Essentials for Nursing Practice 9th Edition Potter Test Bank

Chapter 05: Legal Principles in Nursing

Potter: Essentials for Nursing Practice, 9th Edition

MULTIPLE CHOICE

1. Which description of the state Nurse Practice Act is correct?

a. It is a judicial decision.
b. It is a federal senate bill.
c. It is a statute enacted by state legislature.
d. It is a law enacted by the federal government.
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.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension)

OBJ: Describe the legal obligations and role of nurses regarding federal and state laws that affect
health care. TOP: Nursing Process: Communication and Documentation
MSC: NCLEX: Management of Care

2. The nurse is frustrated with an agitated patient and tells him “Now stay in that bed or I will
make you stay there!” Which tort has the nurse just committed?
a. Assault NURSINGTB.COM
b. Battery
c. Incursion
d. Onslaught
ANS: A
The nurse has committed assault by threatening the patient. No actual contact is required for
an assault to occur. Battery occurs when the patient is touched without consent. Onslaught and
incursion are not legal terms.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (Application)

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

3. Which organization will discipline the nurse for abandoning patients during an assigned shift?
a. The Joint Commission
b. The State Board of Nursing
c. The State Department of Health
d. The National League for Nursing
ANS: B

NURSINGTB.COM
 Essentials for Nursing Practice 9th Edition Potter Test Bank

The State Board of Nursing sets rules, regulations, and guidelines that specifically define the
standard of care in nursing practice. An example is the guideline that defines patient
abandonment. The State Board of Nursing also investigates allegations of nursing misconduct
and disciplines nurses who have failed to comply with the state Nurse Practice Act. 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.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (Application)

OBJ: Explain the legal concepts of standard of care and informed consent.
TOP: Nursing Process: Evaluation MSC: NCLEX: Evaluation

4. The nurse is accused of stealing narcotic pain medications from patients. Which type of crime
may the nurse be charged with?
a. Tort
b. Felony
c. Malpractice
d. Misdemeanor
ANS: B
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
NURtoSIuse
nursing malpractice as the failure NGtheTB.C OM
degree of care that a reasonable nurse would use
under the same or similar circumstances.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (Application)

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

5. The nurse cuts an unconscious patient’s long hair in order to wash and brush it. The patient
wakes up and is very upset after seeing the short hair. Which tort did the nurse commit?
a. Battery
b. Assault
c. Slander
d. Negligence
ANS: A
Battery is intentional offensive touching without consent or lawful justification. Assault is an
intentional threat toward another person that gives that person a reasonable fear of harmful
contact. No actual contact is required for an assault to occur. Negligence is an unintentional
tort. Slander is making malicious statements that can damage an individual’s reputation.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (Application)

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

NURSINGTB.COM
 Essentials for Nursing Practice 9th Edition Potter Test Bank

MSC: NCLEX: Management of Care

6. The patient suffers a large hematoma at the site after arterial blood gases (ABGs) are drawn
by the respiratory therapist. Which statement is appropriate to enter in the patient’s chart?
a. Patient has a painful, raised 2-inch  2-inch hematoma inside his right wrist after
ABGs were drawn there.
b. The patient must have moved during the ABG draw because there is a huge bruise
inside his wrist.
c. The respiratory therapist had a hard time getting the patient’s ABGs drawn and
caused bruising.
d. The respiratory therapist obviously didn’t know what he was doing and
traumatized the patient’s wrist.
ANS: A
Narrative notes must be objective without opinions, speculation, or blame. The nurse should
chart the location and size of the hematoma along with the reason. The nurse should not
speculate that patient moved or that the respiratory therapist did not know how to perform the
skill.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (Application)

OBJ: Define the legal relationships of nurse-patient, nurse-health care provider, nurse-nurse, and
nurse-employer. TOP: Nursing Process: Communication and Documentation
MSC: NCLEX: Management of Care

