Mdfd Taylor Chapter 7: Legal (Prep U)

A postanesthesia nurse is reporting about a client to the intensive care unit nurse in the elevator. There are staff members and visitors in the elevator. The postanasthesia nurse is doing what?

breaching the client's confidentiality

The nurse is participating in a discussion about controlled substances. Which statement, made by the nurse, indicates the nurse is aware of laws governing the distribution of controlled substances?

"Nurses are responsible for adhering to specific documentation about controlled substances."

A client being discharged from the hospital asks the nurse, "When I go visit my family out of state, should I take my living will with me, or do I need a new one for that state?" What is the most appropriate response made by the nurse?

"Take it with you. It is recognized universally in the United States."

The nurse educator is presenting a lecture on the Occupational Safety and Health Act. Which situations, if identified by the nursing staff, would indicate to the educator that the staff understands which actions about the Occupational Safety and Health Act?

Helps reduce workforce injuries and illness in the workplace

Which of the following is an example of certification?

A nurse who demonstrates advanced expertise in a content area of nursing through special testing. Licensure is granted by the state to a graduate of a nursing education program who passes NCLEX-RNhttps://quizlet.com/274523850/prepu-chapter-7-legal-dimensions-of-nursing-practice-flash-cards/

Which nursing student would most likely be held liable for negligence?

A nursing student administers medication to a resident, while working as an unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) at a local nursing home.

Which process evaluates and recognizes educational programs as having met certain standards?

Accreditation

When the nurse inserts an ordered urinary catheter into the client's urethra after the client has refused the procedure, and then the client suffers an injury, the client may sue the nurse for which type of tort?

Battery Battery is the actual carrying out of such a threat (unlawful touching of a person's body). A nurse may be sued for battery if there is failure to obtain consent for a procedure.

A nurse exits the room of a confused client without raising the side rails on the bed. The failure to raise the side rails would constitute which element of liability related to malpractice?

Breach of duty

A nurse assesses a client with psychotic symptoms and determines that the client needs vest restraints. However, the client asks the nurse not to put on vest restraints. What would be the best nursing action?

Contact the physician and obtain necessary orders.

During the admission assessment of a female client age 40 years with a suspected mandibular fracture, the client discloses to the nurse that her injury came as a result of her husband hitting her. Which action should the nurse prioritize when responding to this disclosure?

Reporting the abuse to the appropriate authorities

A client is brought to the emergency department in an unconscious state with a head injury. The client requires surgery to remove a blood clot. What would be the appropriate nursing intervention in keeping with the policy of informed consent prior to a surgical procedure?

The nurse ensures that the client's family signs the consent form.

Legal safeguards are in place in the nursing practice to protect the nurse from exposure to legal risks as well as to protect the client from harm. What are examples of legal safeguards for the nurse? Select all that apply.

The nurse obtains informed consent from a client to perform a procedure. The nurse educates the client about The Patient Care Partnership. The nurse documents all client care in a timely manner.

Two nurses meet at their home, where one of the nurses discusses a client who had been physically abused. The next day, the client is shifted to another nursing unit after a surgical procedure and becomes the care of the second nurse who had been part of the original discussion. Nurse No. 2 asks the client about the physical abuse. The client discovers that his original nurse revealed the information and is hurt. What would be the charges if the client files a suit?

The nurses could be charged for slander. if the defamation had been written, it would be libel

Nurses are occasionally asked to witness a testator's (person who makes the will) signing of his or her will. Which of the following guidelines is true regarding a nurse's role is witnessing a testator's signature?

Witnesses to a signature do not need to read the will.

While riding in the elevator, a nurse discusses the HIV-positive status of a client with other colleagues. The nurse's action reflects:

invasion of privacy.

The nurse attempts to notify a health care provider about a client's elevated temperature, but does not get a response. Which statement, if documented by the nurse, would indicate that the nurse is following proper protocol for nursing documentation?

1300: Client temperature elevated. Telephoned health care provider's service 3 times without a response. Tepid sponge bath given and nursing supervisor notified.

The client being admitted to the oncology unit conveys his wishes regarding resuscitation in the event of cardiopulmonary arrest. The nurse advises the client that it would be in his best interest to obtain which document?

