Which of the following best describes the concept of patient autonomy?
- A. The right of patients to make their own healthcare decisions
- B. The duty to do no harm
- C. The obligation to tell the truth
- D. The responsibility to provide equitable care
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Patient autonomy refers to the right of patients to make their own healthcare decisions based on their values and preferences. It emphasizes the importance of respecting patients' rights to choose their treatment options, even if their decisions may not align with healthcare providers' recommendations. Choice B, the duty to do no harm, refers to the ethical principle of nonmaleficence. Choice C, the obligation to tell the truth, is related to the principle of veracity. Choice D, the responsibility to provide equitable care, pertains to the concept of justice in healthcare.
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An RN’s current patient and family have presented her with an ethical dilemma. What is the first step the RN should take to find a workable solution to the problem?
- A. Planning
- B. Assessment
- C. Evaluation
- D. Implementation
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Failed to generate a rationale of 500+ characters after 5 retries.
While interviewing for a position at City Hospital, the nurse asks about the organizational structure of the institution. She is told that the hospital is organized into departments based on specialty (e.g., nursing, dietary, pharmacy, etc.). Based on what you know about organizational structure, select the structure in this example.
- A. Parallel
- B. Functional
- C. Service-integrated
- D. Matrix
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Functional. In functional structures, employees are grouped in departments based on specialty, allowing individuals with similar skills and tasks to work together efficiently. In this scenario, organizing the hospital into departments such as nursing, dietary, and pharmacy based on their specialties exemplifies a functional organizational structure. Choice A, Parallel structure, involves independent units working on similar tasks. Choice C, Service-integrated structure, emphasizes cross-functional teamwork across various departments. Choice D, Matrix structure, involves employees reporting to multiple managers for different projects or tasks, which is not described in the scenario.
A healthcare professional is preparing to delegate client care tasks to an assistive personnel (AP). Which of the following tasks should the healthcare professional delegate?
- A. Confirming that a client's pain has decreased after receiving an analgesic
- B. Ambulating a client who is postoperative
- C. Inserting an indwelling urinary catheter for a client
- D. Demonstrating the use of an incentive spirometer to a client
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is option A: 'Confirming that a client's pain has decreased after receiving an analgesic.' This task involves assessing the effectiveness of the medication, which can be delegated to the assistive personnel. Options B, C, and D involve skills that should be performed by licensed healthcare professionals due to their complexity and potential risks if not done correctly. Ambulating a postoperative client requires monitoring for signs of distress or complications, inserting a urinary catheter involves an invasive procedure with infection risks, and demonstrating the use of medical devices like an incentive spirometer requires specialized knowledge to ensure correct usage.
Staff refuse to report unsafe conditions, with unattended entrances throughout the health care facility noted. Unidentified individuals are wandering the unit at night, and you:
- A. Establish expectations.
- B. Demand that they leave immediately.
- C. Ask them to leave.
- D. Observe their behaviors.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: In this scenario, the correct course of action is to establish expectations. By setting clear guidelines and expectations, you can address the issue of unidentified individuals wandering the unit at night in a proactive manner. This approach helps communicate what behaviors are acceptable, ensuring the safety of both staff and patients. Demanding that they leave immediately or simply observing their behaviors may not effectively address the root cause of the problem and could potentially escalate the situation. Asking them to leave without establishing expectations may not prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
A client is receiving pain medication through a PCA pump. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?
- A. Educate the family not to push the button for the client while the client is asleep.
- B. Explain to the client that vital signs will be monitored regularly due to being on a PCA pump.
- C. Instruct the client to push the button only when pain is above a 7 on a scale of 0 to 10.
- D. Adjust the basal rate and decrease the lock-out interval time if the client's pain level is too high.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: When a client is receiving pain medication through a PCA pump, it is essential to adjust the settings if their pain level is not adequately controlled. Increasing the basal rate and shortening the lock-out interval time can help manage the client's pain more effectively. This adjustment should be made by the healthcare provider based on the client's pain assessment and response to the current settings. It is crucial to individualize the PCA pump settings to optimize pain management for each client. Choices A, B, and C are incorrect because educating the family not to push the button, explaining vital sign monitoring, and setting a specific pain level for button pushing are not direct actions the nurse should take to adjust the PCA pump settings for effective pain management.