2015 HESI ESSENTIALS
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1.ID: 383694054
A client with leukemia is being considered for a bone marrow transplant. The healthcare team is
discussing the risks and benefits of this treatment and other possible treatments with the goal of
inflicting the least possible harm on the client. Which principle of healthcare ethics is the team
practicing?
Justice
Fidelity
Autonomy
Nonmaleficence Correct
Rationale: Nonmaleficence is the avoidance of hurt or harm. Remember that in healthcare ethics, ethical
practice involves not only the will to do good but also the equal commitment to do no harm. Healthcare
professionals try to balance the risks and benefits of a plan of care while striving to do the least possible
harm. Justice refers to fairness and equity and ensuring fair allocation of resources, such as nursing care
for all clients. Fidelity is the keeping of promises made to clients, families, and other healthcare
professionals. Autonomy refers to a person’s independence and represents an agreement to respect
another’s right to determine his or her course of action.
Test-Taking Strategy: Use the process of elimination and think about the definition of each item in the
options. Note the relationship of the words “least possible harm” in the question and the definition of
nonmaleficence. Review the principles of healthcare ethics if you had difficulty with this question.
Reference: Potter, P., & Perry, A. (2009). Fundamentals of nursing (7th ed., p. 314). St. Louis: Mosby.
Cognitive Ability: Applying
Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment
,Integrated Process: Nursing Process/Implementation
Content Area: Ethical/Legal
Awarded 0.0 points out of 1.0 possible points.
2.ID: 383691785
Which action by the nurse represents the ethical principle of beneficence?
The nurse upholds a client’s decision to refuse chemotherapy for lung cancer.
The nurse follows a plan of care designed to relieve pain in a client with cancer.
The nurse administers an immunization to a child even though it may cause discomfort. Correct
The nurse provides equal amounts of care to all assigned clients on the basis of illness acuity.
Rationale: Beneficence is taking action to help others. Although administration of a child’s immunization
might cause discomfort, the benefits of protection from disease outweigh the temporary discomfort.
Fidelity is keeping promises made to clients, families, and other healthcare professionals. Autonomy is a
person’s independence. Respecting another’s autonomy means that you are agreeing to respect that
person’s right to determine his or her course of action. Justice refers to fairness and equity, including fair
allocation of resources, such as nursing care for all clients.
Test-Taking Strategy: Focus on the subject, beneficence. Recalling that beneficence refers to taking action
to help others will direct you to the correct option. Review the principles of healthcare ethics if you had
difficulty with this question.
Reference: Potter, P., & Perry, A. (2009). Fundamentals of nursing (7th ed., p. 314). St. Louis: Mosby.
Cognitive Ability: Applying
Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment
Integrated Process: Nursing Process/Implementation
,Content Area: Ethical/Legal
Awarded 0.0 points out of 1.0 possible points.
3.ID: 383693578
The nursing instructor asks a student to name an example of false imprisonment. Which of the following
situations reflects a violation of this client right?
Performing a procedure without consent
Telling the client that he or she may not leave the hospital Correct
Threatening to give a client a medication against his or her will
Observing the provision of care to the client without the client’s permission
Rationale: Telling a client that he or she may not leave the hospital constitutes false imprisonment.
Performing a procedure without consent is an example of battery. Threatening to give a client a
medication against his or her will is assault. Invasion of privacy takes place with unreasonable intrusion
into an individual’s private affairs. Observing the provision of care to a client without the client’s
permission is an example of invasion of privacy.
Test-Taking Strategy: Focus on the subject, an example of false imprisonment. Note the relationship of
the subject and the words in the correct option. If you had difficulty with this question, review the
concept of false imprisonment.
References: Cherry, B., & Jacob, S. (2008). Contemporary nursing issues: Trends & management (4th ed.,
pp. 175, 176). St. Louis: Mosby.
Zerwekh, J., & Claborn, J. (2009). Nursing today: Transition and trends (6th ed., p. 424).
Cognitive Ability: Evaluating
Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment
Integrated Process: Teaching and Learning
, Content Area: Ethical/Legal
Awarded 0.0 points out of 1.0 possible points.
4.ID: 383692438
A nurse and a nursing assistant enter a client’s room to provide care and find the client lying on the floor.
The nurse should first:
Ask the nursing assistant to complete an incident report
Check the client’s level of consciousness and vital signs Correct
Ask the nursing assistant to assist in getting the client back to bed
Contact the unit secretary on the intercom and ask that the client’s physician be called
Rationale: When a client sustains a fall, the nurse must first assess the client. The nurse should check the
client’s level of consciousness and vital signs and look for any bruises or injuries sustained in the fall. If
the nurse determines that the client has not sustained any injuries and that it is safe to move the client,
the nurse should ask the nursing assistant to assist in getting the client into bed. The nurse should then
contact the physician and file an incident report.
Test-Taking Strategy: Note the strategic word “first.” Use the steps of the nursing process to answer the
question. The correct option is the only one that addresses assessment. Remember to always assess the
client first if a client sustains a fall. Review client injuries and procedures for filing incident reports if you
had difficulty with this question.
References: Ignatavicius, D., & Workman, M. (2010). Medical-surgical nursing: Patient–centered
collaborative care (6th ed., p. 180). St. Louis: Saunders.
Potter, P., & Perry, A. (2009). Fundamentals of nursing (7th ed., p. 403). St. Louis: Mosby.