7. Which situation gives the patient cause to sue for malpractice due to injury or harm?
a. The patient developed an itchy rash after receiving a prescribed antibiotic.
b. The patient died after being struck in the head by an oxygen tank during an MRI.
NURthroat
c. The patient developed a sore SINafter
GTB.C M
beingOintubated for emergency surgery.
d. The patient developed permanent joint deformity due to severe rheumatoid
arthritis.
ANS: B
To establish the elements of malpractice, the patient or plaintiff must prove the following: (1)
the nurse defendant owed a duty to the patient, (2) the nurse breached that duty, (3) the patient
was injured because of the nurse’s breach of duty, and (4) the patient has accrued damages as
a result of the injury. Patient death due to injury from an oxygen tank in the MRI room is an
example of malpractice as the professionals should have taken the proper precautions. Itchy
rash after antibiotic use is a side effect. Sore throat after intubation is an expected
complication. Permanent joint deformity due to severe rheumatoid arthritis is an unfortunate
outcome of chronic illness.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (Application)

OBJ: Explain the concept of negligence and identify the elements of professional negligence.
TOP: Nursing Process: Evaluation MSC: NCLEX: Management of Care

8. What is the primary difference between negligence and malpractice?

a. Malpractice is intentional while negligence is unintended.
b. Malpractice is a felony while negligence is a misdemeanor.
c. Malpractice leads to more serious patient injury than negligence.
d. Malpractice is committed by a licensed professional while negligence is not.
ANS: D

NURSINGTB.COM
 Essentials for Nursing Practice 9th Edition Potter Test Bank

Malpractice may sometimes be referred to as professional negligence. Negligence occurs

when the level of care provided to the patient falls below the generally accepted standard.
When negligence is committed by a licensed professional, it is termed malpractice.
Malpractice may be intentional or unintended. Malpractice may be considered a felony or a
misdemeanor depending on the circumstances. Both negligence and malpractice can lead to
serious patient injury.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension)

OBJ: Explain the concept of negligence and identify the elements of professional negligence.
TOP: Nursing Process: Evaluation MSC: NCLEX: Management of Care

9. A nurse wants to follow nursing standards of care. Which document should the nurse follow?
a. National League for Nursing manuscript
b. World Health Organization guiding principles
c. Health care agency’s written procedure manual
d. US Department of Health and Human Services guidelines
ANS: C
The health care agency’s written procedure manual is defined as a standard of care. Standards
of care are defined by the following: (1) state Nurse Practice Acts, (2) state and federal
hospital licensing laws and accreditation rules, (3) professional and specialty organizations,
and (4) written policies and procedures of the nurse’s health care agency. Manuscripts are not
standards of care. The World Health Organization and US Department of Health and Human
Services are not state or federal hospitals or professional and specialty organizations for
nurses.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension)

NU
OBJ: List sources for standards ofRSIfor
care NGnurses.
TB.C OM
TOP: Nursing Process: Evaluation
MSC: NCLEX: Management of Care

10. The patient sued the hospital for malpractice after developing a postoperative DVT and PE.
The nurse’s notes did not state that TED hose and sequential compression devices (SCDs)
were applied even though they were ordered. Why did the court rule in favor of the patient in
the case?
a. DVT and PE can develop even if TED hose and SCDs are applied.
b. The patient was informed that DVT and PE are known surgical risks.
c. The nurse testified that SCDs and TED hose were applied as ordered.
d. The nurse failed to document that TED hose and SCDs were applied as ordered.
ANS: D
Documentation of nursing care is the only record of what actually was done for a patient and
will serve as proof that a nurse acted reasonably and safely. Nursing notes written at the time
of the event are seen as better evidence of the facts of the event than any one person’s
memory. Failure to document application of TED hose and SCDs as ordered violates the
nursing standard of careful, complete charting of patient care. Oral testimony of the nurse is
not as reliable as written documentation. The nurse’s testimony that the SCDs and TED hose
were applied might have led the court to find in favor of the nurse. The patient’s informed
consent did not lead the court to find in favor of the patient in the malpractice trial. DVT and
PE can develop even if TED hose and SCDs are applied but the nurse’s failure to document
application of TED hose and SCDs led the court to rule in favor of the patient.

