positive, but the patient
denies this to the nurse. How should the nurse proceed?
a.
The nurse should do nothing.
b.
The nurse should tell her colleagues to be extra careful when attending to this
, patient.
c.
The nurse should confront and challenge the patient about his dishonesty.
d.
The nurse should report this information to her manager in a private meeting.
ANS: D
Feedback
A Incorrect—This is not the correct action for the nurse to take because it
potentially places others, including the patient, at risk
B Incorrect—The nurse should not discuss this issue with her colleagues because
this would violate the patient’s right to confidentiality. Precautions are already
taken in the care of every patient.
C Incorrect—Rechecking with the patient for clarification of the situation is
acceptable, but challenging and confronting the patient is not, especially because
the nurse could be mistaken in her memory.
D Correct! The nurse should report this situation to her manager in a private
meeting. In many provinces, statute law requires certain patient information and
conditions to be disclosed. For example, many public health laws require public
health care professionals to disclose to their local medical officer of health the
identity of anyone diagnosed with certain communicable or sexually transmitted
diseases, including HIV/AIDS. The nurse’s manager is the most appropriate
person to deal with this situation; he or she will also need to take into
consideration that the nurse’s recollection may be incorrect.
DIF: Cognitive level: Synthesis
4. A patient has requested that certain informationremain confidential. Which of the following
is an exception to maintaining patient confidentiality?
a.
The nurse must disclose the information to the unit manager.
b.
The nurse can disclose to the patient’s family in order validate the accuracy of the
information.
c.
The nurse can disclose the information during morning report.
d.
The nurse must disclose the information if someone is in danger.
ANS: D
Feedback
A Incorrect—In most cases, discussing the matter with anyone violates patient
confidentiality.
B Incorrect—Disclosure to the family may be necessary only to protect the patient
or others from harm. The nurse should seek support from the manager if this
situation arises.
C Incorrect—Confidential information must not be discussed in any report. If the
nurse needs to discuss required information with a particular team member, then
this discussion should take place on a one-on-one basis, not during a verbal
report, when others can hear what is being said. The nurse must disclose to the
patient that this information will be shared.
D Correct! If a patient poses a threat to himself or others, the nurse has an ethical
obligation to report the information to the authorities in the institution and to the
police. Provincial law also requires disclosure in cases of suspected child abuse.
Keatings: Ethical & Legal Issues in Canadian Nursing, 4th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Which of the following best describes a “right”?
a.
A legal claim or privilege
b.
A claim or privilege to which one is justly entitled, either legally or morally
c.
A claim or privilege that carries no corresponding obligations
d.
The rights of patients are a grey area open to interpretation
ANS: B
Feedback
A Incorrect—Rights are not required to be legally based.
B Correct! A right is a claim or privilege to which one is justly entitled, either
legally or morally.
C Incorrect—A right carries a corresponding obligation. Otherwise, the right loses
its meaning.
D Incorrect—The rights of patients are explicit and clear through standards
contained in professional codes of ethics.
DIF: Cognitive level: Comprehension
2. The nurse is in the process of obtaining informed consent from a patient. Which of the
following best describes thisprocess?
a.
The nurse’s right
b.
The nurse’s autonomy
c.
The nurse’s obligation
d.
The patient’s obligation
ANS: C
Feedback
A Incorrect—This process does not relate to the nurse’s rights.
B Incorrect—This process relates to the patient’s autonomy, not that of the nurse.
C Correct! It is the nurse’s obligation to obtain the patient’s informed consent. The
nurse must ensure that all relevant information has been provided so that the
patient may exercise the right to make an informed consent.
D Incorrect—Although the patient’s informed consent is needed, the patient is not
obligated to give it.
DIF: Cognitive level: Comprehension
3. A patient in the nurse’s care is being investigated for diarrhea. The nurse remembers this
patient from another facility and recalls that he was diagnosed as HIV-positive, but the patient
denies this to the nurse. How should the nurse proceed?
a.
The nurse should do nothing.
b.
The nurse should tell her colleagues to be extra careful when attending to this
, patient.
c.
The nurse should confront and challenge the patient about his dishonesty.
d.
The nurse should report this information to her manager in a private meeting.
ANS: D
Feedback
A Incorrect—This is not the correct action for the nurse to take because it
potentially places others, including the patient, at risk
B Incorrect—The nurse should not discuss this issue with her colleagues because
this would violate the patient’s right to confidentiality. Precautions are already
taken in the care of every patient.
C Incorrect—Rechecking with the patient for clarification of the situation is
acceptable, but challenging and confronting the patient is not, especially because
the nurse could be mistaken in her memory.
D Correct! The nurse should report this situation to her manager in a private
meeting. In many provinces, statute law requires certain patient information and
conditions to be disclosed. For example, many public health laws require public
health care professionals to disclose to their local medical officer of health the
identity of anyone diagnosed with certain communicable or sexually transmitted
diseases, including HIV/AIDS. The nurse’s manager is the most appropriate
person to deal with this situation; he or she will also need to take into
consideration that the nurse’s recollection may be incorrect.
DIF: Cognitive level: Synthesis
4. A patient has requested that certain informationremain confidential. Which of the following
is an exception to maintaining patient confidentiality?
a.
The nurse must disclose the information to the unit manager.
b.
The nurse can disclose to the patient’s family in order validate the accuracy of the
information.
c.
The nurse can disclose the information during morning report.
d.
The nurse must disclose the information if someone is in danger.
ANS: D
Feedback
A Incorrect—In most cases, discussing the matter with anyone violates patient
confidentiality.
B Incorrect—Disclosure to the family may be necessary only to protect the patient
or others from harm. The nurse should seek support from the manager if this
situation arises.
C Incorrect—Confidential information must not be discussed in any report. If the
nurse needs to discuss required information with a particular team member, then
this discussion should take place on a one-on-one basis, not during a verbal
report, when others can hear what is being said. The nurse must disclose to the
patient that this information will be shared.
D Correct! If a patient poses a threat to himself or others, the nurse has an ethical
obligation to report the information to the authorities in the institution and to the
police. Provincial law also requires disclosure in cases of suspected child abuse.
