Chapter 05: Legal Principles in Nursing

Chapter 05: Legal Principles in Nursing

Complete Chapter Questions With Answers

Sample Questions Are Posted Below

MULTIPLE CHOICE

1. Which information indicates the nurse has an accurate understanding of the State Nurse Practice Act?

ANS:   C

Nurse Practice Acts are examples of statutes enacted by state legislatures to regulate the practice of nursing. Common laws are based on judicial decisions or case law precedent. An example of a judicial decision that guides health care practice is Roe v. Wade, but not the nurse practice act. An example of a federal statute that affects health care practice is the Americans with Disabilities Act, but not the nurse practice act. The nurse practice act is a state law, not a federal senate bill.

PTS:    1                      DIF:    Cognitive Level: Applying (Application)

REF:    63

OBJ:    Describe the legal obligations and role of nurses regarding federal and state laws that affect health care.     TOP:               Nursing Process: Evaluation

MSC:   NCLEX: Management of Care

2. A student nurse must pass the NCLEX^® before practicing as a registered nurse. NCLEX^® stands for __________ Examination.

ANS:   D

To be licensed in a state, a nurse must have a passing score on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) to obtain the initial license and meet the educational requirements set by the state. Nursing Council of Licensing, Nightingale Code, and Nursing Code examinations do not exist to practice as a nurse.

PTS:    1                      DIF:    Cognitive Level: Remembering (Knowledge)

REF:    63

OBJ:    Describe the legal obligations and role of nurses regarding federal and state laws that affect health care.     TOP:               Nursing Process: Assessment

MSC:   NCLEX: Management of Care

3. A registered nurse was accused of patient abandonment when the nurse became angry, quit the job, and left the hospital before the end of the shift. This is an example of violating legal standards/guidelines set by which organization?

ANS:   C

Nurse Practice Acts permit the State Board of Nursing to set rules, regulations, and guidelines that specifically define the standard of care in nursing practice. An example is the guidelines that define patient abandonment. The State Department of Health, the Joint Commission, and the National League for Nursing do not set the legal rules and regulations for patient abandonment.

PTS:    1                      DIF:    Cognitive Level: Applying (Application)

REF:    63

OBJ:    Explain the legal concepts of standard of care and informed consent.

TOP:    Nursing Process: Evaluation              MSC:   NCLEX: Management of Care

4. An RN suffers from chronic back pain that was the result of an injury suffered when pulling a patient up in bed. The nurse is addicted to pain medication and has recently been accused of stealing narcotics. This is an example of which violation of the law?

ANS:   D

A felony is a serious offense that results in significant harm to another person or society in general. Felony crimes may carry penalties of monetary restitution, imprisonment for greater than 1 year, or death. Examples of Nurse Practice Act violations that may carry criminal penalties include practicing nursing without a license and misuse of controlled substances. A misdemeanor is a crime that, although injurious, does not inflict serious harm. Torts are civil wrongful acts or omissions against a person or a person’s property that are compensated by awarding monetary damages to the individual whose rights were violated. Malpractice is an example of negligence, sometimes referred to as professional negligence. The law defines nursing malpractice as the failure to use the degree of care that a reasonable nurse would use under the same or similar circumstances.

PTS:    1                      DIF:    Cognitive Level: Applying (Application)

REF:    63-64

OBJ:    Define the legal relationships of nurse-patient, nurse-health care provider, nurse-nurse, and nurse-employer.                    TOP:    Nursing Process: Evaluation

MSC:   NCLEX: Management of Care