A living will

The nursing faculty is lecturing on unintentional and intentional torts. The faculty asks a nursing student to provide an example of an unintentional tort. Which example, if provided by the student, would indicate the student has a clear understanding of torts?

A nurse gives a medication and client has an adverse reaction. Unintentional tort occurs when the nurse did not intend harm, but harm occurred (administration of medication and client has an adverse reaction).

Nurses practicing in a critical care unit must acquire specialized skills and knowledge to provide care to the critically ill client. These nurses can validate this specialty competence through what process?

Certification Certification validates specialty knowledge, experience, and clinical judgment. A nurse in a critical care unit having specialized skills and knowledge to provide care would be an example of certification. Licensure is a specialized form of credentialing based on laws passed by a state legislature. Licensure endorses entry-level competence. Legal accreditation is granted to educational programs by state agencies endorsing the approval of the program's design and mission to meet the needs of state requirements. Litigation is not a method for validation.

A client states that his recent fall was caused by the fact that his scheduled antihypertensive medications were mistakenly administered by two different nurses, an event that is disputed by both of the nurses identified by the client. Which measure should the nurses prioritize when anticipating that legal action may follow?

Document the client's claims and the events surrounding the alleged incident.

During the orientation to the hospital, the staff development educator discusses unit and institutional-based policies. What is the source of the practice rules that result in unit and institutional-based policies?

Health care institution

A client has a prescription for amoxicillin 500 mg P.O. every 8 hours. The nurse administers the medication via the intravenous route. Based on the nurse's action, the client develops complications and has an increased length of stay. The client files a lawsuit against the facility and the nurse. Which legal action has the nurse attorney identified that meets the criteria for the client's lawsuit?

Malpractice Negligence is failing to perform care for a client. When a person threatens to touch a client without consent, it is assault, whereas battery is carrying out the implied threat (assault).

A client newly diagnosed with congestive heart failure has a prescription for digoxin (Lanoxin). The nurse counts the heart rate before administration of the medication and obtains a heart rate of 51 beats per minute. Which action by the nurse demonstrates adherence to the standards of nursing care?

Nurse withheld the medication and notified the health care practitioner

A nurse witnesses a traffic accident and dresses the open wounds sustained by a child. Later, in the hospital, the child develops complications from an infection in the wound. The family holds the nurse responsible for the complications and attempts to file a lawsuit. Which of the following statements is true regarding the Good Samaritan law?

The Good Samaritan law will provide legal immunity to the nurse.

The nurse educator provides an educational session to the nursing staff on protection of a client's privacy. Which circumstances, identified by the staff, would indicate to the educator that the teaching was effective? Select all that apply.

With the client's permission, the nurse explained the client's diagnosis to the client's spouse. The nurse removed the client from the emergency department waiting room into a private area to collect assessment data.

After reporting to work for a night shift, the nurse learns that the unit will be understaffed because two RNs called out sick. As a result, each nurse on the unit will need to provide care for an additional four acute clients, in addition to her regular client assignment. Which statement is true for this nurse when working in understaffed circumstances?

The nurse will be legally held to the same standards of care as when staffing levels are normal.

A legal document that states a client's health-related wishes — such as a preference for pain management if the client becomes terminally ill — and also allows the client's daughter to direct his care, is a(an):

advance directive.

An RN enters a client's room and observes the unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) forcefully pushing a client down on the bed. The client starts crying and informs the UAP of the need to go to the bathroom. What action is the RN witnessing that should be immediately reported to the supervisor?

battery.

A nurse observes another nurse place an unused dose of narcotics in their pocket. If caught, the nurse could be charged with which type of crime?

felony A felony is a serious criminal offense, and includes actions such as stealing narcotics, murder, falsifying medical records, and insurance fraud. A misdemeanor is a minor criminal offense; a tort is a lawsuit in which a plaintiff charges that a defendant committed a deliberately aggressive act. Negligence is harm that results because a person did not act reasonably.

A student is preparing to graduate from nursing school and understands that professional regulations and laws that govern nursing practice are in place. These regulations and laws are in place for which reason?

to protect the safety of the public