NACE Ethical and Legal Principles 4

Question 1

A nurse discovers a colleague has been accessing patient records of celebrities out of curiosity. What is the nurse's primary obligation under HIPAA?

Accepted Answer

Report the breach to the facility privacy officer

Answer

HIPAA requires healthcare organizations to investigate and report breaches; the nurse must notify the privacy officer who initiates the formal response process.

Question 2

A competent adult patient refuses a blood transfusion on religious grounds despite a life-threatening hemorrhage. The nurse should:

Accepted Answer

Respect the refusal and document it, ensuring the patient understands the consequences

Answer

Competent adults have the right to refuse any treatment, including life-saving measures; the nurse must respect this autonomy and document the informed refusal.

Question 3

Which legal doctrine holds hospitals responsible for the negligent acts of their employed nurses?

Accepted Answer

Respondeat superior

Answer

Respondeat superior ('let the master answer') holds employers vicariously liable for employees' negligent acts performed within the scope of employment.

Question 4

A nurse administers the wrong medication and the patient suffers harm. Which element of negligence establishes the link between the action and the injury?

Accepted Answer

Causation

Answer

Causation (proximate cause) is the element that establishes the direct link between the nurse's breach of duty and the patient's resulting harm.

Question 5

An older adult patient with mild dementia is being discharged. When obtaining consent for a home health referral, the nurse should:

Accepted Answer

Assess the patient's decision-making capacity for this specific decision

Answer

A dementia diagnosis does not automatically negate decision-making capacity; the nurse must assess capacity for each specific decision.

Nursing Acceleration Challenge Exam (NACE) I PN-RN Practice Test

Nursing Acceleration Challenge Exam (NACE) I PN-RN Practice Test

NACE Ethical and Legal Principles 4