Pediatric Nurse Professional and Legal Issues Flashcards

A parent refuses a blood transfusion for their critically ill child on religious grounds. What is the most appropriate nursing response?

Answer: Notify the physician and institution so legal intervention can be sought if needed

When parental refusal creates immediate risk to a child's life, the healthcare team must involve administration and may seek a court order to override the refusal.

Which best describes the nurse's role in research involving pediatric patients?

Answer: Nurses must ensure both parental consent and child assent (when appropriate) are obtained

Federal regulations and ethical standards require both parental permission and the child's assent (for those capable) before enrolling a minor in research.

A nurse overhears a colleague making derogatory comments about a pediatric patient's family. The most appropriate action is to:

Answer: Report the behavior to management per the professional conduct policy

Derogatory remarks about patients violate professional standards and patient dignity; reporting to management is the appropriate response.

A nurse is named in a malpractice lawsuit. Which document will be most critical to her defense?

Answer: Accurate and thorough nursing documentation from the time of care

Contemporaneous, accurate nursing documentation is the strongest evidence of the care provided and is central to any malpractice defense.

A nurse administers the correct medication but via the wrong route, causing patient harm. This is an example of:

Answer: Medication error and potential negligence

Administering a medication via an incorrect route that results in harm constitutes a medication error and may meet the legal threshold for negligence.

Which action best exemplifies the nurse's role as a child advocate in the inpatient setting?

Answer: Ensuring the child's voice and preferences are communicated to the care team

Child advocacy involves amplifying the patient's voice, preferences, and needs within the healthcare team to ensure patient-centered care.

A nurse receives a phone order for a medication. What is the safest documentation practice?

Answer: Write the order down, read it back to the prescriber, and document it immediately with a 'T.O.' or 'V.O.' notation

Read-back verification of verbal or telephone orders and immediate documentation with appropriate notation is the standard safe practice to prevent errors.