Professional Nursing Questions
when the care required of a patient comes into conflict with the nurse's personal beliefs, what situation exists?
an ethical dilemma
the nurse is admitting a new patient and is collecting data through obtaining a health history and physical assessment. What phase of the problem solving process is the nurse focusing on with the patient?
assessing
what is the term used to identify the omission of doing something that a reasonable person would do, guided by the considerations that ordinarily regulate human affairs?
negligence
which legal act gives patients the right to determine their desired end of life care?
patient self determination act
A nurse on the acute care unit demonstrates the positive traits of a good leader when working with new employees. What trait does the nurse manager cite when performing the nurse's evaluation?
role modeling
What term is used to identify the type of law that covers most incidences of malpractice?
tort laws
the manager of several related departments brings the team together to inform them that they will all be cross training to other units for the purpose of increasing productivity. What form of leadership does this manager demonstrate?
transactional
a nurse in a leadership role is committed to a vision for retention in the medical-surgical unit and is able to empower others with this vision. What form of leadership is this nurse demonstrating?
transformational
a nurse manager is holding a meeting to discuss a sensitive issue with the staff. A previous meeting was held regarding the same issue and it ended in a negative manner. What action can the manager take in order to minimize the impact of leader/group style mismatch?
use a decision-making model
a nurse leader is having a discussion with a team member about changes that will be made on the unit. Which statement by the team member demonstrates the greatest problem for the leader?
"I don't think you heard what the rest of us had to say"
a staff nurse informs the nurse manager that the nurse would like to gain a broader experience in the other departments of the acute care facility. What response by the nurse manager demonstrates effective leadership?
"would you be willing to help on another unit? they need a shift leader for a couple weeks"
which statement is true regarding the Good Samaritan law? select all
-protection provided is generally limited to emergency situations -the provider may not exceed scope of practice limits
what is the focus of the patient self determination act (PSDA)? (select all)
-providing patients with written information about health care durable power of attorney -informing patients about advance directives (AD) -educating patients regarding the role of a health care proxy -educating staff concerning end of life issues
the nurse manager has an obligation to act as advocate for which entities? (select all)
-the profession -the staff -the patient -themselves
a nurse does not assist with ambulation for a postoperative patient on the first day after surgery. the patient falls and fractures a hip. What charge might be brought against the nurse?
negligence
A nurse manager is making a decision based on a problem with a staff member. What would be the optimal end product of the decision?
a chosen course of action
the nurse engages in actions to promote the good of the patient. The nurse is engaging in fulfillment of which ethical principle?
beneficence
which situations are necessary components for malpractice to occur? (select all)
-a direct connection between care given and injury must be present -forseeability of harm must exist -a standard of care must be in place whereby the provider has accepted duty for the patient -the practitioner has failed to meet a standard of care, also called "breach of duty"
Which labor standards were set in place by the Fair Labor Standards Act? (select all)
-a maximum of an 80-hour regular pay period -guarenteed paid overtime -illegal employment of minors -minimum wage
the equal employment opportunity commission defines discrimination as including which forms of discrimination? (select all)
-age -race or color -sexual harassment -pay/compensation
a nurse manager must be aware of what is happening on the unit to prevent injury to the patient and exposing the staff to a potential malpractice situation. What steps would the nurse manager take to accomplish this? (select all)
-arranging for relevant staff in services regarding the operation of equipment -providing disciplining those who provide inappropriate care -regularly checking the credentials of current nursing staff -assuring adequate staffing
An experienced nurse using contingency theory is orienting a new graduate to the unit. What needs will the nurse meet with the new graduate using this theory? (select all)
-counseling -coaching -developing
when considering the MORAL decision-making model, what step is the nurse engaging in when developing the plan of care?
affirming
a nurse manager must make an important decision regarding a staff members continued employment on the unit. In order to avoid the pitfalls involved in decision-making, what should the nurse manager do?
choose a decision making style that will best fit the situation
which type of law regulates the practice of nursing
civil law
what is the nurse managers focus when the addressing issues represented by Title VII?
civil rights of staff and patients
What is the nurse's best safeguard against legal prosecution?
competent practice
How can the nurse manager best minimize the personal risk for legal liability?
creating a work environment that prioritizes patient needs
a nurse is arrested for possession of illegal drugs. what kind of law governs this type of activity?
criminal
A nursing staff is presently using disposable biopsy forceps in the endoscopy suite, and the nurse manager is questioning the cost-effectiveness of this practice. What would be an appropriate decision-making model to find a cost-efficient solution?
decision grid
a nurse educator in a college setting has developed leadership skills as a result of attaining further education and sharing positive change within the department. What transformational leadership characteristic is this nurse educator demonstrating?
empowering others
a nurse leader is considering using transformational leadership. What information would the nurse leader need to keep in mind?
empowerment of both the leader and follower occurs.
a nurse is determining whether the outcomes were met for a patient preparing for discharge with an open abdominal wound and reassessing if not met. What phase of the nursing process is the nurse performing?
evaluating
a nurse is educating a patient who is scheduled to undergo an open cholecystectomy how to turn, cough, and deep breath in order to prevent complications after the procedure. What phase of the nursing process is the nurse providing?
implementation
A nurse manager is using the decision-making model "SWOT" to determine whether it is feasible to add another on-call team in preoperative services. What words does the acronym "SWOT" represent?
