ATI LPN
Legal and Ethical Issues in Healthcare Questions
Question 1 of 5
A 3-month-old has been admitted to the hospital with a newly diagnosed ventricular septal defect. She is in early congestive heart failure and digoxin is indicated. After discussing the proper dose with the attending physician, you write an order for the drug. Thirty minutes later the baby vomits and then has a cardiac arrest and dies. You discover that in writing the digoxin order you misplaced the decimal point and the child got 10 times too much digoxin. What is your duty here?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Honesty and an apology are owed to the family for such a serious error, regardless of potential legal consequences.
Question 2 of 5
A 35-year-old woman established primary care at a clinic 3 months ago. Last month, she arrived unannounced, urgently requesting to see the same physician. Due to a cancellation, she was seen later that day for the complaint of a rash on her chest. The male physician completed a thorough but unremarkable physical examination in the presence of a female nurse practitioner. Two weeks later, the patient comes to the same physician's office at closing time and without an appointment. She complains of 'needing to talk to the doctor immediately about a private matter.' She informs the receptionist that it is 'absolutely critical' for her to be seen and examined for similar skin complaints that seem to 'come and go' and 'itch frequently.' The patient is calm but insists that an appointment with the female nurse practitioner is not acceptable and instead requests to see the physician privately, without the presence of another staff member. Which of the following would be the most appropriate initial response by the physician?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Boundary issues suggest maintaining professional distance by requiring scheduled appointments with staff present.
Question 3 of 5
Laws developed by elected legislative bodies
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Statutory law refers to laws that are created and enacted by elected legislative bodies, such as Congress or Parliament. These laws are written down and codified, making them official and enforceable. They are usually created to address specific issues or regulate certain activities within a society. Unlike common law, which is developed through court decisions, statutory law is passed through a formal legislative process. Regulatory law, on the other hand, refers to rules and regulations set by administrative agencies to implement statutory law.
Question 4 of 5
This is a serious crime that has a penalty of imprisonment of more than 1 year or even death
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: A felony is the correct answer because it refers to a serious crime that carries a penalty of imprisonment for more than 1 year or even death. It is a category of crime that is more severe than a misdemeanor and is often associated with offenses such as murder, rape, or robbery. Unlike civil or criminal offenses, a felony is a specific type of criminal offense that carries severe consequences.
Question 5 of 5
A wrong committed by an individual against a person or their property that is heard by a civil court and is punishable by the state, must pay for damages, and rarely includes imprisonment.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: A tort is a wrong committed by an individual against a person or their property. It is heard by a civil court and is punishable by the state. The person responsible for the tort must pay for damages caused, but it rarely includes imprisonment.