NURSINGTB.COM
 Essentials for Nursing Practice 9th Edition Potter Test Bank

DIF: Cognitive Level: Analyze (Analysis)

OBJ: Explain the concept of negligence and identify the elements of professional negligence.
TOP: Nursing Process: Evaluation MSC: NCLEX: Management of Care

11. The nurse filled out an incident report after a patient fall but makes no mention of the incident
report in her notes in the patient’s chart. What is the reason for this?
a. The incident report includes the nurse’s interpretations of what probably led the
patient to get out of bed.
b. A copy of the incident report is filed in the patient’s chart along with the nurse’s
notes about the fall.
c. The incident report is confidential and not intended to be used as evidence in a
malpractice suit.
d. The nurse does not want to risk a malpractice lawsuit by mentioning the creation
of an incident report.
ANS: C
Incident reports are used by facilities to investigate the event and prevent possible recurrence.
The nurse does not include presumptions or speculations about the incident in the patient chart
or the incident report. The incident report is submitted to the unit manager, administration,
and/or agency attorney for review. The incident report is never filed in the patient’s chart. The
presence of an incident report will not increase risk of a malpractice lawsuit.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension)

OBJ: Identify nursing interventions to improve patient safety.
TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation MSC: NCLEX: Management of Care

12. Which sentence is appropriate to write in an incident report for a patient who got out of bed
and fell? NURSINGTB.COM
a. The patient probably urinated on the floor and slipped due to the wet floor.
b. The patient’s nurse assistant always takes forever to answer patient call lights.
c. The patient never follows directions and always causes trouble for the nurses.
d. The patient was found lying on the floor with his urinal on the floor next to him.
ANS: D
The nurse will objectively record the details of the event and any statements the patient makes
including how the patient was found on the floor. The nurse should not attempt to blame the
patient or other staff members for the incident. The nurse should not make conjectures about
how the incident occurred.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (Application)

OBJ: Define the legal relationships of nurse-patient, nurse-health care provider, nurse-nurse, and
nurse-employer. TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation
MSC: NCLEX: Safety and Infection Control

13. While at the grocery store, the nurse witnesses another shopper collapse near the checkout.
The nurse performs CPR and the patient survives after being treated at the hospital. The
patient later attempts to sue the nurse for malpractice because several ribs were broken as a
result of chest compressions. Why will the patient’s lawsuit be thrown out of court?
a. The patient should not have been at the grocery store with a history of heart
disease.
b. The patient needed to disclose her history of heart disease to the nurse before she

NURSINGTB.COM
 Essentials for Nursing Practice 9th Edition Potter Test Bank

collapsed.
c. The patient’s rib fractures occurred as a result of properly performed CPR by the
nurse.
d. The nurse’s personal liability insurance company decided to settle rather than face
a jury.
ANS: C
The nurse is covered by the Good Samaritan law as long as the care provided meets expected
standards. The patient’s rib fractures occurred as a result of properly performed CPR by the
nurse so the nurse may not be sued for malpractice. The insurance company would not settle
because the patient did not have a case for malpractice. The patient was not expected to
disclose the history of heart disease before collapsing. A history of heart disease does not
preclude the patient from going shopping for groceries.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Analyze (Analysis)

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

14. Providing assistance to which victim would be covered under the state’s Good Samaritan law?
a. The unit secretary at the hospital suffers an anaphylactic reaction after eating nuts
as a morning snack.
b. A patient has a grand mal seizure in the hospital foyer when saying goodbye to his
family.
c. A patient at the clinic where the nurse is working suffers a cardiac arrest after
walking in the door.
d. Two people are badly hurt in a car accident on the nurse’s way to work in the
morning. NURSINGTB.COM
ANS: D
Good Samaritan laws encourage health care professionals to provide aid in case of
emergencies outside of the workplace. An example of this would be two people who are badly
injured in a car accident on the nurse’s way to work. The nurse is legally bound to provide
care to patients in the workplace. Providing assistance to another hospital employee is not
covered under the Good Samaritan laws.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Analyze (Analysis)

