WGU C426 OA EXAM
Healthcare Ethics & Professional Practice
2026/2027 Academic Year
200 Questions | Objective Assessment (OA) | Already Graded A+ | 100% Verified
, EXAM INSTRUCTIONS
• This Objective Assessment (OA) consists of 200 multiple-choice questions designed to evaluate
competency in healthcare ethics and professional practice aligned with WGU C426 course outcomes.
• Each question contains four options (A, B, C, D). Select the single BEST answer that demonstrates
the highest level of ethical reasoning and professional judgment.
• Correct answers are displayed in bold cyan text for self-assessment and study review purposes.
• A detailed rationale accompanies each question, explaining the ethical reasoning, referencing relevant
ANA Code of Ethics provisions, regulatory standards, and healthcare policy frameworks.
• The exam covers 10 domains: Ethical Theories & Principles, Bioethics & Clinical Decision-Making,
Patient Rights & Informed Consent, Confidentiality & HIPAA Compliance, End-of-Life Care &
Advance Directives, Professional Codes of Ethics, Moral Distress & Ethical Dilemmas, Cultural
Competence & Ethical Relativism, Resource Allocation & Policy Ethics, and Interprofessional
Ethical Communication.
• Time recommended: 4 hours (approximately 1.2 minutes per question).
• A passing score of 70% (140/200) is required for WGU competency unit completion.
Domain Distribution
Domain Questions Percentage
Ethical Theories & Principles 25 12.5%
Bioethics & Clinical Decision- 20 10.0%
Making
Patient Rights & Informed Consent 20 10.0%
Confidentiality & HIPAA 20 10.0%
Compliance
End-of-Life Care & Advance 20 10.0%
Directives
Professional Codes of Ethics 20 10.0%
Moral Distress & Ethical Dilemmas 20 10.0%
Cultural Competence & Ethical 20 10.0%
Relativism
Resource Allocation & Policy 20 10.0%
Ethics
Interprofessional Ethical 15 7.5%
Communication
TOTAL 200 100%
,ETHICAL THEORIES & PRINCIPLES
(25 Questions)
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1. A nurse is caring for a patient with terminal cancer who requests a full code status despite the medical
team's recommendation for comfort measures. The nurse supports the patient's choice even though the
prognosis is poor. Which ethical principle is the nurse primarily demonstrating?
A. Beneficence, because the nurse is promoting the patient's well-being through curative
treatment
B. Autonomy, because the nurse is respecting the patient's right to make informed decisions
about their own care
C. Non-maleficence, because the nurse is preventing harm from unnecessary aggressive
interventions
D. Justice, because the nurse is ensuring equitable distribution of healthcare resources
Rationale: Autonomy is the ethical principle that respects a patient's right to self-determination and
informed decision-making. The ANA Code of Ethics Provision 1 emphasizes the nurse's duty to respect
human dignity and patient autonomy. While beneficence and non-maleficence are important, the scenario
focuses on the patient's right to choose their own treatment path.
2. A hospital has one ventilator available when two patients arrive simultaneously — a 34-year-old parent
of three young children and a 78-year-old with multiple comorbidities. Using a strict utilitarian
framework, which factor would most influence the allocation decision?
A. The younger patient's social role and dependents, because maximizing overall happiness
favors preserving a family provider
B. The older patient's lifetime of contributions to society, because historical utility deserves
prioritization
C. The order of arrival, because utilitarianism requires adherence to first-come-first-served
protocols
D. The patients' ability to pay for continued treatment, because resource efficiency requires
financial consideration
Rationale: Utilitarianism seeks to maximize overall good or happiness for the greatest number. In this
scenario, the younger patient's role as a parent of three dependents creates a larger ripple effect of well-
being, aligning with act utilitarianism. Utilitarianism does not rely on arrival order or ability to pay, and
historical contributions are not the primary utilitarian calculus.
, 3. A physician always tells patients the complete truth about their diagnoses, even when the truth may
cause significant distress, because she believes honesty is a moral duty regardless of consequences.
Which ethical framework best describes this physician's approach?
