Chapter 7: Legal Dimensions of Nursing Practice

The nurse beginning practice would like to access the standards for ethical practice. Which organization should the nurse research for these standards? International Council of Nurses Canadian Hospital Association Department of Health Professions World Health Organization

International Council of Nurses Explanation: The American Nurses Association Code of Ethics for Nurses is the main source of the ethical principles that nurses must follow, and this is developed by the International Council of Nurses. The Canadian Hospital Association has not developed standards of ethical practice. Individual state boards of nursing through the department of health professions have laws and regulations that guide practice but not ethical and moral principles. The World Health Organization is a large organization that does not determine ethical practice for nurses.

When analyzing an ethical dilemma according to the ethical framework, what is most important for the nurse to take into consideration? The relationship between law and values Standards of conduct Conflict between competing priorities Decision-making

Standards of conduct Explanation: Ethics is the branch of philosophy dealing with standards of conduct and moral judgment. It does not directly address law. It includes, but is not limited to, decision-making and competing priorities.

A client was admitted to a postoperative nursing unit after undergoing abdominal surgery. During this time, the nurse failed to recognize the significance of abdominal swelling, which significantly increased during the next 6 hours. Later, the client had to undergo emergency surgery. The lack of action on the nurse's part is liable for action. Which legal term describes the case? Misdemeanor Felony Tort Fraud

Tort

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

justice. Explanation: Justice is the foundation for decisions about ethical resource allocation throughout a society or group, because resources must be allocated fairly and equitably. The other ethical principles listed, veracity, autonomy, and confidentiality, have no direct application to resource allocation within society.

Socialization into the nursing profession may have the most significant effect on: roles. values. documentation. planning.

values. Explanation: Socialization into a culture refers not only to the adoption of practices, such as documentation and planning, and ways of relating to one another (roles) but to the very beliefs that one holds to be most important (values). Because values guide one's practices and roles, the most significant effect of socialization into nursing would be its effect on values.

Which statement regarding the Code of Ethics for Nurses is most accurate? "The code critiques existing patterns of oppression and domination in society." "The code enables nurses to provide good care to clients." "The code is an expression of nursing's own understanding of its commitment to society." "The code provides nurses with specific guidelines for practice."

The code is an expression of nursing's own understanding of its commitment to society." Explanation: The Code of Ethics for Nurses provides nurses with a nonnegotiable statement of the ethical obligations of individuals who enter the nursing profession. It serves as an expression of nursing's own understanding of its commitment to society. The feminist ethics approach critiques patterns of oppression and domination in society. Clinical virtues enable nurses to provide good care to clients. The principle-based approach to ethics provides nurses with specific action guidelines for practice.

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 made two medication errors in the last year. The nurse often speaks harshly to cleaning staff and transport workers. The nurse requested that a specific client not be assigned his or her to care. The nurse suggested that a client be moved to palliative care status.

The nurse is frequently late to work. The nurse often speaks harshly to cleaning staff and transport workers. Explanation: Ethical practice is not limited to decisions about life or death but is a compilation of daily actions and decisions. Being late for work frequently is an ethical issue in that it puts undue strain on others. The nurse who often speaks harshly to others is not respectful. Infrequent medication errors do not speak to a nurse's ethics as long as the nurse follows procedures for reporting. Recognizing inability to care for a specific client and asking that the client not be part of the nurse's team is ethical. The nurse is within ethical boundaries when making a suggestion that a client be moved to palliative care if warranted.

A nurse seeks to incorporate the principle of bioethics known as nonmaleficence when caring for clients in a long-term care facility. Which nursing actions best exemplify this principle? Select all that apply. The nurse performs regular client assessments for pressure injuries. The nurse follows "medication rights" when administering medicine to clients. The nurse provides information to clients to help them make decisions about treatment options. The nurse arranges for hospice for a client who is terminally ill. The nurse keeps promises to provide diligent care to clients. The nurse acts fairly when allocating time and resources to clients.

The nurse performs regular client assessments for pressure injuries. The nurse follows "medication rights" when administering medicine to clients. Explanation: The concept of nonmaleficence refers to the avoidance of causing harm. Examples of nonmaleficence include the nurse performing regular client assessments for pressure ulcers. Nonmaleficence would also include the nurse following "medication rights" when administering medicine to clients. Providing information to clients to help them make decisions about treatment options demonstrates the ethical principle of autonomy. Arranging for hospice care for a client who is terminally ill demonstrates the ethical principle of beneficence. Keeping promises to provide diligent care demonstrates the ethical principle of fidelity. Acting fairly when allocating time and resources demonstrates the ethical principle of justice.

What are standards for decision-making that endure for a significant time in one's life? Beliefs Ethics Roles Values

Values Explanation: Values are standards for decision-making that endure for a significant time in one's life. Beliefs are more likely to be changeable and are not necessarily a long-term foundation for decision-making. Ethics is a systematic study of principles of right and wrong conduct, virtue and vice, and good and evil as they relate to conduct and human flourishing. A role is a set of responsibilities one takes on in relationship to others.

A nurse is of the Catholic faith and votes pro-life. This nurse is considered to have: moral agency. personal values. ethics. legal obligations.

personal values. Explanation: The only information given here tells us that this nurse has personal values on a particular issues. Personal values are ideas or beliefs a person considers important and feels strongly about. Moral agency is the ability to do the ethically right thing because one knows it is the right thing to do. Ethics is a systematic study of principles of right and wrong conduct, virtue and vice, and good and evil as they relate to conduct and human flourishing. Legal obligations are behaviors and actions required by law.

A nurse is preparing a client for discharge from the cardiac unit and observes cigarettes in the client's belongings. The nurse asks the client to consider the client's health and that of the client's spouse. This is an example of: values clarification. moral distress. ethical dilemma. social justice.

values clarification. Explanation: Values clarification is a process that allows an individual to examine and understand what choices to make. Moral distress is the emotional state that arises from a situation when a nurse feels that the ethically correct action to take is different from what the nurse is tasked with doing. An example of this is the nurse taking away the cigarettes out of the client's belongings bag. Ethical distress occurs when a decision is made regarding what one believes to be the right course of action, but barriers prevent the nurse from carrying out or completing the action. The nurse can expect ethical distress if removing the cigarettes from the client's belongings bag. Social justice is a concept of fair and just relations between the individual and society. An example is the selling of cigarettes to those who had a cardiac event. Moral distress, ethical dilemma, and social justice are not reflected in this scenario.