Chapter 4: Ethical Foundations of Professional Nursing

Chapter 4: Ethical Foundations of Professional Nursing

 

Complete Chapter Questions With Answers

 

Sample Questions Are Posted Below

 

Question 1

What are the processes for acquiring values?

1. Prescribed by the dominant religion.
2. Formal education and study.
3. Discussions with clergy.
4. Choosing, prizing, and acting.

Correct Answer: 4

Rationale: The valuing process includes cognitive, affective, and behavioral components, referred to as choosing, prizing, and acting. While people may be exposed to a value system through religion, by formal education and study, and through discussions with clergy, these avenues only introduce a value. The person must then choose to adopt the value as his or her own.

Cognitive Level: Understanding

Client Need: Safe and Effective Care Environment

Client Need Sub: Management of Care

QSEN Competencies: II.A.1. Describe own strengths, limitations, and values in functioning as a member of a team.

AACN Essential Competencies: VII.3. Assess health/illness beliefs, values, attitudes, and practices of individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations.

NLN Competencies: Context and Environment; Ethical Comportment; Show respect for others’ values; Appreciate diversity.

Nursing/Integrated Concepts: Assessment; Nursing Process

Learning Outcome: 2. Explain how nurses can help clients clarify their values to facilitate ethical decision-making.

Page Number: p. 55

 

Question 2

Which statement about values is correct?

1. Most everyone adopts the same values.
2. Once adopted, values are not changed.
3. Values clarification is associated with personal growth.
4. People must have values identified for them.

Correct Answer: 3

Rationale: Values clarification promotes personal growth by fostering awareness, empathy, and insight. A principle of values clarification is that no one set of values is right for everyone. When people are able to identify their values, they can retain or change them based on freely chosen values.

Cognitive Level: Remembering

Client Need: Safe and Effective Care Environment

Client Need Sub: Management of Care

QSEN Competencies: II.A.1. Describe own strengths, limitations, and values in functioning as a member of a team.

AACN Essential Competencies: VII.3. Assess health/illness beliefs, values, attitudes, and practices of individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations.

NLN Competencies: Context and Environment; Ethical Comportment; Show respect for others’ values; Appreciate diversity.

Nursing/Integrated Concepts: Assessment; Nursing Process

Learning Outcome: 2. Explain how nurses can help clients clarify their values to facilitate ethical decision-making.

Page Number: p. 55

 

Question 3

The nurse has a strong personal value system and is concerned that these values may conflict with the values of a newly assigned nursing unit. What should the nurse do? (Select all that apply.)

1. Identify personal values.
2. Be watchful for situations in which there may be a values conflict.
3. Hold personal values in check if it is still possible to provide effective care.
4. Refuse to be transferred to this unit.
5. Discuss the situation with the nursing supervisor.

Correct Answer: 1, 2, 3, 5

Rationale: In order to identify potential values conflicts, the nurse must first be aware of his or her personal value system. The nurse should be watchful for situations in which a values conflict may occur so that unrecognized conflict will not interfere with care. If possible, the nurse should hold personal values in check as long as effectiveness and quality of care are not compromised. If a values conflict occurs, the nurse should discuss the situation with the nursing supervisor. If this nurse has already accepted this assignment, refusal to provide care may constitute abandonment, which is not ethical and could result in action against the nurse’s license to practice.

Cognitive Level: Applying

Client Need: Safe and Effective Care Environment

Client Need Sub: Management of Care

QSEN Competencies: II.A.1. Describe own strengths, limitations, and values in functioning as a member of a team.

AACN Essential Competencies: VII.3. Assess health/illness beliefs, values, attitudes, and practices of individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations.

NLN Competencies: Context and Environment; Ethical Comportment; Show respect for others’ values; Appreciate diversity.

Nursing/Integrated Concepts: Implementation; Nursing Process

Learning Outcome: 2. Explain how nurses can help clients clarify their values to facilitate ethical decision-making.

Page Number: p. 55

 

Question 4

The client has made a difficult decision to refuse treatment for a potentially curable malignancy. The nurse asks the client, “How are you going to tell your spouse about this decision?” What is the nurse attempting to assess?

1. Whether the client has considered all of the treatment options available.
2. Whether the client was able to choose freely among treatment options.
3. Whether the client is prepared to act on the decision.
4. Whether the client feels good about the decision made.

Correct Answer: 3

Rationale: This question helps to determine whether the client is prepared to act on the decision made. A question to assess whether the client has considered all of the treatment options available would be something like, “What are the benefits and risks of your decision?” A question to assess whether the client was able to choose freely among treatment options would be something like, “Did you have any say or choice in this decision?” A question to assess whether the client feels good about the decision made would be something like, “How do you feel about your decision?”

Cognitive Level: Analyzing

Client Need: Safe and Effective Care Environment

Client Need Sub: Management of Care

QSEN Competencies: II.A.1. Describe own strengths, limitations, and values in functioning as a member of a team.

AACN Essential Competencies: VII.3. Assess health/illness beliefs, values, attitudes, and practices of individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations.

NLN Competencies: Context and Environment; Ethical Comportment; Show respect for others’ values; Appreciate diversity.

Nursing/Integrated Concepts: Assessment; Nursing Process

Learning Outcome: 2. Explain how nurses can help clients clarify their values to facilitate ethical decision-making.

Page Number: p. 56

 

Question 5

The nurse educator asks the nursing student about the difference in standards between codes of ethics and legal standards. Which response by the student indicates the greatest level of understanding?

1. “Standards in codes of ethics and legal standards are generally the same.”
2. “Codes of ethics are much higher standards than legal standards.”
3. “Legal standards are much higher than codes of ethics standards.”
4. “Codes of ethics are usually higher, and can be no lower, than legal standards.”

Correct Answer: 4

Rationale: Codes of ethics have standards that are generally higher than those of legal standards, and they can never be less that the legal standards of the profession. The standards are not the same, but are generally similar, so it is neither correct to state that codes of ethics are much higher than legal standards nor the reverse.

Cognitive Level: Analyzing

Client Need: Safe and Effective Care Environment

Client Need Sub: Management of Care

QSEN Competencies: II.A.1. Describe own strengths, limitations, and values in functioning as a member of a team.

AACN Essential Competencies: VIII.1. Demonstrate the professional standards of moral, ethical, and legal conduct.

NLN Competencies: Context and Environment; Ethical Comportment; Show respect for others’ values; Appreciate diversity.

Nursing/Integrated Concepts: Evaluation; Nursing Process

Learning Outcome: 5. Explain the uses and limitations of professional codes of ethics.

Page Number: p. 61