Cognitive Ability: Applying
Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment
Integrated Process: Nursing Process/Implementation
Send
Bottom of Form
1.ID: 383694054
A client with leukemia is being considered for a bone marrow transplant. The healthcare team is
discussing the risks and benefits of this treatment and other possible treatments with the goal of
inflicting the least possible harm on the client. Which principle of healthcare ethics is the team
practicing?
Justice
Fidelity
Autonomy
Nonmaleficence Correct
Rationale: Nonmaleficence is the avoidance of hurt or harm. Remember that in healthcare ethics, ethical
practice involves not only the will to do good but also the equal commitment to do no harm. Healthcare
professionals try to balance the risks and benefits of a plan of care while striving to do the least possible
harm. Justice refers to fairness and equity and ensuring fair allocation of resources, such as nursing care
for all clients. Fidelity is the keeping of promises made to clients, families, and other healthcare
professionals. Autonomy refers to a person’s independence and represents an agreement to respect
another’s right to determine his or her course of action.
Test-Taking Strategy: Use the process of elimination and think about the definition of each item in the
options. Note the relationship of the words “least possible harm” in the question and the definition of
nonmaleficence. Review the principles of healthcare ethics if you had difficulty with this question.
Reference: Potter, P., & Perry, A. (2009). Fundamentals of nursing (7th ed., p. 314). St. Louis: Mosby.
Cognitive Ability: Applying
Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment
,Integrated Process: Nursing Process/Implementation
Content Area: Ethical/Legal
Awarded 0.0 points out of 1.0 possible points.
2.ID: 383691785
Which action by the nurse represents the ethical principle of beneficence?
The nurse upholds a client’s decision to refuse chemotherapy for lung cancer.
The nurse follows a plan of care designed to relieve pain in a client with cancer.
The nurse administers an immunization to a child even though it may cause discomfort. Correct
The nurse provides equal amounts of care to all assigned clients on the basis of illness acuity.
Rationale: Beneficence is taking action to help others. Although administration of a child’s immunization
might cause discomfort, the benefits of protection from disease outweigh the temporary discomfort.
Fidelity is keeping promises made to clients, families, and other healthcare professionals. Autonomy is a
person’s independence. Respecting another’s autonomy means that you are agreeing to respect that
person’s right to determine his or her course of action. Justice refers to fairness and equity, including fair
allocation of resources, such as nursing care for all clients.
Test-Taking Strategy: Focus on the subject, beneficence. Recalling that beneficence refers to taking action
to help others will direct you to the correct option. Review the principles of healthcare ethics if you had
difficulty with this question.
Reference: Potter, P., & Perry, A. (2009). Fundamentals of nursing (7th ed., p. 314). St. Louis: Mosby.
Cognitive Ability: Applying
Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment
Integrated Process: Nursing Process/Implementation
,Content Area: Ethical/Legal
Awarded 0.0 points out of 1.0 possible points.
3.ID: 383693578
The nursing instructor asks a student to name an example of false imprisonment. Which of the following
situations reflects a violation of this client right?
Performing a procedure without consent
Telling the client that he or she may not leave the hospital Correct
Threatening to give a client a medication against his or her will
Observing the provision of care to the client without the client’s permission
Rationale: Telling a client that he or she may not leave the hospital constitutes false imprisonment.
Performing a procedure without consent is an example of battery. Threatening to give a client a
medication against his or her will is assault. Invasion of privacy takes place with unreasonable intrusion
into an individual’s private affairs. Observing the provision of care to a client without the client’s
permission is an example of invasion of privacy.
Test-Taking Strategy: Focus on the subject, an example of false imprisonment. Note the relationship of
the subject and the words in the correct option. If you had difficulty with this question, review the
concept of false imprisonment.
References: Cherry, B., & Jacob, S. (2008). Contemporary nursing issues: Trends & management (4th ed.,
pp. 175, 176). St. Louis: Mosby.
Zerwekh, J., & Claborn, J. (2009). Nursing today: Transition and trends (6th ed., p. 424).
Cognitive Ability: Evaluating
Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment
Integrated Process: Teaching and Learning
, Content Area: Ethical/Legal
Awarded 0.0 points out of 1.0 possible points.
4.ID: 383692438
A nurse and a nursing assistant enter a client’s room to provide care and find the client lying on the floor.
The nurse should first:
Ask the nursing assistant to complete an incident report
Check the client’s level of consciousness and vital signs Correct
Ask the nursing assistant to assist in getting the client back to bed
Contact the unit secretary on the intercom and ask that the client’s physician be called
Rationale: When a client sustains a fall, the nurse must first assess the client. The nurse should check the
client’s level of consciousness and vital signs and look for any bruises or injuries sustained in the fall. If
the nurse determines that the client has not sustained any injuries and that it is safe to move the client,
the nurse should ask the nursing assistant to assist in getting the client into bed. The nurse should then
contact the physician and file an incident report.
Test-Taking Strategy: Note the strategic word “first.” Use the steps of the nursing process to answer the
question. The correct option is the only one that addresses assessment. Remember to always assess the
client first if a client sustains a fall. Review client injuries and procedures for filing incident reports if you
had difficulty with this question.
References: Ignatavicius, D., & Workman, M. (2010). Medical-surgical nursing: Patient–centered
collaborative care (6th ed., p. 180). St. Louis: Saunders.
Potter, P., & Perry, A. (2009). Fundamentals of nursing (7th ed., p. 403). St. Louis: Mosby.
Cognitive Ability: Applying
Client Needs: Safe and Effective Care Environment
Integrated Process: Nursing Process/Implementation
