CBN Professional Ethics & Standards 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A bariatric nurse discovers she documented a medication on the wrong patient's chart. Which ethical principle obligates her to report the error?
- Veracity (Correct answer)
- Autonomy
- Justice
- Paternalism
Correct answer: Veracity
Veracity, the duty to tell the truth, requires honest disclosure and reporting of errors.
Question 2: A 16-year-old is being evaluated for metabolic surgery. Which statement about consent is correct in most US jurisdictions?
- A parent or legal guardian provides consent while the adolescent provides assent (Correct answer)
- The adolescent can provide full legal consent alone
- Only the surgeon's judgment is needed for minors
- Assent from the adolescent is not required if parents consent
Correct answer: A parent or legal guardian provides consent while the adolescent provides assent
Minors generally cannot legally consent, so guardians consent while the adolescent's assent is ethically sought and documented.
Question 3: During a support group, a bariatric nurse hears a patient describe buying prescription weight-loss drugs from an unlicensed online seller. The nurse's best ethical response is to:
- Privately educate the patient about the safety risks and inform the care team (Correct answer)
- Announce the danger to the whole group naming the patient
- Report the patient to law enforcement
- Say nothing to preserve the group's trust
Correct answer: Privately educate the patient about the safety risks and inform the care team
Patient safety requires intervention, but it must be done privately to protect confidentiality and dignity.
Question 4: A surgeon asks the nurse to witness a consent signature for a duodenal switch, but the patient says he does not understand what the surgery involves. The nurse should:
- Delay the signing and notify the surgeon that the patient needs further explanation (Correct answer)
- Have the patient sign since the surgeon already explained the procedure
- Explain the surgical technique herself and obtain the signature
- Ask a family member to explain the procedure to the patient
Correct answer: Delay the signing and notify the surgeon that the patient needs further explanation
The nurse must advocate by halting consent until the provider ensures the patient's understanding, since informed consent is the surgeon's duty.
Question 5: Which action best reflects the ethical principle of fidelity in bariatric nursing?
- Following through on a promise to return with pain medication at the agreed time (Correct answer)
- Distributing resources equally among patients
- Avoiding actions that could harm the patient
- Allowing the patient to refuse a dressing change
Correct answer: Following through on a promise to return with pain medication at the agreed time
Fidelity means keeping commitments and being faithful to promises made to patients.
Question 6: A bariatric nurse posts on social media about 'a hilarious 500-pound patient' without using the patient's name. This action is:
- A breach of confidentiality and professionalism, since patients may be identifiable without names (Correct answer)
- Acceptable because no name was used
- Acceptable if the nurse's account is private
- Only a problem if the patient sees the post
Correct answer: A breach of confidentiality and professionalism, since patients may be identifiable without names
Descriptive details can make patients identifiable, and demeaning posts violate confidentiality and professional conduct standards regardless of privacy settings.
Question 7: A patient with a BMI of 52 asks the nurse whether she should choose gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy. The most ethically appropriate nursing response is to:
- Provide balanced education on both options and encourage discussion with the surgeon (Correct answer)
- Recommend the bypass because it produces more weight loss
- Tell the patient the choice does not matter
- Choose for the patient to reduce her anxiety
Correct answer: Provide balanced education on both options and encourage discussion with the surgeon
Supporting informed, autonomous decision-making means giving objective information rather than directing the choice.
CBN Professional Ethics & Standards 3
A bariatric nurse discovers she documented a medication on the wrong patient's chart.
Which ethical principle obligates her to report the error?