Chapter 6 Values, Ethics, and Advocacy

A nurse is preparing a presentation about ethical and legal issues for nurses. As part of the presentation, the nurse is planning to review the different types of laws. Which example would the nurse include as an intentional tort? Select all that apply.

Assault False imprisonment Libel

A nurse is administering evening medications and notices that a medication was omitted during the day shift. Which statement demonstrates the principle of accountability?

Filling out an occurrence report and notifying the healthcare provider

Which nursing situations are examples of the care-based approach to ethics? Select all that apply.

Holding the hand of a dying client, Providing a back rub to a client on bed rest, Involving the parent in the bed bath of a child

A nurse arrives on the medical unit wearing large, dangling earrings. This is an example of which type of conduct?

Unprofessional

What is the term for the beliefs held by the individual about what matters?

Values

A nurse is of the Catholic faith and votes pro-life. This nurse is considered to have:

personal values.

What would be an example of the nurse practicing fidelity? The nurse:

stays with a client during death as promised.

Which statement by the nurse is an example of deception?

"This injection of procaine will feel like a little pinch."

Which example best describes feminist ethics?

An approach critiquing existing patterns of oppression and domination in society

A nurse has completed 4 hours of an 8-hour shift on a medical-surgical unit when the nursing supervisor calls. The nursing supervisor directs the nurse to give a report to the other two nurses on the medical-surgical unit and immediately report to the telemetry unit to assist with staff needs on that unit. The nurse informs the supervisor that the nurse has been busy with client assignments and feels this will overwhelm the nurses on the medical-surgical unit. The supervisor informs the nurse that the need is greater on the telemetry unit. This is an example of which type of ethical problem?

Allocation of scarce nursing resources

A client who experienced a cesarean birth rates pain as a 9 on a 10-point scale. The nurse medicates the client for pain. This is an example of the nurse practicing which ethical principle?

Beneficence

Which nursing situation is an example of an ethical dilemma?

Deciding whether to perform cardiac compressions against a client's wishes

Which example most accurately depicts the ethical principle of autonomy?

Describing a surgery to a client before the consent is signed

Using the nursing process to make ethical decisions involves following several steps. Which step is the nurse implementing when reflecting on the decision-making process and the role it will play in making future decisions?

Evaluating

A nurse reports to the charge nurse that a client medication due at 9 am was omitted. Which principle is the nurse demonstrating?

Integrity

The nurse is managing the care for a postoperative client. How does the nurse demonstrate advocacy?

Limiting visitors due to the client reporting pain

The nurse has identified an ethical dilemma that has the potential to interfere with a client receiving optimal care. The nurse discussed this issue with the charge nurse on the unit. What action should the nurse choose next?

Monitor for resolution of the problem.

A nurse working in a critical care unit has experienced personal tragedy, extreme shortage of staff in the work environment, and health issues. The nurse has overcome much of these hardships and is now mentoring other nurses in similar situations. What behavior is this nurse demonstrating?

Moral resilience

Which ethical principle is related to the idea of self-determination?

Autonomy

Which scenario is an example of the laissez-faire approach to value transmission?

Allowing a child to decide not to have an intravenous line inserted

A nurse volunteers to serve on the hospital ethics committee. Which action should the nurse expect to take as a member of the ethics committee?

Assist in decision making based on the client's best interests.

Six teenagers were killed in an accident following a night of drinking. The older brother of one of the victims bought beer for the group because none of them was old enough to purchase alcohol. Which statement(s) regarding the brother's action reflect customs rather than communal or personal ethical standards? Select all that apply.

Big brothers often introduce their younger siblings to alcohol. Drinking alcohol is a rite of passage.

A nurse is providing care to a client and is preparing the client for breakfast. The nurse assists the client out of bed to the chair and then helps the client open the items on the breakfast tray. The client begins to eat breakfast. The nurse tells the client, "I'll be back in about 10 minutes to check on you. In the meantime, here is your call light in case you need me." About 10 minutes later, the nurse returns to check on the client. The nurse is demonstrating which ethical principle?

Fidelity

A nurse works in a nursing care facility that has a policy of regularly using restraints on clients that the nurse believes is unethical. However, the nurse feels obligated to follow the policy because of a fear of being fired. This is an example of which type of ethical situation?

Moral distress

A nurse is caring for a hospitalized client. Which nursing actions demonstrate a caring and compassionate attitude? Select all that apply.

Notifying the client before leaving for lunch, Offering snacks and beverages to visiting family, Explaining all nursing procedures clearly, Listening to the client tell stories about past experiences

A nurse is caring for an older adult who has cancer and is experiencing complications requiring a revision of the plan of care. The nurse sits down with the client and the family and discusses their preferences while sharing the nurse's own judgments based on the nurse's expertise. Which type of healthcare decision making does this represent?

Shared decision making

When analyzing an ethical dilemma according to the ethical framework, what is most important for the nurse to take into consideration?

Standards of conduct

A client continues to complain of pain despite receiving medication. The family states, "In our culture it is acceptable to complain out loud." What would be the best response by the nurse?

Tell me more about your cultural beliefs.

A nurse is applying a care-based approach to an ethical dilemma. When integrating this approach, which concept should the nurse keep in mind? Select all that apply.

The caring relationship is essential to the approach. Clients are people and are to be respected. Attention is needed to focus on each person's individual situation.

Which is the best definition of ethics?

The formal, systematic study of moral beliefs

A nurse gives the 400 IU of a vitamin supplement that was in the client's medications instead of the 200 IU that was prescribed. The dosage was given when the unit was busy admitting three clients and another client was in crisis. Which action(s) by the nurse demonstrate the professional value of integrity? Select all that apply.

The nurse documents the dose given. The nurse completes a variance or incident report.

Which action would cause a charge nurse to have concerns about a nurse's moral agency?

The nurse was seen at a grocery store after calling in sick.

Which is a characteristic of the care-based approach to bioethics?

The promotion of the dignity and respect of clients as people

Nurses who value client advocacy follow what guideline?

They give priority to the good of the individual client rather than to the good of society in general.

A parent teaches a child not to drink and drive; however, the parent does drink and drive. This action results in:

a failure to model one's own values.

A nursing student states he is able to put himself in his client's shoes. He states he understands the situation of the ill client. This is considered to be an act of:

empathy

A hospital owned by a Catholic order of nuns will not allow tubal ligations to be performed. This is considered to be:

institutional policy.

The foundation for decisions about resource allocation throughout a society or group is based on the ethical principle of:

justice

Ethical distress is:

knowing the correct action but being unable to perform it due to constraints.