Chapter 06: Ethics Applied to Nursing: Personal Versus Professional Ethics
Knecht: Success in Practical/Vocational Nursing, 8th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The nurse states, “I like being part of the health care team caring for the traditional two-parent
family during the postpartum period as they bond with their newborn.” This statement reveals
the nurse’s
a. values.
b. duty.
c. fidelity.
d. ethics.
ANS: A
Values involve the worth assigned to an idea or action. In this statement the nurse reveals that
she values the traditional two-parent family. The statement does not clearly address any of the
other options. Duty refers to the nurse’s responsibility to provide care in an acceptable way.
Fidelity challenges the nurse to be faithful to the charge of acting in the patient’s best interest
when the capacity to make free choice is no longer available to the patient. Ethics is a system
of standards or moral principles that direct actions as being right or wrong.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: p. 74 OBJ: 2
TOP: Values KEY: Nursing Process Step: N/A MSC: NCLEX: N/A
2. A student nurse asks, “What’s the difference between laws and ethics?” Which response best
explains the difference between nursing laws and ethics?
a. “Ethics refer to expected behavior of nurses, but laws require mandatory
observance by nurses.”
b. “Nursing ethics are formalized by statutes, whereas laws are permissive codes.”
c. “Ethics are derived from laws, whereas laws are enacted by nonnurse legislators.”
d. “Ethics are specific to individual agencies, but laws are state specific.”
ANS: A
Ethics refers to behaviors nurses “ought” to observe. Laws refer to statutes that must be
observed.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: pp. 77-79 OBJ: 11
TOP: Ethical vs. legal aspects of practice KEY: Nursing Process Step: N/A
MSC: NCLEX: N/A
3. The nurse providing care for patients or residents must act on the knowledge that a basic right
of a patient or a resident is to receive
a. considerate and respectful care from all care providers.
b. information about the diagnosis and prognosis from the practical nurse.
c. the medical care of their choice, regardless of their ability to pay.
d. any food requested and in as large a quantity as desired.
ANS: A
, Chapter 06: Ethics Applied to Nursing: Personal Versus Professional Ethics
Knecht: Success in Practical/Vocational Nursing, 8th Edition
The individual rights of patients are an important ethical theme in health care. It is imperative
that nurses separate personal ethics from nursing ethics and provide appropriate care to
patients regardless of whether the nurse likes or dislikes the patient and regardless of the
nurse’s values relating to the patient’s lifestyle, ethnicity, or other factors. Receiving
information about the diagnosis and prognosis is not considered a right that is met by the
LPN/LVN. The remaining options are not rights.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Knowledge REF: pp. 79-82 OBJ: 3
TOP: Individual rights KEY: Nursing Process Step: Implementation
MSC: NCLEX: Safe, Effective Care Environment
4. A major change in medical ethics that affected nursing occurred when the Western secular
belief system shifted emphasis from duties to
a. individual autonomy and rights.
b. satisfying Medicare regulations.
c. the cost-effectiveness of care.
d. nonmaleficence.
ANS: A
Freedom of choice (autonomy) and the ability to assert one’s individual rights have become
the major operative beliefs of the Western secular belief system affecting medical ethics today.
These beliefs, in turn, affect the way nurses interact with patients. Satisfying Medicare
regulations and the cost-effectiveness of care are not aspects of the Western secular belief
system. The remaining option is an ethical principle that has always been important in medical
ethics.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Comprehension REF: p. 77 OBJ: 3
TOP: Impact of Western secular belief system KEY: Nursing Process Step: N/A
MSC: NCLEX: N/A
5. The patient asks the nurse, “I overheard the instructor talking to a student about
accountability. What does the word ‘accountability’ really mean?” The best response by the
nurse would be
a. “It is a transfer of responsibility for wrong actions.”
b. “It is shared responsibility with the physician for wrongdoing.”
c. “It is taking personal responsibility for one’s nursing actions.”
d. “It is giving up responsibility when the situation dictates.”
ANS: C
Accountability means that one is personally answerable for specific actions. The other options
do not accurately explain accountability.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: p. 77 | p. 78 OBJ: 5
TOP: Accountability KEY: Nursing Process Step: Implementation
MSC: NCLEX: Psychosocial Integrity
6. When a student nurse prepares diligently for a clinical assignment, the ethical principle being
observed is
a. autonomy.
b. justice.
c. nonmaleficence.
