ATI LPN
Brunner & Suddarth's Textbook of Medical-Surgical Nursing 14e (Hinkle 2017)
Chapter 3 : Critical Thinking, Ethical Decision Making and the Nursing Process Questions
Question 1 of 5
The nurse, in collaboration with the patients family, is determining priorities related to the care of the patient. The nurse explains that it is important to consider the urgency of specific problems when setting priorities. What provides the best framework for prioritizing patient problems?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Maslows hierarchy of needs provides a useful framework for prioritizing problems, with the first level given to meeting physical needs of the patient. Availability of hospital resources, family member statements, and nursing skill do not provide a framework for prioritization of patient problems, though each may be considered.
Question 2 of 5
A medical nurse is caring for a patient who is palliative following metastasis. The nurse is aware of the need to uphold the ethical principle of beneficence. How can the nurse best exemplify this principle in the care of this patient?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Beneficence is the duty to do good and the active promotion of benevolent acts. Enacting the patients wishes around visitors is an example of this. Each of the other nursing actions is consistent with ethical practice, but none directly exemplifies the principle of beneficence.
Question 3 of 5
The care team has deemed the occasional use of restraints necessary in the care of a patient with Alzheimers disease. What ethical violation is most often posed when using restraints in a long-term care setting?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Because safety risks are involved when using restraints on elderly confused patients, this is a common ethical problem, especially in long-term care settings. By definition, restraints limit the individuals autonomy. Restraints are not without risks, but they should not normally limit a patients safety. Restraints will not affect the course of the patients underlying disease process, though they may exacerbate confusion. The use of restraints is closely legislated, but they are not illegal.
Question 4 of 5
While receiving report on a group of patients, the nurse learns that a patient with terminal cancer has granted power of attorney for health care to her brother. How does this affect the course of the patients care?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: A power of attorney is said to be in effect when a patient has identified another individual to make decisions on her behalf. The patient has the right to change her mind. A power-of-attorney for health care does not give anyone the right to make financial decisions for the patient nor does it delegate custody of minor children.
Question 5 of 5
In the process of planning a patients care, the nurse has identified a nursing diagnosis of Ineffective Health Maintenance related to alcohol use. What must precede the determination of this nursing diagnosis?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: In the diagnostic phase of the nursing process, the patients nursing problems are defined through analysis of patient data. Establishing a plan comes after collecting and analyzing data; evaluating a plan is the last step of the nursing process and assigning a positive value to each consequence is not done.