PCCN PREP QUESTIONS- PROFESSIONAL CARING
AND ETHICAL PRACTICE QUESTIONS
Which of the following scenarios demonstrates a nurse exhibiting the ethical principle of
autonomy?
A. Respecting the patient's right to refuse treatment
B. Recommending that the patient create a power of attorney
C. Consulting the family about the patient's care
D. Following all provider orders - Answers -A. Respecting the patient's right to refuse
treatment
A nurse who respects and supports a patient's right to make decisions is demonstrating:
A. Fidelity
B. Advocacy
C. Altruism
D. Justice - Answers -B. Advocacy
The nurse is researching pressure ulcers to determine if the unit is employing best
practices. Which of the following scenarios demonstrates the highest level of evidence?
A. Interviews of patients who experienced hospital-acquired pressure injuries
B. A position paper on hospital-acquired pressure injuries published by the American
Professional Wound Care Association
C. A chart review of patients admitted to the unit with pressure ulcer formation and
those without pressure ulcer formation
D. A study of hospital patients who were randomly assigned to receive either a
pressure-reducing mattress or a standard hospital mattress - Answers -D. A study of
hospital patients who were randomly assigned to receive either a pressure-reducing
mattress or a standard hospital mattress
Which of the following situations is an example of an intentional tort of battery?
A. The nurse threatens a patient who refuses to take prescribed medications
B. The nurse gives confidential information to a family member
C. The nurse inserts a catheter after the patient has refused the procedure
D. The nurse refuses to administer pain medication to a patient after surgery - Answers
-C. The nurse inserts a catheter after the patient has refused the procedure
After the nurse leaves a patient's room, a nursing colleague approaches her and
requests patient treatment information, skating, "The patient is the aunt of one of my
close friends". The nurse's BEST action is to:
A. Instruct her colleague to contact the patient's physician to obtain treatment
information
B. Review the patient's EMR with her colleague
C. Tell her colleague that she is too busy to answer any questions at this time
, D. Inform her colleague that patient permission is required to release any information -
Answers -D. Inform her colleague that patient permission is required to release any
information
The nurse notes that an elderly male patient under observation following a cerebral
vascular accident has multiple bruises on his arms and legs. Nothing in the patient's
chart suggests how the patient may have sustained these injuries. The nurse asks the
patient about the bruises, but the patient refuses to discuss them. The nurse suspects
that the patient's adult son may be abusing him at home. The nurse's next BEST action
is to:
A. Notify proper authorities regarding the suspected abuse
B. Document the findings in the patient's record
C. Notify the hospital security department
D. Ask the patient's son about the sources of the injuries - Answers -A. Notify proper
authorities regarding suspected abuse
A physician writes a medication order that is three times the recommended dosage, and
the nurse administers the medication as ordered. The patient has a fatal outcome from
the lethal dosage of the medication. Who is liable for this error?
A. The physician who wrote the order
B. The nurse who administered the medication to the patient
C. The pharmaceutical company that manufactures the medication
D. Both the physician who wrote the order and the nurse who administered the
medication - Answers -D. Both the physician who wrote the order and the nurse who
administered the medication
The physical therapist tells the night nurse that the day shift nurse is not turning a
patient often enough, which has resulted in a reddened areas on the patient's heels.
The night nurse and the physical therapist discuss additional interventions are shared
with the day shift. Which type of interprofessional care does this scenario BEST
demonstrate?
A. Skilled communication
B. True collaboration
C. Effective decision-making
D. Authentic leadership - Answers -A. Skilled communication
The nurse has noticed an increase in falls on the unit in recent months. The nurse
begins to look into these events and notes that there have been staffing shortages and
an increase in use of restraints. The nurse begins to question the appropriateness of the
unit's guidelines related to fall prevention. The nurse's next BEST action is to:
A. Turn the findings over to the unit manager
B. Recognize the need to seek more help in identifying patient problems
C. Compare and contrast possible alternatives to prevent falls
D. Develop individualized fall-prevention guidelines for different patient populations and
situations - Answers -C. Compare and contrast possible alternatives to prevent falls
AND ETHICAL PRACTICE QUESTIONS
Which of the following scenarios demonstrates a nurse exhibiting the ethical principle of
autonomy?
