ATI LPN
Timby's Introductory Medical-Surgical Nursing Thirteenth, North American Edition
Chapter 5 : Legal and Ethical Issues Questions
Question 1 of 5
The nurse is caring for an alert and oriented client in the hospital. The client is unhappy with the care the hospital is giving and states they are leaving the hospital. The nurse brings the client a sedative and tells the client that it is for blood pressure to prevent the client from leaving the facility. What type of intentional tort is this nurse guilty of?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: False imprisonment occurs when healthcare workers physically or chemically restrain an individual from leaving a healthcare institution. A nurse cannot detain a competent client who wishes to leave a hospital or long-term care facility before being discharged by the physician. The client may sign an against medical advice form that releases the hospital from liability. Assault is an act that involves a threat or attempt to do bodily harm. Battery is actual physical contact with another person without that person's consent. Invasion of privacy means the failure of the right to expect that the clients and their property will be left alone.
Question 2 of 5
The LPN was assisting a client with a bath, and some of the bathwater spilled on the floor. The nurse assisted the client back to the bed and left the room, forgetting to clean the spill. The client got out of the bed to use the bedside commode and slipped on the water, leading to a hip fracture. What type of unintentional tort may the client sue the nurse for?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Negligence describes the failure to act as a reasonable person would have acted in a similar situation. If harm results from the action, a person may sue that individual for negligence. The nurse was negligent in not cleaning up the spill and caused the client harm. Battery, assault, and false imprisonments are all intentional torts.
Question 3 of 5
The LPN has the responsibility to take the vital signs for a client who had a surgical procedure earlier that day. The blood pressure results were 78/42 mm Hg from a previous 132/74 mm Hg. The LPN documented the results without reporting them to the RN in charge. The client developed shock and died 3 hours later. What type of unintentional tort may the nurse be sued for?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The law defines malpractice as professional negligence. It refers to harm that result from a licensed person's actions or lack of action. A jury must determine if the responsible person's conduct deviated from the standard expected of others with similar education and experience. All other answers are intentional torts.
Question 4 of 5
An LPN is at a community softball game observing the game when a person sitting nearby clutches the chest and falls to the ground. The nurse begins cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and in the process, one of the person's ribs cracks. The client is taken by rescue squad to the hospital and survives a heart attack. What may protect the nurse from this outcome?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Many states have enacted Good Samaritan laws, which provide legal immunity for rescuers who provide first aid to accident victims in an emergency. The law defines an emergency as one occurring outside a hospital, not in an emergency department. Statute of limitations is the designated time in which a person can file a lawsuit. Assumption of risk is if a client is forewarned of a potential safety hazard and chooses to ignore the warning; the court may hold the client responsible. The state board of nursing would not be involved unless the nurse was reported for negligent or care outside of the scope of practice.
Question 5 of 5
The LPN administered a medication to a client reporting pain. When checking the armband and the medication administration record, there were no allergies listed. The client then tells the nurse of having informed the admitting nurse of being allergic to that medication. What documentation on the incident form would be the best option?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Healthcare workers complete incident reports when they make or discover errors or when an event occurs that results in harm. The first option is concise and to the point without any accusation. The LPN's documentation should not accuse the admitting nurse of failure to document. The LPN's documentation should not judge the client's statement nor place blame on the client. The LPN's documentation also should not place the blame on oneself.