Ethics and Issues in Contemporary Nursing

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The Karnofsky Prognostication Scale is commonly used in patients with terminal illness, such as AIDS, to assess their functional status and predict their prognosis. Patients with AIDS often experience rapid decline in health, making this scale useful in determining their overall well-being and potential outcomes. Incorrect choices: A: Respiratory diseases - The Karnofsky scale is not commonly used for screening patients with respiratory diseases. B: Cancers - While the Karnofsky scale can be used for cancer patients, it is most commonly associated with terminal illnesses like AIDS. C: Cardiac diseases - The Karnofsky scale is not typically used for screening patients with cardiac diseases.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: clinical pathways. Clinical pathways are structured, evidence-based plans of care that outline the expected recovery milestones and interventions for a specific condition or procedure. By following a clinical pathway, nurses can effectively plan care and monitor progress based on established guidelines. Patient classification systems (A) categorize patients based on acuity levels, not recovery milestones. Functional nursing (C) involves delegating specific tasks to different staff members. Case management (D) focuses on coordinating care across multiple providers, not specifically on recovery milestones.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D: retaining professional nurses. Retaining professional nurses is crucial for organizational success in healthcare facilities as it ensures continuity of care, promotes staff morale, reduces turnover costs, and maintains high-quality patient outcomes. By retaining experienced and skilled nurses, organizations can benefit from their expertise, knowledge, and commitment to providing excellent patient care. A: Hiring younger, more energetic nurses may bring new perspectives and energy but does not guarantee the same level of experience and expertise as professional nurses. B: Offering incentives like sign-on bonuses may attract new hires, but it does not address the underlying issues that lead to nurse turnover. C: Hiring highly qualified advanced practice nurses is beneficial, but it does not address the importance of retaining all professional nurses within the organization.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D: medication-related errors place a tremendous financial burden on the U.S. health care system. This answer is correct because medication errors contribute significantly to healthcare costs due to increased hospitalizations, prolonged treatments, and legal expenses. The Quality Chasm report highlights the economic impact of medication errors on the healthcare system, emphasizing the need for improved medication safety practices. Option A is incorrect because being insured does have a positive impact on a person's access to healthcare services and quality of care. Option B is incorrect as it does not relate to the Quality Chasm findings. Option C is incorrect as it focuses on the comparison of lawsuits and mortality rates related to medication errors and HIV/AIDS, which is not the primary focus of the Quality Chasm report.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: Rationale: A is correct as paper-and-pencil records can physically track who accessed them, ensuring privacy and security. B is incorrect as computer-based records can also be detailed. C is irrelevant to the comparison. D is incorrect as signing for each item is not a standard practice in computer-based records.