EXAM
Test Bank Brunner & Suddarth's
Textbook of Medical-Surgical Nursing,
15th Edition Q & A RATIONALES
LATEST UPDATED
,Chapter 1: Professional Nursing Practice
1. An 80-year-old client is admitted with a diagnosis of community-acquired
pneumonia. During admission the client states, "I have a living will." What
implication of this should the nurse recognize?
A. This document is always honored, regardless of circumstances.
B. This document specifies the client's wishes before hospitalization.
C. This document is binding for the duration of the client's life.
,D. This document has been drawn up by the client's family to determine DNR
status.
ANS: B
Rationale: A living will is one type of advance directive. In most situations, living
wills are limited to situations in which the client's medical condition is deemed
terminal. The other answers are incorrect because living wills are not always
honored in every circumstance, they are not binding for the duration of the client's
life, and they are not drawn up by the client's family.
PTS: 1 REF: p. 29
NAT: Client Needs: Safe, Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
TOP: Chapter 1: Professional Nursing Practice
KEY: Integrated Process: Communication and Documentation BLM: Cognitive
Level: Analyze
NOT: Multiple Choice
2. A nurse has been offered a position on an obstetric unit and has learned that the
unit offers therapeutic abortions, a procedure that contradicts the nurse's personal
beliefs. What is the nurse's ethical obligation to these clients?
A. The nurse should adhere to professional standards of practice and offer service
to these clients.
B. The nurse should make the choice to decline this position and pursue a different
nursing role.
C. The nurse should decline to care for the clients considering abortion.
D. The nurse should express alternatives to women considering terminating their
pregnancy.
ANS: B
Rationale: To avoid facing the ethical dilemma of providing care that contradicts the
nurse’s personal beliefs, the nurse should consider working in an area of nursing
that would not pose this dilemma. The nurse should not provide care to the client
because it is a conflict of personal values. The nurse should not deny care to these
clients as this would be a breach in the Code of Ethics for nurses. If the client is not
requesting information for alternatives to abortions, then the nurse should not be
, providing this information.
PTS: 1 REF: p. 27
NAT: Client Needs: Safe, Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
TOP: Chapter 1: Professional Nursing Practice KEY: Integrated Process: Caring
BLM: Cognitive Level: Apply NOT: Multiple Choice
3. A nurse has been providing ethical care for many years and is aware of the need
to maintain the ethical principle of nonmaleficence. Which of the following actions
would be considered a violation of this principle?
A. Discussing a DNR order with a terminally ill client
B. Assisting a semi-independent client with ADLs
C. Refusing to administer pain medication as prescribed
D. Providing more care for one client than for another
ANS: C
Rationale: The duty not to inflict as well as prevent and remove harm is termed
nonmaleficence. Discussing a DNR order with a terminally ill client and assisting a
client with ADLs would not be considered contradictions to the nurse's duty of
nonmaleficence. Some clients justifiably require more care than others.
PTS: 1 REF: p. 25
NAT: Client Needs: Safe, Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
Test Bank Brunner & Suddarth's
Textbook of Medical-Surgical Nursing,
15th Edition Q & A RATIONALES
LATEST UPDATED
,Chapter 1: Professional Nursing Practice
1. An 80-year-old client is admitted with a diagnosis of community-acquired
pneumonia. During admission the client states, "I have a living will." What
implication of this should the nurse recognize?
A. This document is always honored, regardless of circumstances.
B. This document specifies the client's wishes before hospitalization.
C. This document is binding for the duration of the client's life.
,D. This document has been drawn up by the client's family to determine DNR
status.
ANS: B
Rationale: A living will is one type of advance directive. In most situations, living
wills are limited to situations in which the client's medical condition is deemed
terminal. The other answers are incorrect because living wills are not always
honored in every circumstance, they are not binding for the duration of the client's
life, and they are not drawn up by the client's family.
PTS: 1 REF: p. 29
NAT: Client Needs: Safe, Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
TOP: Chapter 1: Professional Nursing Practice
KEY: Integrated Process: Communication and Documentation BLM: Cognitive
Level: Analyze
NOT: Multiple Choice
2. A nurse has been offered a position on an obstetric unit and has learned that the
unit offers therapeutic abortions, a procedure that contradicts the nurse's personal
beliefs. What is the nurse's ethical obligation to these clients?
A. The nurse should adhere to professional standards of practice and offer service
to these clients.
B. The nurse should make the choice to decline this position and pursue a different
nursing role.
C. The nurse should decline to care for the clients considering abortion.
D. The nurse should express alternatives to women considering terminating their
pregnancy.
ANS: B
Rationale: To avoid facing the ethical dilemma of providing care that contradicts the
nurse’s personal beliefs, the nurse should consider working in an area of nursing
that would not pose this dilemma. The nurse should not provide care to the client
because it is a conflict of personal values. The nurse should not deny care to these
clients as this would be a breach in the Code of Ethics for nurses. If the client is not
requesting information for alternatives to abortions, then the nurse should not be
, providing this information.
PTS: 1 REF: p. 27
NAT: Client Needs: Safe, Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
TOP: Chapter 1: Professional Nursing Practice KEY: Integrated Process: Caring
BLM: Cognitive Level: Apply NOT: Multiple Choice
3. A nurse has been providing ethical care for many years and is aware of the need
to maintain the ethical principle of nonmaleficence. Which of the following actions
would be considered a violation of this principle?
A. Discussing a DNR order with a terminally ill client
B. Assisting a semi-independent client with ADLs
C. Refusing to administer pain medication as prescribed
D. Providing more care for one client than for another
ANS: C
Rationale: The duty not to inflict as well as prevent and remove harm is termed
nonmaleficence. Discussing a DNR order with a terminally ill client and assisting a
client with ADLs would not be considered contradictions to the nurse's duty of
nonmaleficence. Some clients justifiably require more care than others.
PTS: 1 REF: p. 25
NAT: Client Needs: Safe, Effective Care Environment: Management of Care
