Cherry & Jacob 7e: Chapter 8 question
and answers
Chapter 08: Legal Issues in Nursing and Health Care
Cherry & Jacob: Contemporary Nursing: Issues, Trends, and Management, 7th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE - correct answer-
1. A client arrives in active labor and exhibits toxemia with irregular fetal heart tones. The
client is an immigrant and is uninsured. Which act would prevent the client from being
transferred to another facility?
a. Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Law
b. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
c. Patient Self-Determination Act
d. The Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act - correct answer-ANS: A
The Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Law is a federal statute that was
enacted in 1986 to prohibit the transfer of unstable clients, including women in labor, from
one facility to another. This law also prohibits refusal of care for indigent and uninsured
clients who seek medical assistance in the emergency department.
DIF: Comprehension REF: p. 123
2. A nurse is caring for a client with malignant hypertension whose blood pressure has
increased by 40 mm Hg during the past hour. The nurse goes to lunch and fails to report the
change to the physician. The nurse is at risk for being charged with:
a. negligence.
b. assault.
c. defamation of character.
d. tort. - correct answer-ANS: A
Negligence is defined as failure to act in a reasonable and prudent manner. The most
frequent allegations of nursing negligence include failure to ensure client safety, improper
treatment, failure to monitor the client and report significant findings, medication errors, and
failure to follow the agency's policies and procedures.
DIF: Comprehension REF: p. 120|p. 132
3. A nurse is caring for a client who just suffered a stroke and is medicated for pain. The
nurse completes the following interventions: places the client on the examining table,
completes a thorough history and physical, covers the client with a sheet, places the call
button within reach, and goes out in the hall to speak with the client's physician. The client
tries to get up to speak with his family and falls, sustaining a hematoma on the head and a
broken hip. The nurse's actions reflect:
a. invasion of privacy.
b. libel.
c. slander.
, d. negligence. - correct answer-ANS: D
The nurse is failing to ensure client safety after medication administration; this is defined as
negligence.
DIF: Comprehension REF: p. 120|p. 132
4. A nursing student planning to apply for licensure knows that being charged with which
offense would result in a minor criminal offense?
a. Solicitation of illegal drugs
b. Stealing a car
c. Failing to report elder abuse
d. Billing Medicare for services not rendered - correct answer-ANS: C
Failing to report elder abuse can lead to penalty of fine or imprisonment.
DIF: Comprehension REF: p. 150
5. When differentiating between slander and libel, the nurse knows that libel:
a. results from defamation caused by subjective comments written in the nurse's notes.
b. results from negative subjective comments made to those who are not providing care.
c. occurs when the nurse verbally describes to the oncoming nurse assigned to the client
objective data that place the client in a negative light.
d. consists of repeating prejudiced comments made by the primary caregiver to a neighbor
at the local supermarket. - correct answer-ANS: A
Libel is defined as comments that are written about a person that are defaming. Nurses may
be subject to a charge of libel for subjective comments meant to denigrate the client that are
placed in the medical record or in other written materials read by others.
DIF: Comprehension REF: p. 149
6. Which statement regarding informed consent is correct? Informed consent:
a. is mandated by federal but not state law.
b. must reveal expected benefits.
c. requires concealing any known risks.
d. allows the RN to communicate information needed so that informed consent can be
provided. - correct answer-ANS: B
The information that constitutes informed consent for the client includes the nature of the
therapy or procedure, expected benefits and outcomes of the therapy or procedure, potential
risks of the therapy or procedure, alternative therapies to the intended procedure and their
risks and benefits, and risks of not having the procedure.
DIF: Comprehension REF: p. 152
7. A client states, "I am leaving. No one here knows what they are doing." The nurse
completing the Against Medical Advice form must:
a. defer notifying the provider until the client has had ample time to leave.
b. state in medical terms the risks of leaving.
c. inform the client that leaving could result in complications and impairment.
and answers
Chapter 08: Legal Issues in Nursing and Health Care
Cherry & Jacob: Contemporary Nursing: Issues, Trends, and Management, 7th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE - correct answer-
1. A client arrives in active labor and exhibits toxemia with irregular fetal heart tones. The
client is an immigrant and is uninsured. Which act would prevent the client from being
transferred to another facility?
a. Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Law
b. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
c. Patient Self-Determination Act
d. The Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act - correct answer-ANS: A
The Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Law is a federal statute that was
enacted in 1986 to prohibit the transfer of unstable clients, including women in labor, from
one facility to another. This law also prohibits refusal of care for indigent and uninsured
clients who seek medical assistance in the emergency department.
DIF: Comprehension REF: p. 123
2. A nurse is caring for a client with malignant hypertension whose blood pressure has
increased by 40 mm Hg during the past hour. The nurse goes to lunch and fails to report the
change to the physician. The nurse is at risk for being charged with:
a. negligence.
b. assault.
c. defamation of character.
d. tort. - correct answer-ANS: A
Negligence is defined as failure to act in a reasonable and prudent manner. The most
frequent allegations of nursing negligence include failure to ensure client safety, improper
treatment, failure to monitor the client and report significant findings, medication errors, and
failure to follow the agency's policies and procedures.
DIF: Comprehension REF: p. 120|p. 132
3. A nurse is caring for a client who just suffered a stroke and is medicated for pain. The
nurse completes the following interventions: places the client on the examining table,
completes a thorough history and physical, covers the client with a sheet, places the call
button within reach, and goes out in the hall to speak with the client's physician. The client
tries to get up to speak with his family and falls, sustaining a hematoma on the head and a
broken hip. The nurse's actions reflect:
a. invasion of privacy.
b. libel.
c. slander.
, d. negligence. - correct answer-ANS: D
The nurse is failing to ensure client safety after medication administration; this is defined as
negligence.
DIF: Comprehension REF: p. 120|p. 132
4. A nursing student planning to apply for licensure knows that being charged with which
offense would result in a minor criminal offense?
a. Solicitation of illegal drugs
b. Stealing a car
c. Failing to report elder abuse
d. Billing Medicare for services not rendered - correct answer-ANS: C
Failing to report elder abuse can lead to penalty of fine or imprisonment.
DIF: Comprehension REF: p. 150
5. When differentiating between slander and libel, the nurse knows that libel:
a. results from defamation caused by subjective comments written in the nurse's notes.
b. results from negative subjective comments made to those who are not providing care.
c. occurs when the nurse verbally describes to the oncoming nurse assigned to the client
objective data that place the client in a negative light.
d. consists of repeating prejudiced comments made by the primary caregiver to a neighbor
at the local supermarket. - correct answer-ANS: A
Libel is defined as comments that are written about a person that are defaming. Nurses may
be subject to a charge of libel for subjective comments meant to denigrate the client that are
placed in the medical record or in other written materials read by others.
DIF: Comprehension REF: p. 149
6. Which statement regarding informed consent is correct? Informed consent:
a. is mandated by federal but not state law.
b. must reveal expected benefits.
c. requires concealing any known risks.
d. allows the RN to communicate information needed so that informed consent can be
provided. - correct answer-ANS: B
The information that constitutes informed consent for the client includes the nature of the
therapy or procedure, expected benefits and outcomes of the therapy or procedure, potential
risks of the therapy or procedure, alternative therapies to the intended procedure and their
risks and benefits, and risks of not having the procedure.
DIF: Comprehension REF: p. 152
7. A client states, "I am leaving. No one here knows what they are doing." The nurse
completing the Against Medical Advice form must:
a. defer notifying the provider until the client has had ample time to leave.
b. state in medical terms the risks of leaving.
c. inform the client that leaving could result in complications and impairment.