A. Utilitarianism, which weighs the benefits of truthfulness against the harm of emotional distress
B. Kantian deontology, which treats truth-telling as a categorical imperative that must be
universally applied
C. Virtue ethics, which emphasizes developing the character trait of compassion in difficult
conversations
D. Ethical relativism, which adapts the disclosure approach based on each patient's cultural
background
Rationale: Kant's categorical imperative holds that moral rules must be universal and unconditional.
Telling the truth is a perfect duty in Kantian ethics — one cannot rationally will that everyone lie when
convenient. This contrasts with utilitarianism, which would weigh outcomes, and virtue ethics, which
focuses on character. The physician's absolute commitment to honesty regardless of consequences is
quintessentially deontological.
4. A home health nurse notices that an elderly patient's daughter is overwhelmed by caregiving
responsibilities. Rather than just following the care plan, the nurse spends extra time listening to the
daughter's concerns, helps arrange respite care, and connects the family with community support services.
Which ethical approach is this nurse primarily applying?
A. Care ethics, which prioritizes relationships, empathy, and responding to the needs of
those in dependent positions
B. Deontological ethics, which follows strict duty-based rules about nurse-patient boundaries
C. Natural law theory, which directs actions toward the inherent purpose of human flourishing
D. Casuistry, which compares this case to similar paradigm cases to determine the ethical action
Rationale: Care ethics, developed by Carol Gilligan and Nel Noddings, emphasizes the moral significance
of relationships, attentiveness to others' needs, and contextual responsiveness. The nurse's actions
demonstrate the core care ethics concepts of maintaining relationships, listening with empathy, and
addressing the caregiver's burden — not just the patient's medical needs. The ANA Code of Ethics
Provision 2 also reflects care ethics in its emphasis on commitment to the patient.
5. An oncology nurse believes that being courageous, honest, and compassionate are the most important
qualities in caring for patients with cancer. When facing a difficult ethical decision, the nurse asks, 'What
would a person of good character do in this situation?' Which ethical theory is this nurse applying?
A. Deontology, which focuses on moral rules and duties that define right action
Healthcare Ethics & Professional Practice
2026/2027 Academic Year
200 Questions | Objective Assessment (OA) | Already Graded A+ | 100% Verified
, EXAM INSTRUCTIONS
• This Objective Assessment (OA) consists of 200 multiple-choice questions designed to evaluate
competency in healthcare ethics and professional practice aligned with WGU C426 course outcomes.
• Each question contains four options (A, B, C, D). Select the single BEST answer that demonstrates
the highest level of ethical reasoning and professional judgment.
• Correct answers are displayed in bold cyan text for self-assessment and study review purposes.
• A detailed rationale accompanies each question, explaining the ethical reasoning, referencing relevant
ANA Code of Ethics provisions, regulatory standards, and healthcare policy frameworks.
• The exam covers 10 domains: Ethical Theories & Principles, Bioethics & Clinical Decision-Making,
Patient Rights & Informed Consent, Confidentiality & HIPAA Compliance, End-of-Life Care &
Advance Directives, Professional Codes of Ethics, Moral Distress & Ethical Dilemmas, Cultural
Competence & Ethical Relativism, Resource Allocation & Policy Ethics, and Interprofessional
Ethical Communication.
• Time recommended: 4 hours (approximately 1.2 minutes per question).
• A passing score of 70% (140/200) is required for WGU competency unit completion.
Domain Distribution
Domain Questions Percentage
Ethical Theories & Principles 25 12.5%
Bioethics & Clinical Decision- 20 10.0%
Making
Patient Rights & Informed Consent 20 10.0%
Confidentiality & HIPAA 20 10.0%
Compliance
End-of-Life Care & Advance 20 10.0%
Directives
Professional Codes of Ethics 20 10.0%
Moral Distress & Ethical Dilemmas 20 10.0%
Cultural Competence & Ethical 20 10.0%
Relativism
Resource Allocation & Policy 20 10.0%
Ethics
Interprofessional Ethical 15 7.5%
Communication
TOTAL 200 100%
,ETHICAL THEORIES & PRINCIPLES
(25 Questions)
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
1. A nurse is caring for a patient with terminal cancer who requests a full code status despite the medical
team's recommendation for comfort measures. The nurse supports the patient's choice even though the
prognosis is poor. Which ethical principle is the nurse primarily demonstrating?
