Giddens - Concept 42 - Ethics

What important points should the nurse keep in mind when witnessing consent forms? Select all that apply. 1 Confirm that the client's signature is authentic. 2 Ensure that the client has given the consent voluntarily. 3 Refrain from asking the student nurse to witness consent forms. 4 Instruct the family member to assist if the client denies understanding of the procedure. 5 Check if the client's caregiver has understood the procedures written in the consent form.

1, 2, 3 When witnessing the consent form, the nurse should confirm that the client's signature is authentic. The nurse should also ensure that the client has given the consent voluntarily. The nurse should never ask the student nurse to witness consent forms because it is a legal document. The nurse should inform the primary healthcare provider or nursing supervisor if the client denies understanding of the procedure in the consent form. It is important for the nurse to check if the client, rather than the caregiver, has understood the procedures written in the consent form.

A nursing student is discussing aspects of the American Nurses Association (ANA) code of ethics. Which ANA Code of Ethics statements discussed by the nursing student are accurately stated? Select all that apply. 1 "The nurse coordinates with other healthcare providers to meet health needs." 2 "The nurse is responsible and accountable for the nursing practice of the entire hospital." 3 "The nurse promotes, advocates for, and strives to protect the rights of the client's visitors." 4 "The nurse takes part in the advancement of the profession by contributing to the practice and education." 5 "The nurse's primary commitment is to the client, whether it be an individual, family, group, or community."

1, 4, 5 According to the ANA code of ethics, the nurse should coordinate with other healthcare providers to meet health needs. The nurse should take part in the advancement of the profession by contributing to the practice and education. The nurse should remember that his or her primary commitment is to the client, whether it be an individual, family, group, or community. The nurse is responsible and accountable for his or her individual nursing practices to provide optimum client care. The nurse should promote, advocate for, and strive to protect the rights of the client.

A nurse assisting in a research study calculates the risk-benefit ratio and concludes that there were no harmful effects associated with a survey of diabetic clients. This researcher was applying which principle? 1 Human dignity 2 Human rights 3 Beneficence 4 Utilitarianism

3 Beneficence is defined as the promotion of well-being and abstaining from the injuring of others as well as doing good and being kind and charitable. In this situation, the possible benefits outweigh the possible harm for the clients participating in a research study. Human dignity and human rights are underlying principles of research ethics but are not directly related to the risk-benefit ratio here. Utilitarianism relates to the ethical doctrine that virtue is based on utility, and that conduct should be directed toward promoting the greatest good for the greatest number of people.

A staff member is planning to start a new job but is worried about the impact it might have on future growth opportunities. The nurse leader is helping the staff member understand all the implications. Which ethical principle is the nurse manager as a leader following? 1 Justice 2 Veracity 3 Paternalism 4 Non-maleficence

3 Paternalism is assisting people to make decisions when they do not have sufficient data or expertise. Helping the staff member understand all effects of a possible career change and how the potential change could impact his or her future growth reflects the leader nurse following paternalism .Justice is the principle of treating all persons equally and fairly. By following veracity, the nurse manager tells the truth and demands that the truth be told completely. The principle of non-maleficence states that one should do no harm to others.

It is determined that a staff nurse has a drug abuse problem. What approach to the staff nurse's addiction should be taken as an initial intervention? 1 Counseled by the staff psychiatrist 2 Dismissed from the job immediately 3 Referred to the employee assistance program 4 Forced to promise to abstain from drugs in the future

3 Referral to the employee assistance program is a nonpunitive approach that attempts to help the nurse as an individual and as a professional. Counseling by the staff psychiatrist may be necessary for long-term therapy but is not the initial approach. Dismissing the nurse from the job immediately is a punitive nontherapeutic response that offers no chance of rehabilitation. The client has an addiction problem; promises will not keep the client from abusing drugs.

