ATI RN
Contemporary Ethical Issues in Nursing Questions
Question 1 of 5
A young child is having abdominal pain, and the doctor informs the parents that a computed tomography (CT or CAT) scan of the abdomen will be ordered. The doctor tells the child, "This CAT scan won't hurt you." The child is visibly upset because of a fear of cats. According to Mishel's uncertainty in illness theory, which stage of the framework is represented?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Step 1: The child is upset due to a fear of cats, leading to uncertainty about the situation. Step 2: Mishel's uncertainty in illness theory focuses on how individuals respond to uncertainty in health-related situations. Step 3: In this case, the child's fear of cats creates a misinterpretation of the term "CAT scan." Step 4: This misinterpretation falls under the Stimuli frame stage, where the individual perceives the situation based on external cues. Step 5: Other choices are incorrect as they do not directly address the initial misinterpretation caused by the fear of cats. In summary, choice A is correct because it aligns with Mishel's theory by highlighting the initial stimuli (fear of cats) causing uncertainty in the child's understanding of the situation. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect as they do not address the specific misinterpretation of the term "CAT scan" due to the fear of cats.
Question 2 of 5
A nurse at a school notices that several students have "blisters" on their bodies. Further investigation reveals that a terrorist incident has occurred, causing smallpox. If the chemical, biologic, radiologic, nuclear, and explosive (CBRNE) agent categories are used, this incident would be classified as:
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: biologic. Smallpox is a viral disease caused by the variola virus, making it a biological agent. The virus spreads from person to person through respiratory droplets or contact with infected bodily fluids. The term CBRNE encompasses various types of agents used in terrorism incidents. In this case, the incident involving smallpox falls under the biologic category due to its viral nature, as opposed to chemical (A), radiologic (C), or nuclear (D) agents. Chemical agents involve toxic substances, radiologic agents involve radiation, and nuclear agents involve nuclear materials. In summary, the smallpox incident is categorized as biologic due to the nature of the variola virus.
Question 3 of 5
A client is admitted with chest pain. A series of diagnostic tests are ordered, and the client undergoes coronary artery bypass grafting. The cost of care for this client is increased because of a four-pack-per-day smoking history that resulted in extension of the client's intensive care unit (ICU) stay by 3 days because of respiratory problems. The case manager realizes that under the terms of the diagnosis-related group (DRG) payment system for this diagnosis:
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B. The DRG payment system is a fixed reimbursement amount for a specific diagnosis or procedure. In this case, the cost of care exceeded the DRG reimbursement amount due to the extended ICU stay caused by the client's smoking history. The hospital will only be reimbursed at the set fee specified by the DRG, regardless of the actual cost incurred. Choice A is incorrect because the hospital cannot collect additional fees from the insurance company beyond the DRG reimbursement amount. Choice C is incorrect as the client is not typically held responsible for the additional costs incurred. Choice D is incorrect because physician payment is not directly impacted by the hospital's financial losses. The DRG system focuses on fixed reimbursements based on diagnoses, not individual physician payments.
Question 4 of 5
A group of nurses meet with a state representative to explain the importance of allowing registered nurses the right to sign death certificates for patients who were under their care. As constituents and nurses, they requested that the senator vote against the bill restricting this practice. These nurses are serving as:
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: lobbyists. The nurses are acting as lobbyists by advocating for a specific cause (allowing RNs to sign death certificates) to the state representative. They are not policymakers (B) because they are not directly making decisions or creating policies. They are also not officials with regulatory power (C) as they are not in a position to enforce regulations. Lastly, they are not advocating for the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act (D) specifically in this scenario.
Question 5 of 5
Occupational health nursing features beliefs similar to those of which early nursing pioneer?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Florence Nightingale. Occupational health nursing shares beliefs with Florence Nightingale as she emphasized the importance of proper sanitation, hygiene, and preventive care in nursing practice. Nightingale's focus on maintaining a healthy environment aligns with the core principles of occupational health nursing. Lillian Wald is known for her work in public health nursing, Clara Barton for founding the American Red Cross, and Mary Seacole for her contributions during the Crimean War. While these pioneers made significant contributions to nursing, their beliefs and focus areas differ from those of occupational health nursing.