Saudi Prometric Nursing Patient Safety and Ethics 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient with dementia is unable to make informed decisions. Who has the legal authority to provide surrogate consent in Saudi Arabia?
- The attending physician
- The hospital ethics committee
- The patient's legal guardian or next of kin (Correct answer)
- The nursing supervisor
Correct answer: The patient's legal guardian or next of kin
In Saudi Arabia, a legal guardian or next of kin assumes decision-making authority for patients who lack capacity.
Question 2: Which of the following BEST describes the 'chain of survival' concept in patient safety?
- A hierarchy of nursing responsibilities during a code
- A series of linked actions that increase survival from cardiac arrest (Correct answer)
- The process of transferring critically ill patients safely
- A documentation system for adverse events
Correct answer: A series of linked actions that increase survival from cardiac arrest
The chain of survival includes early recognition, CPR, defibrillation, and post-resuscitation care — each link improves cardiac arrest outcomes.
Question 3: A nurse notices a physician writing orders that appear unsafe for a patient. What is the MOST appropriate initial action?
- Implement the orders without question to avoid conflict
- Refuse all orders from that physician immediately
- Question the physician directly and clarify the rationale for the orders (Correct answer)
- Call the patient's family to report the concern
Correct answer: Question the physician directly and clarify the rationale for the orders
Nurses have an ethical and professional duty to question unclear or potentially harmful orders using assertive, respectful communication.
Question 4: Which situation requires a nurse to apply the principle of 'least restrictive intervention' in patient safety?
- A patient who requests stronger pain medication
- A confused patient at risk of falling who tries to get out of bed (Correct answer)
- A patient with an infectious disease who needs isolation
- A patient who refuses oral medications
Correct answer: A confused patient at risk of falling who tries to get out of bed
The least restrictive intervention principle requires trying alternatives like bed alarms and closer monitoring before resorting to physical restraints.
Question 5: What does the acronym 'RACE' stand for in fire safety procedures used in healthcare settings?
- Remove, Activate, Contain, Extinguish/Evacuate (Correct answer)
- Report, Assess, Call, Evacuate
- Rescue, Alert, Contain, Extinguish
- Remove, Alert, Confine, Escape
Correct answer: Remove, Activate, Contain, Extinguish/Evacuate
RACE stands for Remove patients from danger, Activate the alarm, Contain the fire by closing doors, and Extinguish or Evacuate.
Question 6: A nurse is caring for a patient who discloses suicidal ideation. Which action takes HIGHEST priority?
- Document the disclosure and continue routine care
- Ensure the patient's immediate safety and notify the care team (Correct answer)
- Reassure the patient that feelings will pass
- Ask the family to stay with the patient and monitor remotely
Correct answer: Ensure the patient's immediate safety and notify the care team
Immediate patient safety is the top priority; the nurse must stay with the patient and promptly alert the multidisciplinary team.
Question 7: Which strategy is MOST effective for preventing patient misidentification errors in the hospital?
- Using the patient's room number as the primary identifier
- Verifying two unique patient identifiers before any procedure (Correct answer)
- Relying on the patient's verbal confirmation alone
- Checking the bed label at the nurses' station
Correct answer: Verifying two unique patient identifiers before any procedure
Using at least two unique identifiers (e.g., name and medical record number) before procedures is the standard approach to prevent misidentification.
Saudi Prometric Nursing Patient Safety and Ethics 4
A patient with dementia is unable to make informed decisions.
Who has the legal authority to provide surrogate consent in Saudi Arabia?