OBJ: Describe the legal obligations and role of nurses regarding federal and state laws that affect
health care. TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation
MSC: NCLEX: Management of Care

15. The nurse is at the shopping mall when the sales clerk collapses in cardiac arrest. The nurse
assists the victim and performs CPR until the paramedics arrive. Which action by the nurse
could lead to a malpractice suit even though the state has a Good Samaritan law?
a. The nurse went to visit the victim in the hospital the following day.
b. The nurse accepted a small gift from the store in appreciation for her help.
c. The nurse sent a bill to the victim to request payment for services rendered.
d. The nurse provided both chest compressions and rescue breathing for the victim.
ANS: C

NURSINGTB.COM
 Essentials for Nursing Practice 9th Edition Potter Test Bank

Good Samaritan laws cover health care professionals who voluntarily provide aid in
emergency situations. The nurse is no longer protected by the state’s Good Samaritan law if a
bill is sent to the victim to request payment for services rendered. The nurse is allowed to
accept a small gift from the store in appreciation but cannot accept cash payment of any kind
in order to be covered by the state’s Good Samaritan law. There is nothing wrong with the
nurse visiting the patient the next day. CPR guidelines call for rescue breathing and chest
compressions.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Analyze (Analysis)

OBJ: Describe the legal obligations and role of nurses regarding federal and state laws that affect
health care. TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation
MSC: NCLEX: Management of Care

16. The nurse is caring for a preoperative patient before hysterectomy surgery. The patient tells
the nurse that she plans to have lots of children in the future and is glad that the surgery won’t
keep her from getting pregnant in the future. Which is the best action of the nurse?
a. Continue preparing the patient for the upcoming surgery.
b. Contact the operating room and cancel the patient’s scheduled surgery.
c. Inform the surgeon so the patient can be provided with more information.
d. Explain to the patient that the surgery will make her unable to get pregnant.
ANS: C
The nurse should inform the surgeon so the patient can be provided with more information.
The patient does not understand the surgery to be performed as she thinks pregnancy will still
be an option afterward. Obtaining informed consent is the responsibility of the surgeon so the
nurse should not explain to the patient that pregnancy will not be possible after the surgery.
The nurse should not continue the preoperative preparations as the patient is not informed
about the upcoming surgery.N URnurse
The SINshould
GTB.C M the patient’s surgery unless directed
notOcancel
to do so by the surgeon.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Analyze (Analysis)

OBJ: Explain the legal concepts of standard of care and informed consent.
TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation MSC: NCLEX: Management of Care

17. Which example demonstrates a breach of confidentiality and a violation of the Health
Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996?
a. Giving a report to the oncoming nurse in a conference room
b. Discussing a patient’s diagnosis with the patient’s health care provider
c. Providing patient information to the nursing assistant caring for the patient
d. Sharing a patient’s diagnosis and prognosis with other nurses in the cafeteria
ANS: D
Although HIPAA does not require things such as soundproof rooms in hospitals, it does
mandate that nurses and health care providers avoid discussing patients in public hallways and
provide reasonable levels of privacy in communicating with and about patients in any matter.
Issues of disclosure, privacy, and confidentiality are important concerns when working with
patients or peers infected with bloodborne illnesses such as human immunodeficiency virus
(HIV) or acquired immunodeficiency virus (AIDS), hepatitis, and sexually transmitted
illnesses. Providing continuity of care, giving reports, talking to the health care provider, and
providing information to the nursing assistant do not violate HIPAA.

NURSINGTB.COM
 Essentials for Nursing Practice 9th Edition Potter Test Bank

DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (Application)

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

18. The patient undergoes surgery for a herniated disk and is paralyzed afterward. What must the
patient prove to the court in order to win a malpractice lawsuit based on lack of informed
consent?
a. The patient’s paralysis was not due to the surgeon’s technique.
b. The patient’s signature on the consent form was witnessed by his nurse.
c. The surgeon performed a laminectomy but the patient consented to a fusion.
d. The surgeon performed a surgical procedure that was known to be high risk.
ANS: C
If the patient consented to a fusion but the surgeon performed a laminectomy, the patient may
win a malpractice suite based on lack of informed consent. The surgeon must perform the
procedure indicated on the patient’s consent form. The risk of the surgical procedure does not
correlate with lack of informed consent. The patient’s signature on the consent form may be
witnessed by the surgeon or the nurse. The patient cannot win a malpractice lawsuit based on
lack of informed consent because the paralysis was not caused by the surgeon.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Analyze (Analysis)

