Nokea
Which of the following could cause a nurse to be cited for malpractice?
- A. Refusing to give 60 mg of morphine as ordered
- B. Giving prochlorperazine (Compazine) to a patient allergic to phenothiazines
- C. Dragging an injured motorist off the highway and causing further injury
- D. Informing a visitor about a patient's condition
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Standards of care dictate that a nurse must be aware of all the properties of drugs administered. Prochlorperazine (Compazine) is a phenothiazine. Providing confidential information or refusing to give an excessively large narcotic dose is not considered malpractice. Good Samaritan laws generally protect a person giving aid to an injured motorist.
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A nurse fails to irrigate a feeding tube as ordered resulting in harm to the patient. This nurse could be found guilty of:
- A. malpractice.
- B. harm to the patient.
- C. negligence.
- D. failure to follow the nurse practice act.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The nurse can be held liable for malpractice for acts of omission. Failure to meet a legal duty, thus causing harm to another, is malpractice. The nurse practice act has general guidelines that can support the charge of malpractice.
An LPN/LVN is asked by the RN to administer an IV chemotherapeutic agent to a patient in the acute care setting. What law should this nurse refer to before initiating this intervention?
- A. Standards of care
- B. Regulation of practice
- C. American Nurses' Association Code
- D. Nurse practice act
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: It is the nurse's responsibility to know the nurse practice act in his or her state. Standards of care, regulation of practice, and the American Nurses' code are not laws that the nurse should refer to before initiating this treatment.
What role is the nurse who diligently works for the protection of patients' interests playing?
- A. Caregiver
- B. Health care administrator
- C. Advocate
- D. Health care evaluator
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: A nurse accepts the role of advocate when, in addition to general care, the nurse protects the patient's interests. Caregiver, health care administrator, and health care evaluator are not terms for the nurse who diligently works for the protection of patients.
What are the universal guidelines that define appropriate measures for all nursing interventions?
- A. Scope of practice
- B. Advocacy
- C. Standard of care
- D. Prudent practice
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Standards of care define actions that are permitted or prohibited in most nursing interventions. These standards are accepted as legal guidelines for appropriateness of performance. The laws that formally define and limit the scope of nursing practice are called nurse practice acts. An advocate is one who defends or pleads a cause or issue on behalf of another. Prudent is a term that refers to careful and/or wise practice.
An older adult is admitted to the hospital with numerous bodily bruises and the nurse suspects elder abuse. What is the best nursing action?
- A. Cover the bruises with bandages.
- B. Take photographs of the bruises.
- C. Ask the patient if anyone has hit her.
- D. Report the bruises to the charge nurse.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The law stipulates that the health care professional is required to report certain information to the appropriate authorities. The report should be given to a supervisor or directly to the police, according to agency policy. When acting in good faith to report mandated information (e.g., certain communicable diseases or gunshot wounds), the health care professional is protected from liability.