ATI RN
Ethics and Issues in Contemporary Nursing PDF Questions
Question 1 of 9
What historical event first led to the recognition of the contribution of blacks to nursing?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: Mary Seacole's efforts to care for soldiers during the Crimean War. Mary Seacole was a Jamaican nurse who provided medical care to soldiers during the Crimean War. Her contributions highlighted the important role that black individuals played in nursing. This event marked the first significant recognition of the contributions of blacks to the nursing profession. Explanation of why other choices are incorrect: A: Florence Nightingale's acceptance of black nurses into the first nursing school - While Florence Nightingale is known as a pioneer of modern nursing, her acceptance of black nurses into nursing schools did not specifically lead to the recognition of the contribution of blacks to nursing. B: The contributions of black nurses at the Pennsylvania Hospital, the first hospital in America - While black nurses may have made contributions at Pennsylvania Hospital, this event did not lead to the initial recognition of the contribution of blacks to nursing. D: The work done by wives of wealthy black nobles who carried food and medicine from
Question 2 of 9
A nurse is part of the policy committee for a hospital. The committee is provided with statistics indicating that patients participating in a satisfaction survey felt they lacked sufficient information about new drugs started while hospitalized and continued after discharge. In addition, charts noted high recidivism rates. The committee recommended that a formalized patient education plan be instituted to reconcile all medications and provide patient information about new medications. The committee is using which component of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) 2011 message?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D: Policy is based on data, which provides the groundwork for decision making. This is the correct answer because the scenario describes the policy committee using statistics about patient satisfaction and recidivism rates to make recommendations for a patient education plan. By utilizing data, the committee is following the IOM 2011 message of basing decisions on evidence and information. A: Nurses achieving higher levels of education is not directly related to the scenario and the committee's decision-making process. B: The requirement of a master's degree for nurses on policy committees is not mentioned in the scenario and is not relevant to the decision-making process described. C: Comparing nurse pay to physicians' pay is not relevant to the scenario or the IOM 2011 message of using data for decision making.
Question 3 of 9
A male nurse hired to work in the emergency department is observed throwing a contaminated needle into the trash can. The team leader reprimands the nurse for not appropriately disposing of sharps. The nurse states, "You don't care that I threw the needle in the trash. You just want an all-female staff," putting the team leader in a defensive position. This communication technique is known as:
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: red herring. In this scenario, the male nurse deflects the issue of improper sharps disposal by accusing the team leader of having ulterior motives related to gender discrimination. This is a classic example of a red herring, where the nurse introduces an irrelevant topic to divert attention from the original issue. The nurse's response does not address the concern raised about sharps disposal but instead shifts the focus to an unrelated accusation. The other choices are incorrect because they do not accurately describe the communication technique used in the scenario. A straw man involves misrepresenting an opponent's argument to make it easier to attack, slippery slope is a form of logical fallacy, and confusing cause and effect refers to a mistaken understanding of the relationship between two events.
Question 4 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 5 of 9
The physician who insists on providing treatment in spite of the client's wishes because he "knows best" is reflecting:
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D: paternalism. Paternalism occurs when a physician overrides a patient's autonomy in favor of what they believe is best for the patient. In this scenario, the physician is not respecting the client's wishes and is making decisions based on their own judgment, which is characteristic of paternalism. Autonomy (A) refers to respecting the patient's right to make their own decisions. Beneficence (B) is the principle of doing good for the patient, but in this case, it is being overshadowed by the physician's paternalistic approach. Justice (C) refers to fairness in healthcare distribution, which is not applicable in this context.
Question 6 of 9
A nurse has recently been appointed to the position of nurse manager. To become successful in managing the unit's budget, the new nurse manager should: (select all that apply)
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A because reading the financial policy manual will provide the new nurse manager with a comprehensive understanding of the organization's budgeting process, which is crucial for successful budget management. This will help the nurse manager make informed decisions and align their actions with the organization's budgeting guidelines. Choice B is incorrect as it suggests delegating budget management to the nursing administration office, which does not promote the nurse manager's development of budgeting skills and knowledge. Choice C is incorrect because while it is important to communicate with the hospital's finance office for guidance, solely relying on this communication may not provide the nurse manager with a deep understanding of the budgeting process. Choice D is incorrect because focusing only on bottom-line numbers without understanding the details of each line in budget reports can lead to oversight of important budget components and hinder effective budget management.
Question 7 of 9
A nurse groups patients with criteria such as "high risk for falls," "infection protocols," and "special communication needs" to determine the mix and number of staff needed on a telemetry unit. The nurse is using:
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Rationale: A nurse grouping patients with specific criteria to determine staffing needs aligns with a patient classification system. This system helps allocate appropriate staff levels based on patient acuity and needs for safe and effective care. It focuses on matching patient needs with staff expertise to ensure quality care. Choices B, C, and D do not directly relate to determining staffing levels based on patient criteria. B refers to billing, C to coordination of care, and D to specific care plans.
Question 8 of 9
A hospital standard states, "All intravenous (IV) sites must be rotated every 72 hours." The nurse who assesses and records variations from this standard is fulfilling which role of nursing?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Quality management. The nurse assessing and recording variations from the hospital standard of rotating IV sites every 72 hours is fulfilling a quality management role by ensuring adherence to established protocols to maintain patient safety and prevent complications. Quality management involves monitoring and improving healthcare processes to enhance patient outcomes. In this scenario, the nurse's actions contribute to maintaining high standards of care. Summary: A: Infection control focuses on preventing and controlling the spread of infections, not specifically related to monitoring compliance with IV site rotation. C: Coordinator position involves organizing and coordinating care, not directly related to assessing adherence to standards. D: Counselor provides emotional support and counseling to patients, not related to monitoring and maintaining healthcare standards.
Question 9 of 9
A group of local volunteers respond to a tornado. Volunteers have completed an emergency response course and are able to assist with triage of injured citizens. They also participate in local health fairs to teach residents how to react during tornadoes. The responders are members of the:
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Medical Reserve Corps (MRC). Step 1: The MRC is a community-based program of volunteers who are trained to respond to public health emergencies. Step 2: The volunteers in the scenario have completed an emergency response course and are assisting with triage and educating the public, aligning with the MRC's mission. Step 3: The MMRS focuses on responding to mass casualty incidents, not necessarily public health emergencies like tornadoes. NDMS is a federally coordinated system for medical response in disasters, not typically focused on community-based responses. CCRF is a reserve force within the U.S. Public Health Service, not specifically focused on community emergency response.