Legal and Ethical Nursing Quiz
Questions: 16 · 10 minutes
1. While being asked to witness a consent form, a patient says, “I still don't understand the alternatives.” What should the nurse do?
Witness the signature because discussing alternatives is outside nursing practice
Ask a family member to explain the alternatives in simpler language
Pause the process and contact the clinician responsible for the informed-consent discussion
Provide a personal recommendation and then witness the signature
2. After delegating an appropriate task to trained assistive personnel, which responsibility remains with the nurse?
Personally performing every step if the patient's condition is stable
Transferring accountability for the patient's overall nursing care
Providing appropriate direction, supervision, and evaluation of the outcome
Allowing the delegatee to decide whether findings require follow-up
3. An agitated patient is pulling at tubing. Before restraints are considered, what principle should guide the nurse's response?
Use restraints early because preventing every possible injury takes priority
Assess causes and try appropriate less-restrictive measures, using restraints only under applicable rules
Apply restraints whenever verbal redirection does not work immediately
Ask the family to authorize restraints instead of evaluating alternatives
4. Which ethical principle most directly supports a capable patient's right to choose among treatment options?
Justice
Beneficence
Autonomy
Fidelity
5. A patient's sibling asks the nurse for an update, but the patient has not authorized disclosure. What is the best initial response?
Share only the diagnosis because relatives may know basic information
Give a brief update if the sibling promises not to repeat it
Confirm that the patient is receiving care but withhold treatment details
Ask the patient whether information may be shared, unless another legal authorization applies
6. Why is intentionally changing a clinical record to hide an error especially serious?
It compromises the integrity of a legal care record and can constitute professional misconduct
It prevents the record from being used for staff education
It automatically transfers responsibility for the error to the organization
It is acceptable only when the alteration does not affect billing
7. A nurse wants to post an unusual clinical story online without using the patient's name. What is the best ethical and legal approach?
Do not post identifiable clinical details; combined details can reveal a patient's identity
Change the patient's age and room number before posting
Post it if the account is restricted to healthcare workers
Post it after the patient leaves the facility because confidentiality then ends
8. A nurse observes a colleague whose behavior suggests possible impairment while providing care. What is the best response?
Protect patients and promptly report the objective concern through the required channel
Quietly take over the colleague's tasks without reporting the concern
Privately monitor the colleague until there is proof that a patient was harmed
Ask patients whether they believe the colleague appears impaired
9. A nurse realizes that an important assessment was omitted from the record two hours earlier. What is the most appropriate action?
Leave the omission unchanged because later documentation is not permitted
Enter the assessment as though it had been documented at the original time
Add the information without a time so the record remains uncluttered
Make a clearly identified late entry with the current date and time, following policy
10. A patient, family, and care team remain divided over a complex treatment decision despite repeated discussion. What can an ethics consultation appropriately provide?
A binding legal ruling that replaces the patient's decision
A structured review of values, duties, options, and communication without taking over lawful decision-making
A determination of professional negligence and financial liability
Automatic authorization for the treatment preferred by the clinical team
11. A capable adult refuses a recommended medication after hearing its purpose. What should the nurse do next?
Administer it because the prescription establishes implied consent
Explore the reason, confirm understanding, explain relevant consequences, and document the refusal
Ask a relative to authorize administration on the patient's behalf
Record the refusal without further discussion to avoid influencing the patient
12. A clinic develops a consistent process for allocating limited appointments according to relevant patient needs. Which ethical principle is most directly involved?
Veracity
Fidelity
Justice
Autonomy
13. Which combination generally must be established for professional negligence to have occurred?
Intent, unauthorized contact, injury, and punishment
A policy violation, witness, written warning, and financial loss
Disagreement, poor communication, distress, and a complaint
Duty, breach of duty, causation, and harm
14. A nurse reasonably suspects that a vulnerable patient may be experiencing abuse. What is the appropriate general response?
Address immediate safety needs and follow applicable reporting law and organizational procedure
Conduct an independent investigation before telling anyone
Wait until the patient provides conclusive proof of abuse
Discuss the suspicion with coworkers who are not involved in the patient's care
15. A nurse discovers that a patient received the wrong medication dose. What should happen first?
Complete an incident report before discussing the event with anyone
Assess the patient and address immediate clinical needs, then follow notification and reporting procedures
Wait for symptoms so the seriousness of the error can be determined
Change the medication record so the documented dose matches what was given
16. A patient with a valid advance directive later loses decision-making capacity. Which approach is generally appropriate?
Follow whichever treatment preference is supported by most family members
Disregard the directive because it was written before the current illness
Allow the bedside nurse to select the treatment most likely to prolong life
Use the directive and legally authorized surrogate to guide decisions consistent with the patient's wishes