OBJ: Explain the legal concepts of standard of care and informed consent.
TOP: Nursing Process: Evaluation MSC: NCLEX: Management of Care

19. In which case might the patient be ordered by the court to receive treatment?
a. The patient has infectious TB and refuses to take the prescribed antibiotics.
b. The patient’s mother refuses
NURa Svaccine
INGTfor herOchild
B.C M because he is allergic to it.
c. A Jehovah’s Witness refuses a blood transfusion based on religious convictions.
d. A patient refuses treatment to slow the advancement of an inoperable brain tumor.
ANS: A
Patients whose refusal of treatment may endanger the health of the public may be ordered by
the court to receive treatment. An example of this is a patient who has infectious TB and
refuses to take prescribed antibiotics. The court will not require Jehovah’s Witness patients to
receive blood transfusions or require surgery for inoperable tumors. Allergy to a vaccine is a
valid reason for refusal.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Analyze (Analysis)

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

20. The nurse is directed to take an unsafe patient assignment. What is the most appropriate first
action of the nurse?
a. Contact the State Board of Nursing.
b. Contact the nursing supervisor on duty.
c. Contact the hospital administrator on call.
d. Refuse to accept the assignment and leave.
ANS: B

NURSINGTB.COM
 Essentials for Nursing Practice 9th Edition Potter Test Bank

If a nurse is assigned to care for more patients than is reasonable for safe care, the appropriate
first action is to contact the nursing supervisor. If the nurse is required to accept the
assignment, he or she must document this information in writing and provide the document to
nursing administrators. Although documentation does not relieve a nurse of responsibility if
patients suffer harm because of inattention, it shows that the nurse attempted to act
appropriately. Refusing to care for the patients without appropriate help and leaving could be
regarded as abandonment. Complaining to the administrator is not the first step, nor is calling
the Board of Nursing.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (Application)

OBJ: Define the legal relationships of nurse-patient, nurse-health care provider, nurse-nurse, and
nurse-employer. TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation
MSC: NCLEX: Management of Care

21. Which patient scenario allows the physician to perform needed procedures without the need to
obtain informed consent first?
a. An unconscious patient is brought into the ER after an auto accident.
b. The patient speaks only Russian and requires the services of a translator.
c. The patient is deaf and communicates through sign language or lip reading.
d. The patient is not an American citizen and does not have any health insurance.
ANS: A
Informed consent may not be obtained from an unconscious trauma patient. Informed consent
must be obtained with a translator for patients who do not speak English. Deaf patients require
sign language translators. Lack of health insurance does not eliminate the need for informed
consent.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply N URSINGTB.COM

(Application)
OBJ: Explain the legal concepts of standard of care and informed consent.
TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation MSC: NCLEX: Management of Care

22. The nurse is caring for a patient who will have surgery. The nurse witnesses the patient sign
the informed consent document, and then the nurse adds her signature as a witness. What does
the nurse’s signature on the document mean?
a. The patient signed the form, not someone else.
b. The patient accepts the potential risks of the procedure.
c. The patient fully understands the procedure to be performed.
d. The patient agrees with the surgeon’s planned treatment approach.
ANS: A
The nurse’s signature on the consent form indicates only that the patient signed the form, not
someone else. The nurse’s signature on the consent form does not indicate that the patient
accepts the potential risks of the procedure, fully understands the procedure to be performed
or agrees with the surgeon’s planned treatment approach.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension)

OBJ: Explain the legal concepts of standard of care and informed consent.
TOP: Nursing Process: Communication and Documentation
MSC: NCLEX: Management of Care