Knecht: Success in Practical/Vocational Nursing, 8th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The nurse states, “I like being part of the health care team caring for the traditional two-parent
family during the postpartum period as they bond with their newborn.” This statement reveals
the nurse’s
a. values.
b. duty.
c. fidelity.
d. ethics.
ANS: A
Values involve the worth assigned to an idea or action. In this statement the nurse reveals that
she values the traditional two-parent family. The statement does not clearly address any of the
other options. Duty refers to the nurse’s responsibility to provide care in an acceptable way.
Fidelity challenges the nurse to be faithful to the charge of acting in the patient’s best interest
when the capacity to make free choice is no longer available to the patient. Ethics is a system
of standards or moral principles that direct actions as being right or wrong.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: p. 74 OBJ: 2
TOP: Values KEY: Nursing Process Step: N/A MSC: NCLEX: N/A
2. A student nurse asks, “What’s the difference between laws and ethics?” Which response best
explains the difference between nursing laws and ethics?
a. “Ethics refer to expected behavior of nurses, but laws require mandatory
observance by nurses.”
b. “Nursing ethics are formalized by statutes, whereas laws are permissive codes.”
c. “Ethics are derived from laws, whereas laws are enacted by nonnurse legislators.”
d. “Ethics are specific to individual agencies, but laws are state specific.”
ANS: A
Ethics refers to behaviors nurses “ought” to observe. Laws refer to statutes that must be
observed.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: pp. 77-79 OBJ: 11
TOP: Ethical vs. legal aspects of practice KEY: Nursing Process Step: N/A
MSC: NCLEX: N/A
3. The nurse providing care for patients or residents must act on the knowledge that a basic right
of a patient or a resident is to receive
a. considerate and respectful care from all care providers.
b. information about the diagnosis and prognosis from the practical nurse.
c. the medical care of their choice, regardless of their ability to pay.
d. any food requested and in as large a quantity as desired.
ANS: A
, Chapter 06: Ethics Applied to Nursing: Personal Versus Professional Ethics
Knecht: Success in Practical/Vocational Nursing, 8th Edition
The individual rights of patients are an important ethical theme in health care. It is imperative
that nurses separate personal ethics from nursing ethics and provide appropriate care to
patients regardless of whether the nurse likes or dislikes the patient and regardless of the
nurse’s values relating to the patient’s lifestyle, ethnicity, or other factors. Receiving
information about the diagnosis and prognosis is not considered a right that is met by the
LPN/LVN. The remaining options are not rights.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Knowledge REF: pp. 79-82 OBJ: 3
TOP: Individual rights KEY: Nursing Process Step: Implementation
MSC: NCLEX: Safe, Effective Care Environment
4. A major change in medical ethics that affected nursing occurred when the Western secular
belief system shifted emphasis from duties to
a. individual autonomy and rights.
b. satisfying Medicare regulations.
c. the cost-effectiveness of care.
d. nonmaleficence.
ANS: A
Freedom of choice (autonomy) and the ability to assert one’s individual rights have become
the major operative beliefs of the Western secular belief system affecting medical ethics today.
These beliefs, in turn, affect the way nurses interact with patients. Satisfying Medicare
regulations and the cost-effectiveness of care are not aspects of the Western secular belief
system. The remaining option is an ethical principle that has always been important in medical
ethics.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Comprehension REF: p. 77 OBJ: 3
TOP: Impact of Western secular belief system KEY: Nursing Process Step: N/A
MSC: NCLEX: N/A
5. The patient asks the nurse, “I overheard the instructor talking to a student about
accountability. What does the word ‘accountability’ really mean?” The best response by the
nurse would be
a. “It is a transfer of responsibility for wrong actions.”
b. “It is shared responsibility with the physician for wrongdoing.”
c. “It is taking personal responsibility for one’s nursing actions.”
d. “It is giving up responsibility when the situation dictates.”
ANS: C
Accountability means that one is personally answerable for specific actions. The other options
do not accurately explain accountability.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: p. 77 | p. 78 OBJ: 5
TOP: Accountability KEY: Nursing Process Step: Implementation
MSC: NCLEX: Psychosocial Integrity
6. When a student nurse prepares diligently for a clinical assignment, the ethical principle being
observed is
a. autonomy.
b. justice.
c. nonmaleficence.
