chapter 6: practice questions: values, ethics, advocacy

It is time for a nurse to renew licensure. The nurse says, "I need some really easy and quick continuing education hours. I don't understand why we have to do these every year." What is the nurse's coworker's best response?

"Life-long learning is part of the code for nurses."

The nursing student is describing moral values to another student. Which statement is correct?

"Moral values give individuals some sense of what is right and wrong."

Which statement by the nurse is an example of deception?

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

A nurse who has worked on a unit for 8 years is conflicted about asking to meet with the charge nurse about staffing ratios. Which question(s) reflect the professional value of altruism in this decision? Select all that apply.

-"Am I able to provide safe and efficient care to my clients?" -"Am I willing to take this risk to help protect my fellow nurses?" -"Will less experienced nurses on the unit learn from my actions?"

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 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.

Ethical practice is evaluated as a portion of the nurse's annual review. Which practice(s) would cause the evaluator to reduce the nurse's score on this section of the review? Select all that apply.

-The nurse is frequently late to work. -The nurse often speaks harshly to cleaning staff and transport workers.

Which is the best definition of ethics?

The formal, systematic study of moral beliefs

Parents giving money to a child for receiving an exemplary report from school is an example of which type of value transmission?

rewarding

A client is scheduled to have an elective surgical procedure performed but cannot decide whether to go forward with the procedure or cancel it. The client asks the nurse to help make the decision. Which action by the nurse is the best way for this nurse to advocate for the client?

Allow the client to verbalize feelings, and provide information to help the client assess options.

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.

Which ethical principle refers to the obligation to do good?

Beneficence

Which example most accurately depicts the ethical principle of autonomy?

Describing a surgery to a client before the consent is signed

In the delivery of care, the nurse acts in accordance with nursing standards and the code of ethics and reports a medication error that the nurse has made. The nurse is most clearly demonstrating which professional value?

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

A nurse believes that abortion is an acceptable option if a pregnancy results from a situation of rape. What is the best description of this belief?

Personal moral

A nurse is having lunch in the break room and overhears the other nurses talking about a difficult client in an inappropriate way. The nurses attempt to engage her in the conversation. Which response by the nurse would best represent behavior that supports the value of human dignity in nursing practice?

Saying that this discussion is inappropriate and disrespectful to the client and that the nurse does not want to be a part of it

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

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 client tells the nurse that the client does not want to have a painful procedure. By respecting and supporting the client's right to make decisions, the nurse is demonstrating:

advocacy

To practice ethically, the nurse should avoid:

allowing the nurse's own personal judgment to guide practice.

A client diagnosed with cancer has met with the oncologist and is now weighing whether to undergo chemotherapy or radiation for treatment. This client is demonstrating which ethical principle in making this decision?

autonomy

A nurse is providing care to a client with end-stage cancer. After weighing the alternatives, the client decides not to participate in a clinical trial offered and is requesting no further treatment. The nurse advocates for the client's decision based on the understanding that the client has the right to self-determination, interpreting the client's decision as reflecting which ethical principle?

autonomy

Which theory of ethics prioritizes the nurse's relationship with clients and the nurse's character in the practice of ethical nursing?

care-based ethics

Virtues are:

cultivated dispositions of character and conduct that motivate and enable us to be good human beings

When examining values, a nurse notes that one country allows physician-assisted suicide and another outlaws it, making it punishable by imprisonment. Which factors best explain the differences in values between these two countries?

cultural

A female client is brought to the emergency room with matted hair, bruising, and malnutrition. The nurse suspects physical abuse and neglect. The nurse states, "This happens to many women." Which type of ethical approach is the nurse exhibiting?

feminist

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

integrity

Ethical distress is:

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

What is likely to have the greatest influence on an adolescent's formation of values during this developmental stage?

peers

A nurse is providing care to an older adult client who was just diagnosed with cancer. The client together with the immediate family discuss their preferences with the health care providers involved. The health care providers offer their clinical recommendations about possible treatments. Ultimately, the group arrives at a decision. The nurse interprets this decision-making process as reflecting which type?

shared

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

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

stays with client during death as promised

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

personal values