Ethical Standards & Legal Responsibilities Flashcards
7 cards from real LVN practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Ethical Standards & Legal Responsibilities flashcards as text
An LVN overhears two nurses loudly discussing a patient's HIV status in a public hallway. The LVN should:
Answer: Address the breach and remind colleagues to maintain confidentiality
LVNs have a professional and ethical obligation to uphold patient confidentiality and address violations by colleagues.
Which action constitutes negligence rather than battery?
Answer: Failing to raise bed rails on a fall-risk patient who then falls
Negligence involves failure to meet the standard of care causing harm; failing to use fall precautions is a classic example of nursing negligence.
A patient requests a copy of their medical records. Under HIPAA, the covered entity must provide access:
Answer: Within 30 days of the request (with a possible 30-day extension)
HIPAA requires covered entities to provide patients access to their PHI within 30 days, with one 30-day extension if needed.
An LVN is floated to a unit where they have no experience with the patient population. The LVN's best response is to:
Answer: Inform the supervisor of their limitations and request appropriate orientation or adjusted assignment
LVNs must communicate competency limitations honestly; accepting tasks beyond their training jeopardizes patient safety and their license.
Which of the following best describes an ethical dilemma in nursing?
Answer: A situation where two or more ethical principles conflict and no clear solution exists
An ethical dilemma occurs when equally compelling ethical principles conflict, making a clear 'right' decision impossible without some moral cost.
What is the LVN's responsibility when receiving a verbal order from a physician?
Answer: Write it down, read it back for confirmation, and document it appropriately
Safe verbal order practice requires writing the order, reading it back to the prescriber for confirmation, and timely documentation.
A patient tells the LVN in confidence that they are planning to harm a specific person upon discharge. The LVN is legally obligated to:
Answer: Warn the potential victim and notify appropriate authorities (Tarasoff duty to warn)
The duty to warn (Tarasoff doctrine) legally requires clinicians to break confidentiality to protect identifiable third parties from serious threats.