ATI LPN
Foundations and Adult Health Nursing Test Bank
Chapter 2 : Legal and Ethical Aspects of Nursing Questions
Question 1 of 5
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?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: 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.
Question 2 of 5
A nurse fails to irrigate a feeding tube as ordered resulting in harm to the patient. This nurse could be found guilty of:
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: 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.
Question 3 of 5
Patients have expectations regarding the health care services they receive. To protect these expectations which of the following has become law?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Patients have expectations regarding the health care services they receive. In 1972, the American Hospital Association (AH
A) developed the Patient's Bill of Rights. The Self-Determination Act, American Hospital Association's Standards of Care, and The Joint Commission's rights and responsibilities do not address patients' expectations regarding health care.
Question 4 of 5
The nurse is preparing the patient for a thoracentesis. What must be completed before the procedure may be performed?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The doctrine of informed consent refers to full disclosure of the facts the patient needs to make an intelligent (informed) decision before any invasive treatment or procedure is performed. A physical assessment, interview, and surgical checklist are not required before this procedure.
Question 5 of 5
When a nurse protects the information in a patient's record what ethical responsibility is the nurse fulfilling?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The nurse has an ethical and legal duty to protect information about a patient and preserve confidentiality. Some disclosures are legal and anticipated, and may not be subject to the rules of confidentiality. None of the information in a chart is considered secret.