ATI LPN
Psychiatric Nursing: Contemporary Practice 6th Edition
Chapter 6 : Ethics, Standards, and Nursing Frameworks Questions
Question 1 of 5
A nursing instructor has prepared a lecture about the scope and standards of practice of psychiatric nurses. The instructor determines that the teaching was effective when the students identify which of the following as common to both basic and advanced level practice?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Case management is a core function in psychiatric nursing, common to both basic and advanced practice levels, as it involves coordinating care to meet patient needs. Program development, clinical supervision, and community interventions are typically advanced practice functions, requiring specialized skills or leadership roles.
Question 2 of 5
A nurse is working on developing ways to meet the challenge of knowledge development. Which of the following would be most appropriate?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Knowledge development in nursing involves staying updated with current evidence and practices. Continuing education programs directly address this by providing access to new research and clinical advancements. The other options focus on improving access, reducing stigma, or providing care, which are important but not directly tied to knowledge development.
Question 3 of 5
A 22-year-old patient with schizophrenia is refusing his antipsychotic medication. He states, 'I don?t like the dopey way it makes me feel. I feel like I?m walking under water when I take it.' The nurse explains to him, 'Your schizophrenia is caused by a chemical imbalance in your brain, and this medication helps fix that chemical imbalance. You need to take it so your symptoms will get better.' This conversation reflects a conflict between which two types of ethical principles?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The patient?s refusal of medication reflects autonomy (self-determination), while the nurse?s insistence on medication to improve symptoms reflects beneficence (acting for the patient?s benefit). This creates an ethical conflict, as the nurse?s approach prioritizes the patient?s well-being over their right to choose. The other options do not accurately capture this dynamic: justice involves fairness, paternalism involves overriding autonomy, veracity involves truthfulness, and nonmaleficence involves avoiding harm.
Question 4 of 5
A nurse is faced with an ethical dilemma involving a patient. Which question would be most important for the nurse to ask first when engaging in the process of ethical decision making?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Ethical decision-making begins with gathering facts to understand the situation fully, making 'What do I know about the situation?' the most important first question. This ensures decisions are based on accurate information. While feelings, assumptions, and patient values are important, they are secondary to establishing the factual context.
Question 5 of 5
A psychiatric-mental health nurse is adhering to the standards of practice. When engaging in clinical decision making, the nurse is integrating which of the following as the foundation?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The nursing process (assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, evaluation) is the foundational framework for clinical decision-making in psychiatric-mental health nursing, ensuring systematic and evidence-based care. Developmental issues inform care but are not the foundation, while commitment and accountability are professional qualities, not decision-making frameworks.