Resident Rights and Ethics Flashcards

A nursing assistant disagrees with how a resident is choosing to manage their personal hygiene. The ethical response is to:

Answer: Respect the resident's autonomy while ensuring they are informed of options

Ethical care respects resident autonomy; NAs must honor personal choices while ensuring the resident has the information they need.

Which action represents the ethical principle of beneficence in nursing assistant practice?

Answer: Taking actions specifically intended to promote the resident's well-being

Beneficence means actively doing good for the resident and placing their well-being at the center of every care decision.

A competent resident with a terminal illness says they want to stop eating. The nursing assistant should:

Answer: Continue to offer meals and document intake without forcing the resident

Competent residents may refuse nutrition; the NA must continue offering meals, document the refusal, and report to the nurse.

The ethical principle of non-maleficence requires nursing assistants to:

Answer: Avoid causing unnecessary harm during care

Non-maleficence means 'do no harm'; NAs must perform care in ways that prevent injury and suffering.

A resident from a different cultural background refuses care from a male nursing assistant. The correct response is to:

Answer: Accommodate the preference by assigning a female NA whenever possible

Cultural and personal preferences regarding caregiver gender are a resident right and should be accommodated whenever staffing allows.

Which of the following is a resident's right related to social participation?

Answer: Residents may choose to participate or not participate in any activity

Residents have the right to choose their level of social participation; activities are never mandatory or used as rewards or punishments.

A nursing assistant who suspects a colleague is abusing a resident but does not report it could be considered:

Answer: Guilty of neglect by omission as a mandatory reporter

Nursing assistants are mandatory reporters; failure to report known or suspected abuse constitutes neglect and may result in legal consequences.