PNC Professional Ethics & Communication 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following best describes the ethical concept of 'justice' as it applies to parish nursing practice?
- Ensuring that no harm comes to any parishioner through nursing actions
- Distributing health resources and services fairly among all members of the congregation (Correct answer)
- Keeping all health-related promises made to parishioners
- Promoting the greatest good for the greatest number of people
Correct answer: Distributing health resources and services fairly among all members of the congregation
Justice in nursing ethics refers to fair, equitable distribution of care and resources without discrimination.
Question 2: A parish nurse discovers that a colleague in the health ministry is documenting nursing assessments she did not actually perform. What is the most appropriate course of action?
- Assume the colleague had a valid reason and say nothing
- Confront the colleague publicly during a team meeting
- Address the concern privately with the colleague first, then escalate to appropriate oversight if unresolved (Correct answer)
- Report immediately to the state nursing board without speaking with the colleague
Correct answer: Address the concern privately with the colleague first, then escalate to appropriate oversight if unresolved
Ethical standards require addressing unethical conduct, typically beginning with direct private communication before escalating through appropriate channels.
Question 3: A parishioner asks the parish nurse to keep secret that he has stopped taking his antipsychotic medication. He shows no current signs of danger. How should the nurse respond?
- Promise confidentiality unconditionally to maintain the therapeutic relationship
- Explain the limits of confidentiality and encourage the parishioner to inform his prescriber, offering to help facilitate this (Correct answer)
- Immediately notify his prescriber without his knowledge
- Document the information and take no further action
Correct answer: Explain the limits of confidentiality and encourage the parishioner to inform his prescriber, offering to help facilitate this
The nurse should explain confidentiality limits, encourage the parishioner to re-engage with his prescriber, and support him in doing so without overriding autonomy prematurely.
Question 4: Which communication approach is most consistent with a strengths-based model in parish nursing?
- Focusing on risk factors and deficits to motivate behavior change
- Identifying and building upon the parishioner's existing resources, faith, and resilience (Correct answer)
- Providing expert advice that directs the parishioner toward healthier choices
- Emphasizing what the parishioner is doing wrong and what needs to change
Correct answer: Identifying and building upon the parishioner's existing resources, faith, and resilience
A strengths-based approach recognizes and amplifies existing capacities, including spiritual resources, to support health and well-being.
Question 5: When is it ethically permissible for a parish nurse to break confidentiality without a parishioner's consent?
- When the pastor requests the information for pastoral care purposes
- When the parishioner has a serious chronic illness that affects the congregation
- When there is credible evidence of imminent danger to the parishioner or others (Correct answer)
- When family members express serious concern about the parishioner's health
Correct answer: When there is credible evidence of imminent danger to the parishioner or others
Confidentiality may be ethically breached only when there is a serious, credible, and imminent threat of harm to the individual or others.
Question 6: A parish nurse is counseling a parishioner from a different cultural background who avoids direct eye contact. How should the nurse interpret this behavior?
- As a sign of deception or dishonesty
- As possible disrespect toward the nurse's professional role
- As a cultural norm that may indicate respect, and adapt communication accordingly (Correct answer)
- As evidence of low health literacy requiring a simpler approach
Correct answer: As a cultural norm that may indicate respect, and adapt communication accordingly
Eye contact norms vary across cultures; what is considered respectful or disrespectful differs, and culturally competent nurses adapt without judgment.
Question 7: In parish nursing, the concept of 'whole-person care' is grounded in which nursing framework?
- The biomedical model focusing on pathology and treatment
- The holistic health model integrating physical, emotional, social, and spiritual dimensions (Correct answer)
- The public health model emphasizing population-level disease prevention
- The chronic care model centered on self-management support
Correct answer: The holistic health model integrating physical, emotional, social, and spiritual dimensions
Parish nursing is rooted in holistic care that integrates spiritual, emotional, physical, and social dimensions of health.
PNC Professional Ethics & Communication 3
Which of the following best describes the ethical concept of 'justice' as it applies to parish nursing practice?