Chapter 16 Legal And Ethical Issues in Nursing 6th Edition by Ginny Wacker Guido

Chapter 16 Legal And Ethical Issues in Nursing 6th Edition by Ginny Wacker Guido

Complete Chapter Questions With Answers

Sample Questions Are Posted Below

Question 1

Type: MCSA

A nurse returning to practice remarks that delegation is much more regulated and complicated than when she last practiced 20 years ago. What rationale would the nurse manager provide for this change?

1. “The shortage of nurses has been the major reason that there are so many rules to follow when delegating.”
2. “Since nursing is trying to move back to the team approach to care delegation has become more important.”
3. “The introduction of multiple levels of professional staff members increases need for delegation rules and regulations.”
4. “The widespread return to primary nursing makes delegation more risky.”

Correct Answer: 1

Rationale 1: The nursing shortage has led to the need to use other licensed and unlicensed personnel to provide patient care that previously may have been performed only by registered nurses. Because this is occurring more frequently in multiple settings, the need for rules and regulations regarding delegation has arisen.

Rationale 2: There is no indication that nursing is trying to move back to a team approach.

Rationale 3: There has been no introduction of multiple levels of professional staff members.

Rationale 4: Delegation is not a component of primary nursing.

Global Rationale:

Cognitive Level: Analyzing

Client Need: Safe Effective Care Environment

Client Need Sub: Management of Care

Nursing/Integrated Concepts: Nursing Process: Assessment

Learning Outcome: 16.1 Differentiate delegation from assignment.

Question 2

Type: MCSA

The charge nurse has delegated a task to another staff member. Who assumes accountability for the task?

1. It is held jointly by the charge nurse and the person performing the task.
2. It can be imputed to either the charge nurse or the person performing the task.
3. The charge nurse retains the accountability.
4. Accountability is transferred to the person performing the task.

Correct Answer: 3

Rationale 1: Accountability is not shared in this situation.

Rationale 2: The accountability is held specifically by one of these two people. It is not an either/or decision.

Rationale 3: While the person performing the task is responsible for his or her own actions, the accountability is always retained by the one who delegates.

Rationale 4: The person performing the task is responsible for his or her own actions but does not assume accountability for the task.

Global Rationale:

Cognitive Level: Applying

Client Need: Safe Effective Care Environment

Client Need Sub: Management of Care

Nursing/Integrated Concepts: Nursing Process: Assessment

Learning Outcome: 16.1 Differentiate delegation from assignment.

Question 3

Type: MCSA

The nurse would correctly state that an assignment had been made in which situation?

1. The nurse says to the charge nurse, “Please watch my patients while I run down and pick up some lunch from the hospital cafeteria.”
2. The nurse says to the UAP, “Please take all of the vital signs before you begin to deliver breakfast trays.”
3. The charge nurse divides the patient load into one team for each staff nurse who works the shift.
4. The nurse asks a housekeeper to clean a bed quickly for a new admission.

Correct Answer: 3

Rationale 1: This situation is an example of upward transfer of responsibility and accountability (from staff nurse to charge nurse).

Rationale 2: The person with the accountability for monitoring vital signs and assuring the patients are fed (the nurse) has delegated the tasks to the person responsible for their completion (the UAP). This is delegation.

Rationale 3: Dividing the patient load into a team for each staff nurse is an example of downward (charge nurse to staff nurse) transfer of responsibility and accountability and is assignment. This is frequently referred to as “making assignments.”

Rationale 4: The person accountable for assuring that patients have clean beds (the nurse) delegates the task to the person responsible for its completion (the housekeeper). This is delegation.

Global Rationale:

Cognitive Level: Applying

Client Need: Safe Effective Care Environment

Client Need Sub: Management of Care

Nursing/Integrated Concepts: Nursing Process: Implementation

Learning Outcome: 16.1 Differentiate delegation from assignment.