23. Which situation will enable a nurse to use restraints?

NURSINGTB.COM
 Essentials for Nursing Practice 9th Edition Potter Test Bank

a. To punish a patient
b. To ensure staff convenience
c. To ensure the patient’s safety
d. To retaliate against poor behavior
ANS: C
Regulations set the standard that all patients have the right to be free from seclusion and
physical or chemical restraints except to ensure the patient’s safety in emergency situations.
The standards specifically prohibit restraining patients for staff convenience, punishment, or
retaliation.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension)

OBJ: Identify nursing interventions to improve patient safety.
TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation MSC: NCLEX: Safety and Infection Control

24. When is the nurse covered by the health care agency’s malpractice insurance?
a. While caring for scouts at summer camp
b. When providing first aid at a car accident
c. While assisting a fellow passenger on a flight
d. While providing care to patients in the agency
ANS: D
If a nurse works for a health care institution, generally the institution’s insurance will cover
the nurse during employment. The nurse is not covered by the agency’s malpractice insurance
when volunteering at a scout camp. The nurse will need to carry additional insurance for this
situation. Providing assistance on a flight or at the scene of a car accident may be covered by
the state’s Good Samaritan law.
NURSINGTB.COM
DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (Application)
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

25. The home care nurse suspects that the patient’s bedsores are due to neglect from family
caregivers. Which is the appropriate action of the nurse?
a. Inform the caregivers that their actions are illegal.
b. Report it to the proper legal authority immediately.
c. Call the agency’s security department to handle the problem.
d. Prevent the caregivers from being responsible for the patient’s care.
ANS: B
Health care providers are required to report incidents such as child, spousal, or elder abuse;
rape; gunshot wounds; attempted suicide; and certain communicable diseases. Health care
providers are provided legal immunity if the report is made in good faith. Not reporting
suspected abuse or neglect can cause a nurse to be liable in civil or criminal legal actions. It is
not the nurse’s responsibility to inform the caregivers of illegal activity or to prevent the
caregivers from seeing the patient. The nurse is responsible for reporting the suspected abuse,
not call security to handle the problem.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension)

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

NURSINGTB.COM
 Essentials for Nursing Practice 9th Edition Potter Test Bank

MSC: NCLEX: Management of Care

26. The nurse is caring for a patient who has a do-not-resuscitate order from the physician in the
chart. The patient stops breathing and his skin turns blue. What is the best action of the nurse
to avoid a lawsuit for malpractice or wrongful death?
a. Call the Rapid Response Team in case the patient’s wife changes her mind.
b. Stay with the patient and offer support to the family members in the room.
c. Verify that the do-not-resuscitate order is signed by the physician and valid.
d. Review the nursing policy and procedure manual for resuscitation guidelines.
ANS: B
The nurse should follow the do-not-resuscitate order and allow the patient to die without
lifesaving intervention. The nurse should stay with the patient and offer support to the family
members in the room. The Rapid Response Team should not be called. The nurse should
validate the do-not-resuscitate order before the patient stops breathing. The nurse should
review the nursing policy and procedure manual for resuscitation guidelines before starting
the shift.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (Application)

OBJ: Define the legal relationships of nurse-patient, nurse-health care provider, nurse-nurse, and
nurse-employer. TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation
MSC: NCLEX: Management of Care

27. Which information must be obtained from the patient upon admission to the hospital?
a. Patient’s religious preference
b. Health insurance authorization
c. Presence of an advanced directive
NURnumber
d. Primary physician telephone SINGTB.COM
ANS: C
The Patient Self-Determination Act (1991) requires health care institutions to inquire whether
a patient has created an advance directive, give patients information on advance directives,
and document whether a patient states that he or she has an advance directive. Asking how
payment will be made is not required by law and is not the responsibility of the nurse.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension)

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

28. The nurse is caring for a patient who attempted to get out of bed and fell to the floor, causing
a fractured hip. The nursing supervisor asks the nurse to rewrite her entry into the patient’s
chart to show that the patient’s bed was lowered to the floor even though it was not. What is
the best action of the nurse?
a. Chart that the bed was lowered to reduce liability in case a malpractice lawsuit is
filed.
b. Ask the nursing assistant to chart that the patient’s bed was lowered to the floor
before the patient fell.
c. Ask the nursing assistant if the patient’s bed was lowered to the floor at the time of
the fall.
d. Remind the nursing supervisor that it is against regulations to alter or falsify the

