Nokea
The nurse caring for a patient in the acute care setting assumes responsibility for a patient's care. What is this legally binding situation?
- A. Nurse-patient relationship
- B. Accountability
- C. Advocacy
- D. Standard of care
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: When the nurse assumes responsibility for a patient's care, the nurse-patient relationship is formed. This is a legally binding 'contract' for which the nurse must take responsibility. Accountability is being responsible for one's own actions. An advocate is one who defends or pleads a cause or issue on behalf of another. Standards of care define acts whose performance is required, permitted, or prohibited.
You may also like to solve these questions
A health care provider instructs the nurse to bladder train a patient. The nurse clamps the patient's indwelling urinary catheter but forgets to unclamp it. The patient develops a urinary tract infection. What do the nurse's actions exemplify?
- A. Malpractice
- B. Battery
- C. Assault
- D. Neglect of duty
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: A nurse is liable for acts of commission (doing an act) and omission (not doing an act) performed in the course of their professional duty. A charge of malpractice is likely when a duty exists, there is a breach of that duty, and harm has occurred to the patient.
Patients have expectations regarding the health care services they receive. To protect these expectations which of the following has become law?
- A. American Hospital Association's Patient's Bill of Rights
- B. Self-Determination Act
- C. American Hospital Association's Standards of Care
- D. The Joint Commission's rights and responsibilities of patients
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Patients have expectations regarding the health care services they receive. In 1972, the American Hospital Association (AHA) developed the Patient's Bill of Rights. The Self-Determination Act, American Hospital Association's Standards of Care, and The Joint Commission's rights and responsibilities do not address patients' expectations regarding health care.
When asked to perform a procedure that the nurse has never done before what should the nurse do to legally protect himself or herself?
- A. Go ahead and do it.
- B. Refuse to perform it citing lack of knowledge.
- C. Discuss it with the charge nurse asking for direction.
- D. Ask another nurse who has performed the procedure.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The nurse cannot use ignorance as an excuse for nonperformance. The nurse should ask for direction from the charge nurse, explaining she has never performed the procedure independently.
A lumbar puncture was performed on a patient without a signed informed consent form. This patient might sue for:
- A. punitive damages.
- B. civil battery.
- C. assault.
- D. nothing; no violation has occurred.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Civil battery charges can be brought against someone performing an invasive procedure without the patient's informed consent legally documented. This patient could not sue for punitive damages or an assault.
The nurse is preparing the patient for a thoracentesis. What must be completed before the procedure may be performed?
- A. Physical assessment
- B. Interview
- C. Informed consent
- D. Surgical checklist
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The doctrine of informed consent refers to full disclosure of the facts the patient needs to make an intelligent (informed) decision before any invasive treatment or procedure is performed. A physical assessment, interview, and surgical checklist are not required before this procedure.