An elderly adult suffered an injury after falling down in the washroom. The primary healthcare provider performed a surgical procedure on the client and orders a blood transfusion. A family member of the client mentions that blood transfusions are not permitted in their community. What should the nurse do in order to handle the situation? 1 The nurse should wait for the court's order to give blood to the client. 2 The nurse should proceed with the transfusion in order to save the client's life. 3 The nurse should inform the primary healthcare provider and not give blood to the client. 4 The nurse should explain to the family member that the client needs this transfusion.

3 The client or the client's family member has the right to refuse treatment and the nurse should value their beliefs and traditions. Therefore, the nurse should inform the primary healthcare provider and not perform the blood transfusion. The nurse should not wait for a court's order or explain or convince the family member to change his or her mind. The nurse should not proceed with the treatment because this may cause severe legal implications.

A nurse receives abnormal results of diagnostic testing. What action should the nurse take first? 1 Inform the client of the results. 2 Ensure that the results are placed in the client's medical record. 3 Notify the client's primary healthcare provider of the results. 4 Obtain results of the other lab tests that were performed.

3 The nurse is most ethically and legally accountable for reporting diagnostic testing results to the client's primary healthcare provider, whether the results are normal or, more important, abnormal. Informing the client of the results is an incorrect action in this situation. Placing the results in the client's record and obtaining normal values of the results from the lab are acceptable actions for the nurse after notifying the primary healthcare provider of the abnormal results.

The family of an older adult who is aphasic reports to the nurse manager that the primary nurse failed to obtain a signed consent before inserting an indwelling catheter to measure hourly output. What should the nurse manager consider before responding? 1 Procedures for a client's benefit do not require a signed consent. 2 Clients who are aphasic are incapable of signing an informed consent. 3 A separate signed informed consent for routine treatments is unnecessary. 4 A specific intervention without a client's signed consent is an invasion of rights.

3 This is considered a routine procedure to meet basic physiologic needs and is covered by a consent signed at the time of admission. The need for consent is not negated because the procedure is beneficial. This treatment does not require special consent.

A nurse withholds a prescribed opioid medication from a client with intractable pain because the nurse fears the client will become addicted. In this situation the nurse is adhering to which ethical principle? 1 Veracity 2 Autonomy 3 Paternalism 4 Beneficence

4 Beneficence commonly is referred to as "doing of good"; it is related to the nurse's duty to help clients further their legitimate interest within the boundaries of safety. Unfortunately in this situation the client's priority is relief from pain and the nurse should be working with other health team members to achieve this objective. Veracity is defined as telling the truth. Autonomy, as an ethical principle, means that the nurse respects the client and the choices that are made. Paternalism occurs if the nurse interferes with the individual's autonomy by disregarding the client's choices.

What should the nurse do initially when obtaining consent for surgery? 1 Describe the risks involved in the surgery. 2 Explain that obtaining the signature is routine for any surgery. 3 Witness the client's signature, which the nurse's signature will document. 4 Determine whether the client's knowledge level is sufficient to give consent.

4 Informed consent means the client must comprehend the surgery, the alternatives, and the consequences. Describing the risks involved in the surgery is not within nursing's domain. Although obtaining a signature is routine, explaining that obtaining the signature is routine for any surgery does not determine the client's ability to give informed consent. Although witnessing the client's signature will be done, the nurse first should assess the client's knowledge of the surgery.

How does a nurse adopt the element of right circumstances during a task delegation? 1 By giving a clear and concise description of the task 2 By providing appropriate monitoring, evaluation, and intervention as needed 3 By delegating right tasks to the right person to be performed on the right person 4 By considering the appropriate client setting, available resources, and other relevant factors

4 The nurse adopts the element of right circumstance by considering the appropriate client setting, available resources, and other relevant factors during task delegation. By giving a clear and concise description of the task, the nurse adopts the element of right direction/communication. By providing appropriate monitoring, evaluation, and intervention as needed, the nurse adopts the element of right supervision/evaluation during task delegation. By giving the right tasks to the right person to be performed on a client, the nurse adopts the element of right person.