ATI RN
Ethics and Issues in Contemporary Nursing PDF Questions
Question 1 of 9
The nursing executive team met to review last year's productivity metric to strategize for the upcoming year's metric. The team wants to be certain the productivity metric shows productivity was:
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: balanced. In a professional setting, a balanced productivity metric indicates that productivity was at an optimal level, not too high or too low. This implies that the team wants to ensure that productivity was neither excessively high nor low, but rather appropriately managed. Option A (high) and B (low) are incorrect as they represent extreme ends of the spectrum, which may not accurately reflect the desired productivity level. Option D (iterative) is incorrect because it refers to a process of repetition and refinement, which is not directly related to the level of productivity achieved. Therefore, the most suitable choice in this context is C: balanced, as it aligns with the team's goal of maintaining an optimal level of productivity.
Question 2 of 9
An older adult client is comatose and had one electroencephalogram that indicated no activity. The daughter is very distraught and notices her mother's hand moves when she is talking to her. The daughter asks the nurse, "Is mother responding to my voice?" The nurse, attempting to console the daughter, knows the movement was involuntary but states, "It does appear she did." The nurse is violating which principle of ethics?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Veracity. Veracity refers to the principle of truthfulness and honesty in communication. In this scenario, the nurse knowingly provides false information to the daughter by stating that the mother is responding to her voice when the movement was actually involuntary. By not being truthful, the nurse violates the principle of veracity. Autonomy (A) is the right of individuals to make their own decisions. Utilitarianism (C) focuses on the greatest good for the greatest number of people. Deontology (D) is an ethical theory based on rules and duties. These principles are not directly related to the nurse's dishonesty in this situation.
Question 3 of 9
During orientation, an RN learns that LPN/LVNs in the facility receive additional training to perform some tasks such as hanging continuously infusing intravenous fluids that have no additives. It is important for the RN to understand that:
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Rationale for Correct Answer (B - LPN/LVNs are licensed, and accountability for their own practice rests with each LPN/LVN): 1. LPN/LVNs are licensed professionals, accountable for their own scope of practice as outlined by the state nursing board. 2. Accountability ensures that LPN/LVNs are responsible for their actions and decisions in providing patient care. 3. LPN/LVNs must adhere to the state's nursing practice act and regulations, ensuring safe and competent care delivery. Summary of Incorrect Choices: A: The health care facility cannot override the state practice act as licensure requirements are set by the state nursing board. C: UAPs, although important in the care team, do not have the same level of accountability as licensed nurses. D: The nurse practice act and state regulations related to delegation are essential in guiding delegation practices, but they do not necessarily override organization policies.
Question 4 of 9
Political action committees (PACs) are established for the purpose of:
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: financially supporting candidates. PACs are established to raise and spend money to support candidates for political office. They can donate funds to candidates' campaigns, run independent expenditure campaigns, and engage in other activities to influence elections. This is the primary purpose of PACs. Other choices are incorrect: B: While PACs may aim to persuade policymakers to support certain policies, their main function is to support candidates financially. C: While lobbying legislators is a common activity PACs engage in, their main purpose is to financially support candidates. D: Recommending health care policy is not the primary purpose of PACs, as their main role is to support political candidates.
Question 5 of 9
A nurse is removing a saturated dressing from an abdominal incision and must cut the tape to remove the dressing. The nurse accidentally cuts the sutures holding the incision, and evisceration occurs. In quality improvement, this incident is best identified as a:
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: sentinel event. A sentinel event is an unexpected occurrence involving death or serious physical or psychological harm to a patient. In this scenario, the accidental cutting of sutures leading to evisceration constitutes a serious harm to the patient, making it a sentinel event. This event requires immediate investigation, analysis, and implementation of preventive measures to ensure patient safety. A: Root cause refers to the underlying reason for a problem, not the event itself. C: Variation in performance is related to inconsistencies in processes, not a specific critical incident like evisceration. D: Causal factor is a contributing element to an event, but it does not capture the severity and significance of a sentinel event like evisceration.
