CCN Legal Regulations & Ethical Responsibilities 3

Question 1

A patient in a correctional facility requests to refuse a medically necessary blood transfusion on religious grounds. The nurse should first:

Accepted Answer

Document the refusal, ensure informed refusal is completed, and notify the physician

Answer

Override the refusal and administer the transfusion to prevent harm

Answer

Consult the correctional officer to determine if the refusal is permitted

Answer

Contact the patient's family to obtain surrogate consent

Question 2

Which federal law specifically prohibits sexual abuse and harassment of incarcerated individuals and establishes national standards for prevention and response?

Accepted Answer

Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA)

Answer

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Answer

Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA)

Answer

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

Question 3

When documenting a use-of-force incident involving an incarcerated patient, the correctional nurse should:

Accepted Answer

Document objective clinical findings using neutral, professional medical terminology

Answer

Use language provided by security staff to ensure consistency of reports

Answer

Avoid documenting injuries that appear minor to prevent unnecessary legal complications

Answer

Delay documentation until the security incident report is finalized

Question 4

Which of the following best describes the concept of 'dual loyalty' conflict in correctional nursing?

Accepted Answer

Tension between obligations to individual patient care and institutional security demands

Answer

Being licensed in two states simultaneously while working in a federal facility

Answer

Providing care under both state and federal correctional authority simultaneously

Answer

Working dual shifts under two different supervisors with conflicting directives

Question 5

Under HIPAA, which of the following disclosures of inmate health information to correctional officers is permissible without patient authorization?

Accepted Answer

Disclosing information necessary to provide health care to the individual

Answer

Sharing full medical history to facilitate housing assignments

Answer

Providing mental health records to security staff upon request

Answer

Sharing substance use disorder treatment records for disciplinary purposes

Question 6

A nurse in a state prison refuses to participate in an execution by lethal injection. What ethical principle most directly supports this refusal?

Accepted Answer

Nonmaleficence — the duty to do no harm

Answer

Fidelity — keeping promises made to correctional administration

Answer

Justice — ensuring equitable treatment for all patients

Answer

Veracity — maintaining truthfulness with all stakeholders

Question 7

When an incarcerated person is transferred to a community hospital for emergency care, which HIPAA provision governs the transfer of their medical records?

Accepted Answer

Records may be shared with the treating facility under the treatment exception without additional authorization

Answer

The correctional institution exception allows unrestricted transfer of all records

Answer

A court order is required before any records can be transferred for emergency care

Answer

Only records from the last 30 days may be transferred without patient consent