A. Beneficence, because the nurse is promoting the patient's well-being through curative
treatment
B. Autonomy, because the nurse is respecting the patient's right to make informed decisions
about their own care
C. Non-maleficence, because the nurse is preventing harm from unnecessary aggressive
interventions
D. Justice, because the nurse is ensuring equitable distribution of healthcare resources
Rationale: Autonomy is the ethical principle that respects a patient's right to self-determination and
informed decision-making. The ANA Code of Ethics Provision 1 emphasizes the nurse's duty to respect
human dignity and patient autonomy. While beneficence and non-maleficence are important, the scenario
focuses on the patient's right to choose their own treatment path.
2. A hospital has one ventilator available when two patients arrive simultaneously — a 34-year-old parent
of three young children and a 78-year-old with multiple comorbidities. Using a strict utilitarian
framework, which factor would most influence the allocation decision?
A. The younger patient's social role and dependents, because maximizing overall happiness
favors preserving a family provider
B. The older patient's lifetime of contributions to society, because historical utility deserves
prioritization
C. The order of arrival, because utilitarianism requires adherence to first-come-first-served
protocols
D. The patients' ability to pay for continued treatment, because resource efficiency requires
financial consideration
Rationale: Utilitarianism seeks to maximize overall good or happiness for the greatest number. In this
scenario, the younger patient's role as a parent of three dependents creates a larger ripple effect of well-
being, aligning with act utilitarianism. Utilitarianism does not rely on arrival order or ability to pay, and
historical contributions are not the primary utilitarian calculus.
, 3. A physician always tells patients the complete truth about their diagnoses, even when the truth may
cause significant distress, because she believes honesty is a moral duty regardless of consequences.
Which ethical framework best describes this physician's approach?
A. Utilitarianism, which weighs the benefits of truthfulness against the harm of emotional distress
B. Kantian deontology, which treats truth-telling as a categorical imperative that must be
universally applied
C. Virtue ethics, which emphasizes developing the character trait of compassion in difficult
conversations
D. Ethical relativism, which adapts the disclosure approach based on each patient's cultural
background
Rationale: Kant's categorical imperative holds that moral rules must be universal and unconditional.
Telling the truth is a perfect duty in Kantian ethics — one cannot rationally will that everyone lie when
convenient. This contrasts with utilitarianism, which would weigh outcomes, and virtue ethics, which
focuses on character. The physician's absolute commitment to honesty regardless of consequences is
quintessentially deontological.
4. A home health nurse notices that an elderly patient's daughter is overwhelmed by caregiving
responsibilities. Rather than just following the care plan, the nurse spends extra time listening to the
daughter's concerns, helps arrange respite care, and connects the family with community support services.
Which ethical approach is this nurse primarily applying?
A. Care ethics, which prioritizes relationships, empathy, and responding to the needs of
those in dependent positions
B. Deontological ethics, which follows strict duty-based rules about nurse-patient boundaries
C. Natural law theory, which directs actions toward the inherent purpose of human flourishing
D. Casuistry, which compares this case to similar paradigm cases to determine the ethical action
Rationale: Care ethics, developed by Carol Gilligan and Nel Noddings, emphasizes the moral significance
of relationships, attentiveness to others' needs, and contextual responsiveness. The nurse's actions
demonstrate the core care ethics concepts of maintaining relationships, listening with empathy, and
addressing the caregiver's burden — not just the patient's medical needs. The ANA Code of Ethics
Provision 2 also reflects care ethics in its emphasis on commitment to the patient.
5. An oncology nurse believes that being courageous, honest, and compassionate are the most important
qualities in caring for patients with cancer. When facing a difficult ethical decision, the nurse asks, 'What
would a person of good character do in this situation?' Which ethical theory is this nurse applying?
A. Deontology, which focuses on moral rules and duties that define right action
