NMC Professional Duty of Candour 3

Question 1

Which of the following BEST distinguishes the professional duty of candour from the statutory duty of candour?

Accepted Answer

The professional duty applies to individual registrants; the statutory duty applies to healthcare organizations

Answer

The professional duty of candour applies to individual NMC registrants, while the statutory duty (under the Health and Social Care Act) applies to the organization as a whole.

Question 2

A nurse is pressured by a manager not to disclose an error to a patient because the organization fears legal action. What should the nurse do?

Accepted Answer

Maintain their professional duty of candour and disclose, escalating the pressure as a concern

Answer

A nurse's professional duty of candour cannot be overridden by managerial pressure; they must disclose and raise the suppression as a safeguarding concern.

Question 3

After a notifiable safety incident, the NMC requires that an apology and explanation be provided:

Accepted Answer

Verbally as soon as practicable, followed by a written summary

Answer

The NMC duty of candour requires an initial verbal apology and explanation as soon as possible, followed by a written summary.

Question 4

A nurse notices a colleague made an error that harmed a patient but the colleague has not disclosed it. The observing nurse should:

Accepted Answer

Encourage the colleague to disclose and, if not, raise the concern themselves

Answer

Nurses have a responsibility to support colleagues in fulfilling candour obligations and to escalate if a colleague fails to disclose a patient safety incident.

Question 5

Which patient group requires SPECIAL consideration when fulfilling the duty of candour according to NMC guidance?

Accepted Answer

Patients who lack capacity to understand the disclosure

Answer

When a patient lacks capacity, disclosure should be made to their representative or next of kin, adapting communication to meet the patient's needs.

(NMC) Nursing Midwifery Council Practice Test

(NMC) Nursing Midwifery Council Practice Test

NMC Professional Duty of Candour 3