INSTANT DOWNLOAD WITH ANSWERS
DeWit’s Fundamental Concepts and Skills
for Nursing, 5th Edition By Patricia A.
Williams -Test Bank
Sample
... [Show More] Test
Chapter 03: Legal and Ethical Aspects of Nursing
Williams: deWit’s Fundamental Concepts and Skills for Nursing, 5th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. A student nurse who is not yet licensed:
a. may not perform nursing actions until he or she has passed the licensing examination.
b. is not responsible for his or her actions as a student under the state licensing law.
c. are held to the same standards as a licensed nurse.
d. must apply for a temporary student nurse permit to practice as a student.
ANS: C
Student nurses are held to the same standards as a licensed nurse. This means that although
a student nurse may not perform a task as quickly or as smoothly as the licensed nurse would, the
student is expected to perform it as effectively. In other words, she must achieve the same
outcome without harm to the patient. The student is legally responsible for her own actions or
inaction, and many schools require the student to carry malpractice insurance.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Knowledge REF: p. 32 OBJ: Theory #1
TOP: Practice Regulations for the Student Nurse KEY: Nursing Process
Step: N/A
MSC: NCLEX: N/A
2. During an employment interview, the interviewer asks the nurse applicant about HIV
status. The nurse applicant can legally respond:
a. “No,” even though he or she has a positive HIV test.
b. “I don’t know, but I would be willing to be tested.”
c. “I don’t know, and I refuse to be tested.”
d. “You do not have a right to ask me that question.”
ANS: D
In employment practice, it is illegal to discriminate against people with certain diseases or
conditions. Asking a question about health status, especially HIV or AIDS infection, is illegal.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: p. 34 OBJ: Clinical Practice #1
TOP: Discrimination KEY: Nursing Process Step: N/A
MSC: NCLEX: N/A
3. An example of a violation of criminal law by a nurse is:
a. taking a controlled substance from agency supply for personal use.
b. accidentally administering a drug to the wrong patient, who then has a serious reaction.
c. advising a patient to sue the doctor for a supposed mistake the doctor made.
d. writing a letter to the newspaper outlining questionable or unsafe hospital practices.
ANS: A
Theft of a controlled substance is a federal crime and consequently a crime against society.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: p. 32 OBJ: Theory #2
TOP: Criminal Law KEY: Nursing Process Step: N/A
MSC: NCLEX: N/A
4. The LPN (LVN) assigns part of the care for her patients to a nursing assistant. The LPN is
legally required to perform which of the following for the residents assigned to the assistant?
a. Toilet the residents every 2 hours and as needed.
b. Feed breakfast to one of the residents who needs assistance.
c. Give medications to the residents at the prescribed times.
d. Transport the residents to the physical therapy department.
ANS: C
Toileting, feeding, and transporting residents or patients are tasks that can be legally assigned to a
nurse’s aide. Administering medications is a nursing act that can be performed only by a licensed
nurse or by a student nurse under the supervision of a licensed nurse.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: p. 33 OBJ: Theory #3
TOP: Delegation KEY: Nursing Process Step: Implementation
MSC: NCLEX: Safe, Effective Care Environment: Coordinated Care
5. If a nurse is reported to a state board of nursing for repeatedly making medication errors, it
is most likely that:
a. the nurse will immediately have his or her license revoked.
b. the nurse will have to take the licensing examination again.
c. a course in legal aspects of nursing care will be required.
d. there will be a hearing to determine whether the charges are true.
ANS: D
The nurse may have his or her license revoked or be required to take a refresher course, but this
would be based on the evidence presented at a hearing. The licensing examination is not usually
required as a correction of the situation as described.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Knowledge REF: p. 33 OBJ: Theory #3
TOP: Professional Discipline KEY: Nursing Process Step: N/A
MSC: NCLEX: N/A
6. A nurse co-worker arrives at work 30 minutes late, smelling strongly of alcohol. The fellow
nurses’ legal course of action is to:
a. have the nurse lie down in the nurses’ lounge and sleep while others do the work.
b. state that, if this happens again, it will be reported.
c. report the condition of the nurse to the nursing supervisor.
d. offer a breath mint and instruct the nurse co-worker to work.
ANS: C
Nurses must report the condition. It is a nurse’s legal and ethical duty to protect patients from
impaired or incompetent workers. Allowing the impaired nurse to sleep enables the impaired nurse
to avoid the consequences of his or her actions and to continue the risky behavior. Threatening to
report “the next time” continues to place patients at risk, as does masking the signs of impairment
with breath mints.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: p. 33 OBJ: Theory #3
TOP: Professional Discipline KEY: Nursing Process Step: N/A
MSC: NCLEX: N/A
7. When a student nurse performs a nursing skill, it is expected that the student:
a. performs the skill as quickly as the licensed nurse.
b. achieves the same result as the licensed nurse.
c. not be held to the same standard as the licensed nurse.
d. always be directly supervised by an instructor.
ANS: B
Students are not expected to perform skills as quickly or as smoothly as experienced nurses, but
students must achieve the same result in a safe manner.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Comprehension REF: p. 33 OBJ: Theory #1
TOP: Practice Regulations for the Student Nurse KEY: Nursing Process
Step: N/A
MSC: NCLEX: N/A
8. If a nurse receives unwelcome sexual advances from a nursing supervisor, the first step
the nurse should take is to:
a. send an anonymous letter to the nursing administration to alert them to the situation.
b. tell the nursing supervisor that she is uncomfortable with the sexual advances and ask the supervisor to refrain fro [Show Less]