N204 Legal Dimensions of Nursing Practice (final)
A legal document that states a client's health-related wishes — such as a preference for pain management if the client becomes terminally ill — and also allows the client's adult child to direct the client's care, is:
Advanced directive
When the nurse informs a client's employer of the client's autoimmune deficiency disease, the nurse is committing the tort of:
invasion of privacy
While riding in the elevator, a nurse discusses the HIV-positive status of a client with other colleagues. The nurse's action reflects:
invasion of privacy
Nurses complete incident reports as dictated by the agency protocol. What is the primary reason nurses fill out an incident report?
to improve quality of care
A client being discharged from the hospital asks the nurse, "When I go visit my family out of state, should I take my living will with me, or do I need a new one for that state?" Which is the most appropriate response by the nurse?
"Take it with you. It is recognized universally in the United States."
Action has been taken against a nurse's license based on a claim that the nurse acted outside of nursing's scope of practice. The nurse's attorney determines that the nurse needs more education about the purpose of the board of nursing when the nurse makes which statement?
"The rules made by the board of nursing don't reflect my practice."
Which best exemplifies malpractice
The nurse administers amoxicillin to a client with known allergies to penicillin. The client has a seizure with resulting respiratory arrest
After reporting to work for a night shift, the nurse learns that the unit is understaffed because two RNs called out sick. As a result, each nurse on the unit must provide care for four acute clients in addition to the nurse's regular clients. Which statement is true for this nurse when working in understaffed circumstances?
The nurse is legally held to the same standards of care as when staffing levels are normal.
Nurses are occasionally asked to witness a testator's (person who makes the will) signing of a will. Which guideline is true regarding a nurse's role in witnessing a testator's signature?
Witnesses to a signature do not need to read the will.
Which statements made by a nurse would indicate to a nurse manager that the nurse requires further training? 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."
Nursing students are discussing the requirement that they carry personal professional liability insurance as students. The nurse instructor should offer additional information when which statements are made? Select all that apply.
--"Since I am a student, my instructor is the one liable if I make a mistake." -- "I thought we would be covered by the hospital's malpractice insurance." --"I think this is an unnecessary expense." -- "I will be protected both as a student and at my CNA job."
The nurse attempts to notify a health care provider about a client's elevated temperature but does not get a response. Which statement, if documented by the nurse, would indicate that the nurse is following proper protocol for nursing documentation?
1300: Client temperature elevated. Telephoned health care provider's service 3 times without a response. Tepid sponge bath given and nursing supervisor notified.
A client states that the client's recent fall was caused by his scheduled antihypertensive medications being mistakenly administered by two different nurses, an event that is disputed by both of the nurses identified by the client. Which measure should the nurses prioritize when anticipating that legal action may follow?
Document the client's claims and the events surrounding the alleged incident.
Healthcare institution
During the orientation to the hospital, the staff development educator discusses unit and institutional-based policies. What is the source of the practice rules that result in unit and institutional-based policies?
During the admission assessment of a client with a suspected mandibular fracture, the client discloses to the nurse that the injury results from the client's spouse hitting the client. Which action should the nurse prioritize when responding to this disclosure?
Reporting the abuse to the appropriate authorities
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 student nurse is assisting an older adult client to ambulate following hip replacement surgery when the client falls and reinjures the hip. Who is potentially responsible for the injury to this client?-
The student nurse, the nurse instructor, and the hospital
A nurse enters the client's room and finds the client lying on the floor experiencing a seizure. After stabilizing the client, the nurse informs the physician. The physician advises the nurse to prepare an incident report. What is the purpose of an incident report?
To evaluate quality care and potential risks for injury to the client
Professional regulations and laws that govern nursing practice are in place for which reason?
To protect the safety of the public
A nurse is caring for a client who has undergone coronary angioplasty. The cardiac monitor is showing abnormal electrocardiogram waves, indicating atrial fibrillation. The nurse does not recognize the importance of the sign; as a result, the client's condition deteriorates and the client has to be taken up for an emergency procedure. Which describes the nurse's legal liability?
