ATI LPN
Legal and Ethical Aspects of Healthcare Questions
Question 1 of 5
This type of law results from judicial decisions, is heard in court, and is the most common type of case a nurse is involved in.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Common law is the correct answer because it refers to a type of law that is developed through judicial decisions and is based on precedents set by previous court cases. Nurses often encounter common law cases as they involve legal disputes and issues that arise in healthcare settings. This type of law is different from statutory law, which is created by legislative bodies, and regulatory law, which is established by administrative agencies.
Question 2 of 5
A 77-year-old woman with an inoperable brain tumor has been hospitalized for the past 5 days. Her daughter comes to visit her. The patient has asked that her daughter not be told her diagnosis. After visiting with her mother, the daughter asks to speak to the nurse. She says, 'My mother claims she has pneumonia, but I know she is not telling me the truth.' The daughter asks the nurse to tell her what is truly wrong with her mother. The nurse should tell her that:
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The nurse's first allegiance is to the patient and her desire for confidentiality. Telling the daughter to speak to the physician would place the physician in the same position as the nurse. Telling her that her mother has pneumonia would be a lie. The nurse, of course, should inform the physician of the patient's wishes so that he will be prepared if the daughter questions him about her mother's health condition.
Question 3 of 5
A patient has asked the nurse to explain her laboratory results. The nurse informs the patient that he must first assist another patient to the bathroom and then he will explain the results. The nurse assists the other patient to the bathroom and then returns to explain the results to the patient. What moral principle has the nurse displayed?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Fidelity is the obligation to keep promises. Autonomy refers to a person's right to choose and his ability to act on that choice. Nonmaleficence is the twofold principle of doing no harm and preventing harm. Beneficence is the duty to do or promote good.
Question 4 of 5
A name-brand ice cream contains the following nutrition information for each serving: 30 g carbohydrates, 19 g fat, 5 g protein. The total number of calories in a serving would be
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: CHO = 4 cal per gram = 120 cal; Fat = 9 cal per gram = 171 cal; Protein = 4 cal per gram = 20 cal; Total: 311 cal.
Question 5 of 5
The nurse was just hired to work in a hospice day care facility. She reflects on her ethical framework and decides that she believes in establishing relationships with an emphasis on caring. Which framework can the nurse use?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Ethics of care focuses on relationships and caring, aligning with the nurse's beliefs, unlike deontology (rule-based), feminist ethics (relationship-based but broader), or utilitarianism (outcome-based). (Note: Original question allowed multiple answers; restructured to single-answer format.)