A. Respecting the patient's right to refuse treatment
B. Recommending that the patient create a power of attorney
C. Consulting the family about the patient's care
D. Following all provider orders - Answers -A. Respecting the patient's right to refuse
treatment
A nurse who respects and supports a patient's right to make decisions is demonstrating:
A. Fidelity
B. Advocacy
C. Altruism
D. Justice - Answers -B. Advocacy
The nurse is researching pressure ulcers to determine if the unit is employing best
practices. Which of the following scenarios demonstrates the highest level of evidence?
A. Interviews of patients who experienced hospital-acquired pressure injuries
B. A position paper on hospital-acquired pressure injuries published by the American
Professional Wound Care Association
C. A chart review of patients admitted to the unit with pressure ulcer formation and
those without pressure ulcer formation
D. A study of hospital patients who were randomly assigned to receive either a
pressure-reducing mattress or a standard hospital mattress - Answers -D. A study of
hospital patients who were randomly assigned to receive either a pressure-reducing
mattress or a standard hospital mattress
Which of the following situations is an example of an intentional tort of battery?
A. The nurse threatens a patient who refuses to take prescribed medications
B. The nurse gives confidential information to a family member
C. The nurse inserts a catheter after the patient has refused the procedure
D. The nurse refuses to administer pain medication to a patient after surgery - Answers
-C. The nurse inserts a catheter after the patient has refused the procedure
After the nurse leaves a patient's room, a nursing colleague approaches her and
requests patient treatment information, skating, "The patient is the aunt of one of my
close friends". The nurse's BEST action is to:
A. Instruct her colleague to contact the patient's physician to obtain treatment
information
B. Review the patient's EMR with her colleague
C. Tell her colleague that she is too busy to answer any questions at this time
, D. Inform her colleague that patient permission is required to release any information -
Answers -D. Inform her colleague that patient permission is required to release any
information
The nurse notes that an elderly male patient under observation following a cerebral
vascular accident has multiple bruises on his arms and legs. Nothing in the patient's
chart suggests how the patient may have sustained these injuries. The nurse asks the
patient about the bruises, but the patient refuses to discuss them. The nurse suspects
that the patient's adult son may be abusing him at home. The nurse's next BEST action
is to:
A. Notify proper authorities regarding the suspected abuse
B. Document the findings in the patient's record
C. Notify the hospital security department
D. Ask the patient's son about the sources of the injuries - Answers -A. Notify proper
authorities regarding suspected abuse
A physician writes a medication order that is three times the recommended dosage, and
the nurse administers the medication as ordered. The patient has a fatal outcome from
the lethal dosage of the medication. Who is liable for this error?
A. The physician who wrote the order
B. The nurse who administered the medication to the patient
C. The pharmaceutical company that manufactures the medication
D. Both the physician who wrote the order and the nurse who administered the
medication - Answers -D. Both the physician who wrote the order and the nurse who
administered the medication
The physical therapist tells the night nurse that the day shift nurse is not turning a
patient often enough, which has resulted in a reddened areas on the patient's heels.
The night nurse and the physical therapist discuss additional interventions are shared
with the day shift. Which type of interprofessional care does this scenario BEST
demonstrate?
A. Skilled communication
B. True collaboration
C. Effective decision-making
D. Authentic leadership - Answers -A. Skilled communication
The nurse has noticed an increase in falls on the unit in recent months. The nurse
begins to look into these events and notes that there have been staffing shortages and
an increase in use of restraints. The nurse begins to question the appropriateness of the
unit's guidelines related to fall prevention. The nurse's next BEST action is to:
A. Turn the findings over to the unit manager
B. Recognize the need to seek more help in identifying patient problems
C. Compare and contrast possible alternatives to prevent falls
D. Develop individualized fall-prevention guidelines for different patient populations and
situations - Answers -C. Compare and contrast possible alternatives to prevent falls