Tort **tort=a wrongful act or an infringement of a right (other than under contract) leading to civil legal liability. includes both negligence cases as well as intentional wrongs which result in harm
The State Board of Nurse Examiners
What governing body has the authority to revoke or suspend a nurse's license?
Which process evaluates and recognizes educational programs as having met certain standards?
accreditation explanation:Accreditation is the process by which an educational program is evaluated and recognized as having met certain standards. Credentialing refers to ways in which professional competence is ensured and maintained. Licensure is the process by which a state determines that a candidate meets certain minimum requirements to practice in the profession and grants the license to do so. Certification is the process by which a person who has met certain criteria established by a nongovernmental association is granted recognition in a specified practice area.
A client admitted to a mental health unit has exhibited physical behaviors that put the client and others at risk. The nurse applies four-point restraints on the client without obtaining a physician's order or the client's consent. The nurse is at risk of being accused of which action?
battery
A client with end-stage renal disease decides against further treatment and requests a "Do Not Resuscitate" (DNR) order. The DNR status is part of the change-of-shift report. The client stops breathing and a nurse begins cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The family is upset and makes a complaint to the charge nurse. The charge nurse appropriately identifies that nurse has committed:
battery
An RN enters a client's room and observes the unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) forcefully pushing a client down on the bed. The client starts crying and informs the UAP of the need to go to the bathroom. What action is the RN witnessing that should be immediately reported to the supervisor?
battery **battery= physical act that results in harmful or offensive contact with another person without that person's consent
A nurse fails to communicate a change in the client's condition to the physician. Which element related to proving malpractice has been met?
berach of duty
The nurse is providing care to a client whose condition has progressively declined. The nurse assesses and makes appropriate interventions as well as notifies the health care provider. Despite the nurse's efforts, the client expires. What element of liability has the nurse demonstrated?
duty
A nurse working on a busy medical-surigcal unit does not take the vital signs of client who is preparing for discharge but instead documents the same vital signs obtained for this client earlier in the morning. For which tort would the nurse be potentially liable?
fraud
An HIV-positive client discovers that the client's name is published in a research report on HIV care prepared by the client's nurse. The client is hurt and files a lawsuit against the nurse. Which offense has the nurse committed?
invasion of privacy
Which situation is an example of battery that the nurse may witness while performing duties at the health care facility?
performing a surgical procedure without getting consent
A nurse is overheard in the hospital cafeteria making false, derogatory comments about a client. The nurse is guilty of:
slander
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
A client has asked that a nurse witness the signing of the clieint's will. What should the nurse do prior to witnessing this signature? Select all that apply.
--Check to see whether state laws allow the nurse to witness this signature. -- Assess the client's state of mind. --Review the client's medical record. --Talk to the client about why the client is signing the will now.
Legal safeguards are in place in the nursing practice to protect the nurse from exposure to legal risks as well as to protect the client from harm. What are examples of legal safeguards for the nurse? Select all that apply.
--The nurse obtains informed consent from a client to perform a procedure. --The nurse educates the client about The Patient Care Partnership. --The nurse documents all client care in a timely manner.
A nurse is being sued for malpractice in a court of law. What elements must be established to prove that malpractice or negligence has occurred? Select all that apply.
--causation --duty --breach of duty
The nurse is providing care to a client who had orthopedic surgery. The nurse has medicated the client for pain. However, the client reports that the pain is unrelieved. The nurse takes no further action regarding assessment and intervention for the client's pain. The nurse does not notify the surgeon regarding the client's pain. The nurse's failure to take further action represents which element of liability in this case?
Breach of duty
Which statement about laws governing the distribution of controlled substances is true?
Nurses are responsible for adhering to specific documentation about controlled substances.
Which nursing student 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.
