7: Legal Dimensions of Nursing Chapter Review

1) A state attorney decides to charge a nurse with 6) What must be established to prove that malpractice
manslaughter for allegedly administering a lethal or negligence has occurred in this case?
medication. This is an example of what type of law? a. The surgeon who performed the procedure
a. Public law called the nurse’s action pure negligence, saying
b. Private law that the patient could have been saved.
c. Civil law b. The fact that this patient should not have died—
d. Criminal law she was a vibrant grandmother of 10 who had
2) Newly hired nurses in a busy suburban hospital are walked three quarters of a mile the morning of
required to read the state Nurse Practice Act as part her surgery and had sung in her church choir the
of their training. Which topics are covered by this day before.
act? Select all that apply. c. The nurse intended to harm the patient and was
a. Violations that may result in disciplinary action willfully negligent.
b. Clinical procedures d. The nurse had a duty to monitor the patient’s
c. Medication administration vital signs, failed to do so, the patient died, and
d. Scope of practice it was Jean’s failure to do her duty that caused
e. Delegation policies the patient’s death.
f. Medicare reimbursement 7) When the attorney representing the patient’s family
Questions 3 through 7 refer to the following scenario: calls Jean and asks to talk with her about the case so
“Jean,” a veteran nurse, pleaded guilty to a that he can better understand her actions, how should
misdemeanor negligence charge in the case of a 75- Jean respond?
year-old woman who died after slipping into a coma a. “I’m sorry, but I can’t talk with you. You’ll have
during routine outpatient eye surgery at an eye surgery to contact my attorney.”
center. Jean admitted that she failed to monitor the b. Answer the attorney’s questions honestly and
woman’s vital signs during the procedure. make sure that he understands her side of the
The surgeon who performed the procedure called the story.
nurse’s action pure negligence, saying that the patient c. Appeal to the attorney’s sense of compassion
could have been saved. The patient was a vibrant and try to enlist his sympathy by telling him
grandmother of 10 who had walked three quarters of a how busy it was that morning.
mile the morning of her surgery and had sung in her d. “Why are you doing this to me? This could ruin
church choir the day before. As part of her plea me!”
arrangement, the nurse agreed to serve 6 months of 8) A nurse administers the wrong medication to a
probation—the first 2 months on house arrest— and patient and the patient is harmed. The physician who
surrender her nursing license. ordered the medication did not read the
3) Those bringing the charges against Jean are called: documentation that the patient was allergic to the
a. Appellates drug. Which statement is true regarding liability for
b. Defendants the administration of the wrong medication?
c. Plaintiffs a. The nurse is not responsible, because the nurse
d. Attorneys was merely following the doctor’s orders.
4) Jean’s attorney was careful to explain in her defense b. Only the nurse is responsible, because the nurse
that Jean had specialty knowledge, experience, and actually administered the medication.
clinical judgment and had met certain criteria c. Only the physician is responsible, because the
established by a nongovernmental association, as a physician actually ordered the drug.
result of which she was granted recognition in a d. Both the nurse and the physician are responsible
specified practice area. What is this sort of credential for their respective actions.
called? 9) A nurse answers a patient’s call light and finds the
a. Accreditation patient on the floor by the bathroom door. After
b. Licensure calling for assistance and examining the patient for
c. Certification injury, the nurse helps the patient back to bed and
d. Board approval then fills out an incident report. Which statements
5) If review of this patient’s record revealed that she accurately describe aspects of this procedure? Select
had never consented to the eye surgery, of which all that apply.
intentional tort might the surgeon have been guilty? a. An incident report is used as disciplinary action
a. Assault against staff members.
b. Battery b. An incident report is used as a means of
c. Invasion of privacy identifying risks.
d. False imprisonment c. An incident report is used for quality control.
 7: Legal Dimensions of Nursing Chapter Review
d. The facility manager completes the incident
report.
e. An incident report makes facts available in case
litigation occurs.
f. Filing of an incident report should be
documented in the patient record.
10) A nursing student asks the charge nurse about legal
liability when performing clinical practice. Which
statement regarding liability is true?
a. Students are not responsible for their acts of
negligence resulting in patient injury.
b. Student nurses are held to the same standard of
care that would be used to evaluate the actions
of a registered nurse.
c. Hospitals are exempt from liability for student
negligence if the student nurse is properly
supervised by an instructor.
d. Most nursing programs carry group professional
liability making student personal professional
liability insurance unnecessary.