NACE Ethical and Legal Principles 2

Question 1

A patient with terminal cancer has a Do-Not-Resuscitate (DNR) order. The patient goes into cardiac arrest. What is the nurse's appropriate action?

Accepted Answer

Provide comfort measures only

Answer

Begin CPR and call a code

Answer

Contact the family for permission to resuscitate

Answer

Ignore the DNR because the situation is urgent

Question 2

Which situation represents a breach of patient confidentiality under HIPAA?

Accepted Answer

Discussing a patient's diagnosis in the hospital elevator with a colleague

Answer

Discussing patient status with the treatment team during rounds

Answer

Sharing patient information with the patient's designated healthcare proxy

Answer

Reporting a communicable disease to the health department

Question 3

A nurse makes a medication error that does not harm the patient. What is the nurse's legal and ethical obligation?

Accepted Answer

Report the error through the facility's incident reporting system

Answer

Document the error only if asked by a supervisor

Answer

Keep the information confidential to avoid liability

Answer

Wait to see if the patient develops symptoms before reporting

Question 4

A nurse suspects that a coworker is diverting controlled substances. What is the most appropriate first action?

Accepted Answer

Report the concern to the nurse manager or supervisor

Answer

Confront the coworker directly

Answer

Ignore the situation to avoid conflict

Answer

Search the coworker's belongings for evidence

Question 5

Which action by a nurse constitutes abandonment of a patient?

Accepted Answer

Accepting a patient assignment and then leaving without transferring care to another nurse

Answer

Refusing an assignment due to lack of competency in the specialty area

Answer

Leaving the unit at the end of a scheduled shift after giving proper report

Answer

Requesting reassignment due to a conflict of interest

Question 6

What distinguishes an advance directive from a power of attorney for healthcare?

Accepted Answer

An advance directive specifies treatment wishes; a healthcare power of attorney designates a decision-maker

Answer

An advance directive requires a lawyer; a power of attorney does not

Answer

There is no difference between the two documents

Answer

A power of attorney is only valid after the patient dies