chpt 7

The charge nurse overhears a staff nurse threatening to restrain a verbally abusive client if the abuse continues. The charge nurse meets with the staff nurse to discuss this behavior. Which legal tort, if identified by the charge nurse, would alert the staff nurse to potential criminal charges?

Assault

A medical surgical client is in the radiology department. The client's cousin arrives on the medical surgical unit and asks to speak with the nurse caring for his cousin. The visitor asks the nurse to provide a brief outline of the client's illness. Which response, if given by the nurse, would demonstrate application of legal safeguard in her practice?

"I cannot give you that information due to client confidentiality."

A nurse hired to work in an ambulatory setting attends new employee orientation. The nurse never worked in ambulatory before and is concerned about the Scope and Standards of Practice for Professional Ambulatory Care Nursing. Which response, given by the nurse educator, would further explain the Scope and Standards of Practice for Professional Care Nursing to the new nurse?

"The Scope and Standards of Practice for Professional Ambulatory Care Nursing deal with the professional obligations of a nurse working in the ambulatory setting."

A malpractice case involving an incident in the operating room has entered litigation. A scrub nurse has been asked to present her firsthand knowledge of the incident based upon recollection and documentation in the client record. The nurse's role in this malpractice case is what?

A malpractice case involving an incident in the operating room has entered litigation. A scrub nurse has been asked to present her firsthand knowledge of the incident based upon recollection and documentation in the client record. The nurse's role in this malpractice case is what?

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.

Which of the following is an example of certification?

A nurse who demonstrates advanced expertise in a content area of nursing through special testing.

Which of the following nursing students would most likely be held liable for negligence?

A nursing student administers medication to a resident, while working as a nursing assistant at a local nursing home.

A registered nurse enters a patient's room and observes the nursing assistant pushing a patient down on the bed. The patient starts crying and informs the nursing assistant that he needs to go to the bathroom. The nursing assistant holds the patient down and tells him he was just in the bathroom. The nurse observing this incident is aware that the nursing assistant's action is an example of which of the following?

Battery

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 be which of the following elements of liability related to malpractice?

Breach of duty

Having recently completed a specialty nursing program in neonatal care, a nurse is now preparing to leave her current position on a medical unit and begin providing care in the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The nurse has completed which of the following processes of credentialing?

Certification

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

Certification

An audit by the Director of Nursing (DON) reveals an employee misrepresented herself and is practicing under the license of an expired nurse. After termination of the employee, legalities of nursing practice are discussed during the unit's monthly meeting. Which violation, if identified by the nursing staff, would indicate to the DON that the staff has a good understanding of the legal concepts of nursing?

Fraud

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

The student nurse tells her family about a client with AIDS cared for in clinical yesterday. Which tort has the student committed?

Invasion of privacy

A nurse, while off-duty, tells the physiotherapist that a client who was admitted to the nursing unit contracted AIDS due to exposure to sex workers at the age of 18. The client discovers that the nurse has revealed the information to the physiotherapist. With what legal action could the nurse be charged?

Slander

Which of the following situations is an example of battery that the nurse may experience while performing her nursing duties at the health care facility?

Performing a surgical procedure without getting consent

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 of the following actions should the nurse prioritize when responding to this disclosure?

Reporting the abuse to the appropriate authorities

The health care provider prescribes orders for a client with newly diagnosed uncontrolled seizure activity. When reviewing the prescriptions, the nurse correctly identifies which prescription, if followed, puts him at risk for negligence charges?

Restrain all four extremities

A nurse is overheard in the hospital cafeteria making false comments about a client. The nurse is guilty of:

Slander

When making client rounds, the charge nurse observes which action by a staff nurse that would constitute battery?

The elderly client refuses the intramuscular injection, but the staff nurse administered it.

The health care facility is involved in litigation by four clients. When reviewing the cases, which legal case would the nurse attorney identify to best describe malpractice?

The nurse administers amoxicillin (Amicar) to a client with known allergies to penicillin. The client has a seizure with resulting respiratory arrest.

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.

A physician is called to see a client with angina. During the visit the physician advises the nurse to decrease the atenolol to 12.5 mg. However, since the physician is late for another visit, she requests that the nurse write down the order for her. What should be the appropriate nursing action in this situation?

The nurse should ask the physician to come back and write the order.

A client is unhappy with the health care provided to him. He approaches the nurse and informs her that he is leaving the facility. The client has not been discharged by the physician. The nurse finds that the client has dressed and is ready to go. What would the nurse's action be in this situation?

The nurse should call the nursing supervisor and inform her about the situation.

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 his or her regular client assignment. Which of the following statements 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 client is received in 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 of the following legal terms describes the case?

Tort

The client receives a medication and develops a rash on the trunk of the body, itching, and dyspnea. This is an example of a:

Variance

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.

In comparison with licensure, which measures entry-level competence, what does certification validate?

specialty knowledge and clinical judgment

The nurse educator is presenting an in-service on nursing and malpractice. Which statements, made by the nursing staff, would indicate to the educator that further teaching is required? Select all that apply.

• "If I make a mistake, I will not tell anyone" • "I will have the supervisor fill out the incident report when I make an error.

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

• The nurse obtains informed consent from a patient to perform a procedure. • The nurse educates the patient about the Patient Bill of Rights. • The nurse documents all patient care in a timely manner.

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.

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

A nurse is writing a letter to a U.S. Congressman to support the promotion of health care issues. Which guidelines would ensure a properly written letter? (Select all that apply.)

• The nurse should state the purpose of the letter briefly and clearly in the first paragraph. • The nurse should name the city and state where he or she lives and votes. • The nurse should restate exactly what the legislator should do at the end of the letter