NMC Professional Duty of Candour 2

Question 1

Under the NMC duty of candour, what must a nurse do FIRST when a patient safety incident occurs?

Accepted Answer

Inform the patient or their representative as soon as practicable

Answer

The NMC requires nurses to inform the patient or their representative as soon as practicable after recognizing a notifiable safety incident.

Question 2

A nurse accidentally administers the wrong dose of a medication but the patient appears unharmed. What should the nurse do?

Accepted Answer

Tell the patient what happened, apologize, and follow incident reporting procedures

Answer

Even when no harm is immediately apparent, the NMC duty of candour requires disclosure, an apology, and incident reporting.

Question 3

Which NMC document explicitly outlines the professional duty of candour for nurses and midwives?

Accepted Answer

The NMC Code (2015, updated 2018)

Answer

The NMC Code sets out the professional duty of candour as a binding standard for all registered nurses and midwives.

Question 4

An apology given as part of the duty of candour is best described as:

Accepted Answer

A sincere expression of sorrow or regret that does not constitute an admission of liability

Answer

Under the duty of candour framework, an apology is an expression of regret and empathy, not a legal admission of liability.

Question 5

What is the PRIMARY purpose of the professional duty of candour according to the NMC?

Accepted Answer

To maintain trust between healthcare professionals and the public

Answer

The duty of candour exists to uphold trust between healthcare professionals and the public by fostering openness when things go wrong.

(NMC) Nursing Midwifery Council Practice Test