ATI LPN
NCLEX Questions on Legal Aspect of Health Care Questions
Question 1 of 5
You have a patient in your clinic who is an elderly woman with multiple medical problems. Her family is extremely grateful for your care and they bring you a meal they cooked at home, a cake, and a scarf. What should you do?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Small gifts of nominal value from patients are ethically acceptable as tokens of gratitude and do not require reporting or refusal.
Question 2 of 5
Which of the following most accurately describes the ownership of the medical record?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The patient owns the information, while the provider owns the physical or electronic record.
Question 3 of 5
A 72 year old woman was admitted to the Neurological Intensive Care Unit following a cerebral hemorrhage which left her with severe brain damage and ventilator dependent. One year before this event, the patient and her husband had drawn up living wills with an attorney. The patient's living will specified that the patient did not want ventilator support, or other artificial life supports, in the event of a terminal condition or a permanent vegetative state. The patient's husband is her legal next of kin and the person with surrogate decision-making authority. When the living will was discussed with him, he insisted that the patient had not intended for the document to be used in a situation like the present one. By this, the husband apparently meant that although the patient would not be able to recover any meaningful brain function, her condition was not imminently terminal. The husband did not consider his wife to be in a permanent vegetative state. The treatment team allowed a week to pass, with the goal of providing the husband more time to be supported in his grief and to see how ill his wife was. Nevertheless, at the end of this time, the husband was unwilling to withdraw life support measures consistent with the patient's wishes as expressed in her living will. Should the hospital follow the patient's wishes in the living will despite the husband's unwillingness to withdraw life support measures?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: A living will is strong evidence of patient wishes, but if the surrogate disagrees, a court order may be needed to enforce it.
Question 4 of 5
Mrs. Hanes is a 62-year-old woman with metastatic breast cancer. She was admitted with dehydration and weakness. Her cancer treatments have failed, as she now has a recurrence. The oncologists are contemplating some new palliative chemotherapy. The nutrition team is concerned about her cachexia and recommends total parenteral nutrition (TPN). Should the patient be started on TPN?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The patient should decide after being informed of risks, benefits, and goals, as TPN's value depends on her treatment plan.
Question 5 of 5
A 36-year-old man has been hospitalized for the past 3 days for alcoholic hepatitis. His condition is slowly improving and his prognosis is favorable. However, this is his third absence from his job in the past 6 months due to health-related issues. The patient notified his employer that he is presently hospitalized and was informed that he needs to provide the employer with proof of hospitalization or he could lose his job. In accordance with hospital policy, the patient provides verbal consent for the physician to speak with his employer and disclose his health status. The employer proceeds to contact the physician directly by phone, requesting an update on the patient and his likelihood of returning to work. Which of the following is the most appropriate response by the physician to the employer?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: With verbal consent per hospital policy, limited information relevant to the employer's need can be shared.