NCAS Nursing Ethics 4

Question 1

A community nurse suspects a homebound elderly patient is being financially exploited by a family member. The nurse's primary ethical and legal obligation is to:

Accepted Answer

Report the suspected abuse to adult protective services

Answer

Suspected elder abuse must be reported to adult protective services; nurses are mandated reporters and waiting for confirmation is not required.

Question 2

Surrogate decision-making is most appropriate when a patient:

Accepted Answer

Lacks decision-making capacity and has no advance directive

Answer

A surrogate decision-maker is designated when a patient lacks decision-making capacity and has not previously expressed wishes in a directive.

Question 3

Which action by a community health nurse BEST demonstrates the ethical principle of beneficence?

Accepted Answer

Providing smoking cessation counseling to a patient who smokes

Answer

Beneficence requires actively promoting patient well-being, such as offering evidence-based health promotion interventions.

Question 4

A nurse learns through social media that a colleague is posting about patient experiences without using names. The nurse should recognize this as:

Accepted Answer

A potential HIPAA violation if details could identify the patient

Answer

Even without names, contextual details can constitute a HIPAA violation if a patient could reasonably be identified.

Question 5

The ethical concept of paternalism in nursing refers to:

Accepted Answer

Overriding a patient's autonomous choices for their perceived benefit

Answer

Paternalism occurs when healthcare providers substitute their judgment for the patient's in the name of the patient's well-being.

NCAS - Nursing Community Assessment Service Practice Test

NCAS - Nursing Community Assessment Service Practice Test

NCAS Nursing Ethics 4