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats
According to the ANA code of ethics for nurses, what is the nurses primary commitment?
the application of ethical standard to the delivery of patient care
what is the primary focus of the health insurance portability and accountability act (HIPPA)?
the patients right to confidentiality
A nurse is using the nursing process in order to plan the care of a newly admitted patient that has had a stroke. What is the benefit of using the nursing process to devise a care plan?
this method of problem solving can be transferrable to non-patient problems
a nurse manager is mentoring a new facilitator. what decision-making models can the manager suggest to the facilitator that will help minimize the impact of an unskilled facilitator? (select all)
-decision tree -decision grid -payoff table -consequence table
a nurse exhibits leadership traits associated with the role of nurse leader. What activities demonstrated by the nurse would demonstrate these leadership traits? (select all)
-establishing goals for a coming year -mentoring two new managers -providing a motivational speech at the new employee orientation -advocating for an employee regarding personnel policies -providing feedback about job performance
A staff nurse is having difficulty with problem solving in patient care and the nurse manager is counseling the nurse. What suggestions by the nurse manager may assist the staff nurse in improving problem solving skills?
override bias slow down thinking systematize data collection
A nurse manager schedules a meeting with the staff to discuss policy changes. What does the manager hope to achieve by having some upper left-brain dominant staff members lend their input?
logical and rational analysis
what is the role of the nurse manager in assuring ethical nursing practice on the unit? select all
-identifying desired outcomes -expert problem solver -primary decision maker -implementing the best decision with attention to cost
the health insurance portability and accountability act ensures strong privacy protections for the patient without threatening access to which areas of care? (select all)
-exchange of patient information among appropriate health care providers -health care clearinghouses -health care plans
what must a person giving informed consent for surgery or a procedure fully comprehend in order to give informed consent? (select all))
-expected or desired outcomes -the procedure to be performed -the risks involved -expected complications or potential side effects that may occur as a result of the treatment
what rights do patients have? (select all)
-the right to end treatment without physcian consent -the right to informed consent -the right to protection of their privacy -the right to respectful care free of discrimination
a nurse determines that action is justified for a patient with limited mobility after an injury. After a plan for a solution has been identified, what is the next step in the problem solving process?
implementing
A nurse is caring for a patient that suddenly becomes short of breath and has a decrease in oxygen saturation to 86%. The nurse places the patient on 4L of oxygen via nasal cannula and elevates the head of the bed. What decision tree would the nurse have used in this situation?
intuitive judgement
A nursing instruction is discussing ways to improve critical thinking during a clinical rotation with a student. The student asks the nurse what critical thinking is. What is the best response by the nursing instructor?
it requires reasoning and creative analysis
a nurse explains the informed consent form to a patient who is scheduled for a heart bypass surgery. Which elements are considered essential to the effectiveness establishment of informed consent? (select all)
-full disclosure of information regarding the procedure -comprehension of the information by the patient or guardian -competence of the patient must be determined prior to consent
A nurse has a difficult decision to make regarding patient care. What should the nurse due to influence a positive outcome? (select all)
-gather data input from a variety of sources -slow down the thinking process -identify a number of different options -understand the repercussions of each option
which steps will help the nurse minimize the risk of nursing malpractice? (Select all)
-periodically reviewing the scope of practice for nurses -maintaining liability insurance independent of that provided by the facility -attending relevant continuing educations programs to upgrade clinical skills -observing all facility policies and procedures when providing care
which behaviors by a nurse can result in the suspension or revocation of the nursing license? (select all)
-practicing on an expired nursing license -failing to report an incident of substandard nursing care -being convicted of professional negligence -a felony conviction for drug use
A nurse educator determines that the present classroom environment is ineffective in promoting critical thinking. What methods could the educator employ in the classroom to improve critical thinking? (select all)
-problem-based learning exercises -case studies -simulation
What information is accurate when describing the Nurse Practice Acts? (select all)
-when considering the law, they are an example of a statute -they need to be consistent with applicable federal statures -they focus on the practice of the professional nurse -they identify actions that fall outside of the nurse's scope of practice
the director of a busy outpatient department is meeting with staff to ask input and make decisions about the feasibility of a freestanding unit. What issue by the nurse manager can stop the entire process if not rectified?
keep the objective and expectations for the group undefined
when making a decision about using a prn pool for added staffing, what can the nurse manager do to make the best decision?
make a decision with all of the facts
which statement is true about an incident report? (Select all)
-the chart should contain all the variables related to the incident -the document is generally considered confidential -a disclosed incidence report can be subpoenaed in court
A nurse makes a decision using intuitive judgement regarding a patients rapid change in condition. what action should the nurse take after the decision?
use evidence-based data to validate decision
a nurse manager is having a difficult time in making a decision about reprimanding a staff nurse who has exceeded the absentee policy. Why would the managers values cause personal conflict in making this decision?
values often collide with one another