Question 6 of 9
A group of nurses are meeting to decide how to staff the upcoming holidays. Each of the four members freely expresses thoughts about fair staffing but is willing to listen to other thoughts and reconsider their first recommendations. The nurses are avoiding conflict and supporting professional communication through:
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: supportiveness. In this scenario, the nurses are engaging in a collaborative process, listening to each other's perspectives, and being open to reconsidering their initial recommendations. Supportiveness involves actively encouraging others, showing understanding, and fostering a positive and constructive environment. Empathy (A) involves understanding and sharing others' feelings, which is important but not the primary focus in this context. Positiveness (B) is about having a positive attitude, which is beneficial but does not capture the essence of the nurses' behavior. Accommodation (D) involves making concessions, which is not the main theme in this situation where the nurses are aiming for mutual understanding and collaboration.
Question 7 of 9
A person who is recovering from a stroke is becoming more forgetful and is unable to recall people's names. A friend suggests the use of a natural ingredient, ginkgo bilobThe nurse is concerned about the most serious risk associated with this herb, which is:
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: thromboembolism due to increased clotting. Ginkgo biloba is known to have a blood-thinning effect, which can increase the risk of thromboembolism, especially for individuals recovering from a stroke. This can lead to potentially life-threatening complications such as blood clots. Choice B: Seizures due to interaction with anticonvulsants is incorrect because ginkgo biloba is not known to significantly interact with anticonvulsants to cause seizures. Choice C: Hypertension due to sodium retention is incorrect because ginkgo biloba is not known to cause sodium retention or lead to hypertension. Choice D: Photosensitivity due to increased melanin production is incorrect because ginkgo biloba is not associated with increased melanin production or photosensitivity reactions.
Question 8 of 9
A nurse is interested in learning more about health policy and how it might impact nursing practice. She is especially interested in The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) and how it will travel through the three branches of the federal government. She researches the roles of the legislative branch of the federal government and learns that this branch: (select all that apply)
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A because the legislative branch determines which laws are constitutional by passing or rejecting proposed legislation. In the case of the PPACA, the legislative branch, specifically the Congress, passed the law. The Supreme Court's role is to interpret the constitutionality of laws (not determine which laws are constitutional), as seen in the case where the PPACA was upheld as a form of taxation. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect: B is incorrect because while the legislative branch appropriates funds, the actual allocation of federal dollars is determined through the budget process, not solely by the legislative branch. C is incorrect because the executive branch, not the legislative branch, consists of the President and executive departments that implement laws like the PPACA. D is incorrect because the legislative branch can override a presidential veto with a two-thirds majority vote, not vice versa. The President does not have the power to veto laws found constitutional by the Supreme Court.
Question 9 of 9
A hospital recently learned that their scorecard did not meet the national benchmark for patient satisfaction and brought in a professional change agent to determine what their issues were and how they could improve their score. The agent collected data and recommended that nurses participate in interdisciplinary walking rounds and allow the patient and family to be participants. Nurses now round every shift and perform "huddles to update the team" as needed throughout the shift as part of best practices. Random visits are made to nursing units to ensure all nurses are participating and patients are interviewed for their involvement. This stage of Lewin's change is:
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: moving. In Lewin's change management model, the process involves three stages: unfreeze, move, and refreeze. In this scenario, the hospital has already identified the need for change (unfreeze) by recognizing the issue with patient satisfaction scores. The change agent's recommendations and the implementation of interdisciplinary walking rounds and involving patients and families in rounds indicate the active phase of making changes and transitioning to new practices (moving). The actions taken, such as rounding every shift, updating the team through huddles, monitoring nurse participation, and interviewing patients, all demonstrate movement towards the desired change. Refreeze would come after the changes have been successfully implemented to stabilize and institutionalize the new practices. The options A (unfreeze) and C (refreeze) are incorrect as the hospital is currently in the implementation phase of change, and option D (resistance) does not apply as there is no indication of significant resistance to the proposed changes in the scenario provided.