Contemporary Ethical Issues in Nursing

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: Step-by-step rationale for why Answer D is correct: 1. Ensures patient safety: RN should only accept assignments they are qualified for to provide safe care. 2. Upholds professional standards: Accepting only familiar assignments aligns with nursing scope of practice. 3. Legal and ethical responsibility: RN must prioritize patient well-being over external pressures. 4. Promotes personal growth: RN can seek additional training for unfamiliar assignments. Summary: - A: Incorrect. Accepting based on power dynamics disregards patient safety and professional ethics. - B: Incorrect. Patient safety should be the primary concern over workload. - C: Incorrect. Past handling may not guarantee appropriateness. Focus should be on personal qualification.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C. The nurse is at risk for discipline because failing to report the receipt of the message demonstrates poor ethical and legal role-modeling. By deleting the photo and not reporting the incident, the nurse is not upholding patient confidentiality and is potentially violating privacy laws. Sharing patient information, even if the patient is on the same floor, is unethical and illegal. Choices A and B are incorrect because simply deleting the photos does not absolve the nurse from potential consequences, and not being the sender does not excuse the nurse from being responsible for maintaining patient confidentiality. Choice D is incorrect because sharing patient information without authorization is a violation of ethical and legal standards.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: punitive damages. Punitive damages are awarded to punish the defendant for their wrongful actions. In this case, the hospital's negligence in performing wrong site surgery resulted in harm to the client, even though the hospital reversed the charges. The court awarded $5 million to punish the hospital for their negligence, as the client suffered emotional distress and the potential risk of harm. The other choices are incorrect because: A: res ipsa loquitur is a legal doctrine used to shift the burden of proof from the plaintiff to the defendant in cases where the negligence is obvious. C: vicarious liability holds an employer responsible for the actions of their employees, which is not directly applicable in this scenario. D: immunity refers to protection from legal liability, which is not relevant in a case where the court awarded monetary compensation.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: American Nurses Association Nurses Strategic Action Team (N-STAT). Rationale: 1. N-STAT is a strategic action team within the American Nurses Association, which is a reputable organization representing nurses' interests. 2. N-STAT focuses on political advocacy and provides information on political platforms of candidates running for national office. 3. Contacting N-STAT would provide the nurse with accurate and relevant information about the candidate's political platform. Summary of other choices: A: National Registry for Candidates - Not a known entity, unlikely to provide specific political platform information. C: National League of Nurses - Focuses on nursing education and standards, not political platforms. D: National Council of State Boards of Nursing - Focuses on regulatory aspects of nursing practice, not political platforms.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D because feedback is an essential component of the communication process. Feedback allows the receiver to respond to the sender, indicating understanding or seeking clarification. This two-way interaction is crucial for effective communication. In contrast, choice A is incorrect as communication components are interdependent, not mutually exclusive. Choice B is also incorrect as communication is often non-linear and involves feedback loops. Choice C is incorrect because communication involves various elements beyond just the sender and the receiver, such as context, message, and noise.