Nursing Test Bank Questions and Answers

Four patients in labor all request epidural analgesia to manage their pain at the same time. Which ethical principle is compromised when only one nurse anesthetist is on call? Justice Justice refers to fairness and is used frequently in discussion regarding access to health care resources. The patient tells the nurse that she is afraid to speak up regarding her desire to end care for fear of upsetting her husband and children. Which principle in the nursing code of ethics ensures that the nurse will promote the patient's cause? Advocacy A nurse's ability to adequate advocate for a patient is based on the unique relationship that develops and the opportunity to better understand the patient's point of view. The patient's son requests to view the documentation in his mother's medical record. What is the nurse's best response to this request? a. "I'll be happy to get that for you." b. "You will have to talk to the physician about that." c. "You will need your mother's permission." d. "You are not allowed to see it." c. "You will need your mother's permission." When people work together to solve ethical dilemmas, individuals must examine their own values. This step is crucial to ensure that a. The group identifies the one correct solution. b. Fact is separated from opinion. c. Judgmental attitudes are not provoked. d. Different perspectives are respected. d. Different perspectives are respected. Ethical dilemmas are common occurrences when caring for patients. The nurse understands that dilemmas are a result of a. Presence of conflicting values. b. Hierarchical systems. c. Judgmental perceptions of patients. d. Poor communication with the patient. a. Presence of conflicting values. The nurse questions a physician's order to administer a placebo to the patient. The nurse's action is based on which ethical principle? a. Autonomy b. Beneficence c. Justice d. Fidelity a. Autonomy The nurse finds it difficult to care for a patient whose advance directive states that no extraordinary resuscitation measures should be taken. Which step may help the nurse to find resolution in this assignment? a. Call for an ethical committee consult. b. Decline the assignment on religious grounds. c. Scrutinize her own personal values. d. Convince the family to challenge the directive. c. Scrutinize her own personal values. The nurse values autonomy above all other principles. Which patient assignment will the nurse find most difficult to accept? a. Teenager in labor who requests epidural anesthesia b. Middle-aged father of three with an advance directive declining life support c. Elderly patient who requires dialysis d. Family elder who is making the decisions for a 30-year-old female member d. Family elder who is making the decisions for a 30-year-old female member Which philosophy of health care ethics would be particularly useful when making ethical decisions about vulnerable populations? a. Feminist ethics b. Deontology c. Bioethics d. Utilitarianism a. Feminist ethics A nurse argues that we need to reform our health care system because we have a large number of people who are uninsured and end up needing expensive emergent care when low-cost measures could have prevented their illnesses. What ethical framework is she using to make this case? a. Deontology b. Ethics of care c. Feminist ethics d. Utilitarianism d. Utilitarianism The nurse has become aware of missing narcotics in the patient care area. Which ethical principle obligates the nurse to report the missing medications? a. Advocacy b. Responsibility c. Confidentiality d. Accountability b. Responsibility A young woman who is pregnant with a fetus exposed to multiple teratogens consents to have her fetus undergo serial PUBS (percutaneous umbilical blood sampling) to examine how exposure affects the fetus over time. Although these tests will not improve the fetus' outcomes and will expose it to some risks, the information gathered may help infants in the future. Which ethical principle is at greatest risk? a. Autonomy b. Fidelity c. Nonmaleficence d. Beneficence c. Nonmaleficence Which issue has increased the attention paid to quality of life concerns in recent history? a. Health care disparities b. National movement regarding disabled persons c. Aging of the population d. Health care financial reform b. National movement regarding disabled persons Which patient is most likely to have difficulty with the ethical concept of autonomy? a. 18-year-old patient in labor b. 35-year-old patient with appendicitis c. 53-year-old patient with pancreatitis d. 78-year-old patient with rheumatoid arthritis d. 78-year-old patient with rheumatoid arthritis The nurse is caring for a severely ill patient with AIDS who now requires ventilator support. Which intervention is considered futile? a. Administering the influenza vaccine b. Providing oral care every 5 hours c. Applying fentanyl patches prn for pain d. Supporting the patient's lower extremities with pillows a. Administering the influenza vaccine During a severe respiratory epidemic, the local health care organizations decide to give health care providers priority access to ventilators over other members of the community who also need that resource. Which philosophy would give the strongest support for this decision? a. Feminist ethics b. Utilitarianism c. Deontology d. Ethics of care b. Utilitarianism Determinations regarding quality of life are a. Based on a person's ability to act according to ethical principles. b. Based on a patient's self-determination. c. Value judgments that can vary from person to person. d. Consistent and stable over the course of one's lifetime. c. Value judgments that can vary from person to person. A newly hired experienced nurse is preparing to change a patient's abdominal dressing and hasn't done it before at this hospital. Which action by the nurse is best? a. Ask another nurse to do it so the correct method can be viewed. b. Check the policy and procedure manual for the agency's method. c. Change the dressing using the method taught in nursing school. d. Ask the patient how the dressing change has been recently done. b. Check the policy and procedure manual for the agency's method. A new nurse notes that the health care unit keeps a listing of patient names in a closed book behind the front desk of the nursing station so patients can be located easily. What action is most appropriate for the nurse to take? a. Move the book to the upper ledge of the nursing station for easier access. b. Talk with the nurse manager about the listing being a violation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). c. Use the book as needed while keeping it away from individuals not involved in patient care. d. Ask the nurse manager to move the book to a more secluded area. c. Use the book as needed while keeping it away from individuals not involved in patient care. A 17-year-old patient, dying of heart failure, wants to have his organs removed for transplantation after his death. What action by the nurse is correct? a. Prepare the organ donation form for the patient to sign while he is still oriented. b. Instruct the patient to talk with his parents about his desire to donate his organs. c. Notify the physician about the patient's desire to donate his organs. d. Contact the United Network for Organ Sharing after talking with the patient. b. Instruct the patient to talk with his parents about his desire to donate his organs. An obstetrical nurse comes across an automobile accident. The patient seems to have a crushed upper airway, and while waiting for emergency medical services to arrive, the nurse makes a cut in the trachea and inserts a straw from her purse to provide an airway. The patient survives and has a permanent problem with his vocal cords, making it difficult to talk. Which statement is true regarding the nurse's performance? a. The nurse acted appropriately and saved the patient's life. b. The nurse acted within the guidelines of the Good Samaritan Law. c. The nurse took actions beyond those that are standard and appropriate. d. The nurse should have just stayed with the patient and waited for help. c. The nurse took actions beyond those that are standard and appropriate. A nurse performs cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on a 92-year-old with brittle bones and breaks a rib during the procedure, which then punctures a lung. The patient recovers completely without any residual problems and sues the nurse for pain and suffering, and for malpractice. What key point will the prosecution attempt to prove? a. The CPR procedure was done incorrectly. b. The patient would have died if nothing was done. c. The patient was resuscitated according to policy. d. Patients with brittle bones might sustain fractures when chest compressions are done. a. The CPR procedure was done incorrectly. A recent immigrant who does not speak English is alert and requires hospitalization. What is the initial action that the nurse must take to enable informed consent to be obtained? a. Ask a family member to translate what the nurse is saying. b. Notify the health care provider that the patient doesn't speak English. c. Request an official interpreter to explain the terms of consent. d. Use hand gestures and medical equipment while explaining in English. c.