INACE Ethics and Legal Responsibilities 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A resident asks the nurse aide to keep a secret about a family member taking money from them. What should the nurse aide do?
- Keep the secret as the resident requested
- Report the concern to the charge nurse as possible financial abuse (Correct answer)
- Confront the family member directly
- Ask other residents if they have had similar problems
Correct answer: Report the concern to the charge nurse as possible financial abuse
Financial exploitation of a resident is a form of abuse that must be reported to the charge nurse regardless of the resident's request for secrecy.
Question 2: Which document legally designates another person to make healthcare decisions for a resident who becomes incapacitated?
- Living will
- Do Not Resuscitate order
- Durable power of attorney for healthcare (Correct answer)
- Advance beneficiary notice
Correct answer: Durable power of attorney for healthcare
A durable power of attorney for healthcare (healthcare proxy) legally names someone to make medical decisions when the resident cannot.
Question 3: A nurse aide witnesses a coworker yelling at a resident and calling them names. The nurse aide's BEST action is to:
- Talk to the coworker privately after the shift
- Ignore it since it was just words, not physical harm
- Report the incident to the supervisor immediately (Correct answer)
- Ask other coworkers if they have seen this before
Correct answer: Report the incident to the supervisor immediately
Verbal abuse is a form of resident mistreatment that must be reported to the supervisor immediately to protect the resident.
Question 4: What is the meaning of 'respondeat superior' in healthcare settings?
- Patients have the right to refuse treatment
- Employers can be held liable for employees' negligent acts (Correct answer)
- All staff must respond to a superior's commands
- Healthcare workers must report abuse to supervisors
Correct answer: Employers can be held liable for employees' negligent acts
Respondeat superior is a legal doctrine meaning employers may be held legally responsible for negligent acts of their employees performed during work.
Question 5: A resident has a DNR order. The resident stops breathing. The nurse aide should:
- Begin CPR and call for help
- Call 911 immediately
- Notify the nurse and stay with the resident without initiating CPR (Correct answer)
- Ask the family what to do before acting
Correct answer: Notify the nurse and stay with the resident without initiating CPR
A DNR order means resuscitation should not be attempted; the nurse aide should notify the nurse and stay with the resident.
Question 6: Which of the following is an example of a resident's legal right under OBRA?
- The right to a private room at no extra charge
- The right to be free from unnecessary physical restraints (Correct answer)
- The right to choose their own nurse aide
- The right to refuse all medications permanently
Correct answer: The right to be free from unnecessary physical restraints
OBRA guarantees residents the right to be free from unnecessary physical or chemical restraints imposed for discipline or staff convenience.
Question 7: A nurse aide finds a resident's wallet on the floor with cash visible. The BEST action is to:
- Leave the wallet where it is to avoid accusations
- Keep the wallet safe in a drawer until the resident asks for it
- Give the wallet directly to the charge nurse for safekeeping
- Return the wallet to the resident immediately and document the incident (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Return the wallet to the resident immediately and document the incident
Returning valuables directly to the resident and documenting the incident protects both the resident and the nurse aide from accusations of theft.
INACE Ethics and Legal Responsibilities 2
A resident asks the nurse aide to keep a secret about a family member taking money from them.
What should the nurse aide do?