ATI RN
Ethics & Issues in Contemporary Nursing Questions
Question 1 of 9
Students are assigned to write to their state leaders about an issue affecting their community. One student writes about the need among rural community for greater access to acute care services. Which of the following pieces of legislation should the student use as a reference?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Hill-Burton Act. This legislation established a program to provide federal grants for the construction of hospitals and healthcare facilities in underserved areas. It specifically addressed the need to improve access to healthcare services, aligning with the student's concern about acute care services in rural communities. The other choices are incorrect because: A: Social Security Act primarily focuses on social insurance programs; C: Sheppard-Towner Act focused on maternal and child healthcare; D: U.S. Civil Service Act pertains to regulations for federal employees, none of which directly address the issue of access to acute care services in rural communities.
Question 2 of 9
When preparing the education section of a resume:
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D because listing education in reverse chronological order helps emphasize recent and relevant qualifications first. It showcases academic progression and achievements. A is incorrect as high school is typically not included. B is incorrect as including all colleges, even without a degree, can clutter the resume. C is incorrect as omitting the university address may limit the employer's ability to verify information.
Question 3 of 9
A nurse providing care at the bedside receives an "alert" that a patient's stat potassium level is 5 and digoxin (Lanoxin) is scheduled. The nurse holds the medication and prevents a possible complication. This feature of the Electronic Health Record is available through which core function of EHR?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Decision support. In this scenario, the nurse received an alert regarding a potential drug interaction between the patient's potassium level and the scheduled digoxin. Decision support in EHR provides real-time clinical guidance to healthcare providers, helping them make informed decisions to improve patient safety. Holding the medication in response to the alert demonstrates the effective use of decision support to prevent adverse drug events. Choices A, C, and D do not directly relate to the situation described and do not involve the clinical decision-making support provided by EHRs.
Question 4 of 9
A nurse gives Dilantin intravenously with lactated Ringer's solution containing multivitamins. The drug precipitates and obstructs the only existing line. When the team leader informs the nurse that these drugs cannot be mixed, the nurse states, "Everyone just pushes the medicine slowly. No one checks for compatibility. There isn't even a compatibility chart on the unit." Which type of logical fallacy has influenced the nurse?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Appeal to common practice. The nurse's argument that "everyone just pushes the medicine slowly" and that "no one checks for compatibility" is based on the common practice in the unit rather than on scientific evidence or guidelines. This logical fallacy assumes that just because something is commonly done, it must be correct. In this case, the nurse is disregarding the importance of checking drug compatibility and following proper protocols. Incorrect choices: A: Ad hominem abusive - This choice involves attacking the person making the argument rather than addressing the argument itself, which is not evident in the scenario. C: Appeal to emotion - This choice would involve using emotions to manipulate the audience rather than relying on logic or evidence, which is not the case in the scenario. D: Appeal to tradition - This choice would involve arguing that something is right or good because it has been done that way for a long time, which is not explicitly stated in the scenario.
Question 5 of 9
Medicare would be responsible for: (select all that apply)
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A because Medicare covers hospital stays for individuals aged 65 and older, which would include a 70-year-old client. Choice B is incorrect because Medicare typically covers dialysis for individuals with end-stage renal disease, not nursing home costs. Choice C is incorrect because Medicare does not typically cover rehabilitation care for individuals under 65. Choice D is incorrect because AFDC is a separate program from Medicare that provides assistance for low-income families, and prescription costs for the young mother would likely be covered under a different program.
Question 6 of 9
A nurse is heard making this comment, "I believe human dignity is based on perceived self-worth while caring is based on perceived role in society that forms the basis of nursing practice." This nurse is:
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Step-by-step rationale for why answer choice D is correct: 1. The nurse's statement suggests a proposition concerning the constructs of nursing practice, linking human dignity and caring to nursing roles. 2. The nurse is not demonstrating a model of human dignity (A), as they are discussing the relationship between human dignity and nursing practice, not modeling it. 3. The nurse is not evaluating the relevance of Leininger's Theory (B), as the statement does not mention cultural care theory, which is central to Leininger's work. 4. The nurse is not applying Mishel's Theory of Disease Uncertainty (C), as the statement does not discuss uncertainty in illness situations, which is the focus of Mishel's theory. In summary, answer choice D is correct because the nurse is making a proposition regarding the constructs of nursing practice based on the relationship between human dignity and caring in nursing roles.
Question 7 of 9
The primary purpose of the Social Security Act of 1935 was to:
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: ensure health care for older adults through a national insurance system. The Social Security Act of 1935 established social insurance programs to provide financial support for retired and elderly individuals. This was done through the implementation of Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance. The Act aimed to address the economic insecurity faced by older adults and their families by providing a safety net through a national insurance system. Incorrect answers: A: Increasing research on minority groups was not the primary purpose of the Social Security Act of 1935. B: Providing medical care for chemically impaired persons was not the primary focus of the Act. D: Decreasing the public's financial burden by limiting services offered by local health departments was not the primary goal of the Act.
Question 8 of 9
In the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) examination test plan, client needs form the organizing framework of the examination with questions in four categories: safe and effective care environment, health promotion and maintenance, psychosocial integrity, and physiologic integrity. Certain processes are then integrated throughout the categories of client needs. Which process is integrated into all client need categories?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: 1. Infection control is crucial in ensuring safe and effective care for all clients. 2. Infection control measures are essential in preventing the spread of infections in healthcare settings. 3. Infection control is relevant in promoting and maintaining health by preventing illness. 4. Psychosocial integrity can be compromised by infections, making infection control important in this category. 5. Physiologic integrity involves preventing and managing infections through proper protocols. 6. While teaching/learning, health promotion, and pharmacology are important, they are not integrated into all client need categories like infection control.
Question 9 of 9
Three illegal immigrants with no health insurance or money sustained life-threatening injuries during an automobile accident. Two of these individuals had head trauma and lacerated internal organs. The decision was made to provide extended care in the trauma center after emergency surgery was performed to save their lives. The third individual received only minor injuries, which were treated in the emergency department. The care of the two critical clients was based on the ethical principle of:
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: utilitarianism. Utilitarianism is an ethical principle that focuses on maximizing overall well-being and minimizing harm. In this scenario, the decision to provide extended care to the two critical individuals with life-threatening injuries aligns with utilitarianism as it prioritizes saving the most lives and reducing suffering. By choosing to allocate resources to those with the most severe injuries, the healthcare providers are aiming to maximize the overall benefit to society. Summary of why the other choices are incorrect: B: Deontology focuses on following rules and duties regardless of the consequences. In this case, the decision to provide care based on severity of injuries goes against a strict deontological approach. C: Autonomy emphasizes respecting individuals' rights to make their own decisions about their care, which is not the primary consideration in this scenario. D: Veracity pertains to honesty and truthfulness in communication, which is not directly relevant to the decision-making process in this healthcare scenario.