NURSINGTB.COM
 Essentials for Nursing Practice 9th Edition Potter Test Bank

patient’s chart.
ANS: D
It is against the standards of nursing care to alter or falsify information in the patient’s chart.
The nurse should not ask the nursing assistant to chart that the patient’s bed was lowered
either.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Understand (Comprehension)

OBJ: Define the legal relationships of nurse-patient, nurse-health care provider, nurse-nurse, and
nurse-employer. TOP: Nursing Process: Communication and Documentation
MSC: NCLEX: Management of Care

MULTIPLE RESPONSE

1. The nurse has received an order to administer warfarin 100 mg PO today to the patient. This
amount seems high to the nurse. Which are the appropriate actions of the nurse? (Select all
that apply.)
a. Clarify the order with the physician.
b. Document suspicion about the order.
c. Notify the nursing supervisor on duty.
d. Administer the medication as ordered.
e. Question the pharmacist about the dosage.
ANS: A, C, E
Nurses are responsible for carrying out medical treatment unless the physician’s or health care
provider’s order is in error, violates hospital policy, or is harmful to the patient. Therefore it is
imperative to assess all orders and, if they appear to be erroneous or harmful to the patient, to
NUR
obtain further clarification from SI
the NGTB.C
physician OM care provider. 100 mg is not an
or health
appropriate dosage of warfarin so it should not be administered to the patient. Do not carry out
the order if there is a risk that harm will come to your patient; therefore do not administer the
medication. The nursing supervisor should be notified. The pharmacist should be contacted
about the order. Inform the nurse manager or the nursing supervisor. The nurse does not
document suspicions or opinions, just objective, factual information.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (Application)

OBJ: Identify nursing interventions to improve patient safety.
TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation
MSC: NCLEX: Pharmacological and Parenteral Therapies

2. Which actions by the nurse violate the American Nurses Association’s Social Media Policy?
(Select all that apply.)
a. The nurse posts a professional profile on LinkedIn.
b. The nurse describes a patient’s injury on Facebook.
c. The nurse posts opinions about co-workers on Twitter.
d. The nurse writes a blog about the need for staffing ratios.
e. The nurse posts a picture of a patient’s wound on Instagram.
ANS: B, C, E

NURSINGTB.COM
 Essentials for Nursing Practice 9th Edition Potter Test Bank

The American Nurses Association has developed a Social Media Policy (2011), which
recommends that when using social media sites, a nurse should never name or describe a
patient, never post an image of a patient, and never disparage a fellow employee or employer.
The nurse is allowed to write a blog about staffing ratios and post a professional profile on
LinkedIn.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (Application)

OBJ: List sources for standards of care for nurses.
TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation MSC: NCLEX: Management of Care

3. The nurse is caring for a patient who climbed out of bed and fell to the floor. What will the
nurse do in regard to the incident report? (Select all that apply.)
a. Include a recommendation for fall prevention interventions.
b. Note in the patient’s chart that an incident report was completed.
c. Document how the patient was found and a description of the injuries.
d. Indicate that the nursing assistant wasn’t paying attention to the patient.
e. Document fall prevention steps that were in place before the patient fell.
ANS: C, E
The nurse will document how the patient was found and a description of the injuries. The
nurse will also document fall prevention steps that were in place before the patient fell in
order to aid the investigation into the event. The nurse will not suggest that the nurse assistant
was not paying attention, chart that an incident report was completed, or make
recommendations for fall precautions.

DIF: Cognitive Level: Apply (Application)

OBJ: Define the legal relationships of nurse-patient, nurse-health care provider, nurse-nurse, and
nurse-employer. NURSProcess:
TOP: Nursing INGTCommunication
B.COM and Documentation
MSC: NCLEX: Management of Care

NURSINGTB.COM