CHapter 23

futile

pointless, useless

Slander

the action or crime of making a false spoken statement damaging to a person's reputation - A nurse can be held liable for slander if he or she shares private client information that can be overheard by others.

The nurse enters the room and tells the client that he has to take the medication, including an injection. The client refuses the medication, but the nurse continues to administer the medications. This action is an example of the intentional tort of:

Battery is any intentional touching without consent. An example of battery is a nurse giving a medication after the client has refused.

Time takes on different meanings from one culture to another. To explore the relation of time to nursing interventions, the nurse should:

Because time takes on different meanings from one culture to another, the nurse should maintain a flexible attitude and not become emotionally upset when the client requests procedures to be done at different times. When making appointments and referrals, anticipated barriers to time adherence should be explored and managed with the client.

A school nurse is responsible for teaching adolescents about sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). When discussing chlamydia, the nurse instructs the students that it is:

d: You are expressing a very normal concernperhaps we could discuss your feelings further.

A school nurse is responsible for teaching adolescents about sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). When discussing chlamydia, the nurse instructs the students that it is:

Diseases that are caused by bacteria and that can usually be cured with antibiotics include gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and pelvic inflammatory disease. All clients need to understand that antibiotics must be taken for the full course of treatment. a. Chlamydia is caused by bacteria that can be treated, not a virus. c. Sexually transmitted diseases, such as chlamydia, are transmitted from infected individuals to partners during intimate sexual contact. It is contracted not via blood-borne exchange, but rather through body fluids. d. Chlamydia is not prevented with the use of a spermicidal.

The nurse understands the implications of the Patient Self-Determination Act. This legislation requires that:

Information be provided to the client regarding rights for refusal of care - The Patient Self-Determination Act requires health care institutions to provide written information to clients concerning the clients rights under state law to make decisions, including the right to refuse treatment and formulate advance directives.

To increase the tone and sensation of the pelvic floor for a female client, the nurse teaches:

Kegel exercises. -Kegel exercises increase the tone and sensation of the pelvic floor (pubococcygeus muscle) for the female client.

The nurse is investigating legislation that may have an effect on nursing practice. The nurse finds that the newly enacted Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 2003 requires:

Safeguards to protect written and verbal information about clients - The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requires all hospitals and health agencies to have specific policies and procedures in place to ensure that reasonable safeguards protect written and verbal communications about clients.

Statutory Law

State legislatures and the US congress create statutory law. ( nURSE PRACTICE ACT) Criminal law (felonies or misdemeanors) Civil law

Civil laws protect the rights of individual persons within our society and encourage fair and equitable treatment among people. Generally, violations of civil laws cause harm to an individual or property, and damages involve payment of money. Administering an incorrect dosage of morphine sulfate would fall under civil law because it could cause harm to an individual.

b. Criminal laws prevent harm to society and provide punishment for crimes (often imprisonment). c. Common law is created by judicial decisions made in courts when individual legal cases are decided (e.g., informed consent). d. Administrative law is created by administrative bodies, such as State Boards of Nursing when they pass rules and regulations (e.g., the duty to report unethical nursing conduct).

In the course of practice, a nurse may be liable for actions that constitute an unintentional tort. Which one of the following is an example of an unintentional tort?

c. Leaving the side rails down and the client falls and is injured -. An unintentional tort is an unintended wrongful act against another person that produces injury or harm. An example of an unintentional tort would be leaving the side rails down, and the client falls and is injured.

The nurse has just obtained a license to practice and is determining whether individual malpractice insurance is necessary. Which of the following is the most important factor in a nurses deciding whether to carry malpractice insurance?

c. The time frames and individual liability of the employers malpractice coverage It would be important to know the time frames of the employers malpractice coverage. In other words, is the nurse covered only during the times he or she is working within the institution? It would be important to know the individual liability, meaning if sued, what financial responsibility would the nurse have?

The nurse recognizes the terminology that applies to culture and ethnicity and its correct application. A client who goes through the process of acculturation will be:

d. Adapting to and adopting a new culture -Acculturation is the process of adapting to and adopting a new culture.

As per the standards of care of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), an institution is required to have:

d. Written nursing policies and procedures for care -The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations requires that accredited hospitals have written nursing policies and procedures.