Pediatric Nurse Exam Pediatric Nurse Professional and Legal Issues 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A nurse witnesses a physician perform a procedure on a child without first obtaining informed consent. What should the nurse do first?
- Document the incident and take no further action
- Immediately report the incident to the supervisor or risk management (Correct answer)
- Obtain consent retroactively from the parents
- Support the physician's decision to proceed
Correct answer: Immediately report the incident to the supervisor or risk management
Performing procedures without informed consent is a legal violation that must be reported to the appropriate authority to protect the patient and institution.
Question 2: Which element is NOT required for valid informed consent in pediatric care?
- Disclosure of risks and benefits
- Verification that the parent comprehends the information
- Agreement from both biological parents in all circumstances (Correct answer)
- The parent's voluntary agreement
Correct answer: Agreement from both biological parents in all circumstances
Informed consent requires disclosure, comprehension, and voluntary agreement; consent from both parents is not always legally required, especially when one parent has sole custody.
Question 3: A nurse in a pediatric clinic suspects a child is being physically abused. The parents deny any abuse. What is the nurse's legal obligation?
- Document suspicions and wait for more evidence
- Report the suspicion to child protective services immediately (Correct answer)
- Consult with colleagues to confirm suspicion before reporting
- Discuss findings only with the attending physician
Correct answer: Report the suspicion to child protective services immediately
Nurses are mandated reporters and are legally required to report reasonable suspicion of child abuse to child protective services without delay.
Question 4: A 17-year-old who is legally emancipated is admitted for appendicitis. Who provides consent for surgery?
- The patient's parents
- The hospital administrator
- The patient himself (Correct answer)
- The attending surgeon
Correct answer: The patient himself
An emancipated minor has full legal authority to make their own medical decisions, including consenting to surgery.
Question 5: Which action by a pediatric nurse constitutes negligence?
- Administering a medication 30 minutes after the scheduled time due to a patient emergency
- Failing to apply a prescribed topical cream, resulting in a skin infection (Correct answer)
- Documenting assessment findings 1 hour after completing them
- Asking a colleague to witness a consent form signing
Correct answer: Failing to apply a prescribed topical cream, resulting in a skin infection
Failing to perform a prescribed treatment that results in patient harm meets the legal definition of negligence: duty, breach, causation, and damages.
Question 6: A nurse documents care that was never provided to save time during a busy shift. This constitutes:
- A minor charting error
- Fraud and a violation of professional standards (Correct answer)
- An acceptable practice during emergencies
- A documentation shortcut permitted by most facilities
Correct answer: Fraud and a violation of professional standards
Documenting care that was not rendered is considered fraudulent charting and violates professional, legal, and ethical nursing standards.
Question 7: What is the purpose of a Good Samaritan law in the context of nursing?
- Requires nurses to respond to all emergencies while on duty
- Protects nurses from liability when providing voluntary emergency care outside their workplace (Correct answer)
- Exempts nurses from reporting child abuse in emergencies
- Mandates nurses to carry emergency equipment at all times
Correct answer: Protects nurses from liability when providing voluntary emergency care outside their workplace
Good Samaritan laws protect healthcare providers, including nurses, from civil liability when they voluntarily render emergency care in good faith outside their normal work setting.
Pediatric Nurse Exam Pediatric Nurse Professional and Legal Issues 3
A nurse witnesses a physician perform a procedure on a child without first obtaining informed consent.
What should the nurse do first?