Legal and Ethical Aspects of Nursing Quiz

What is the purpose of laws in the legal system?

• To prescribe how a person should act in society

• To provide protection for all members of the health care system

• To sanction acceptable behavior and prohibit unacceptable behavior

• All of the above

What are the two ways laws are established in the legal system?

• Statutory law and common law

• Criminal law and civil law

• Prescriptive law and prohibitive law

• Federal law and state law

What are the four key elements of malpractice?

• Duty, breach, harm, and proximate cause of harm

• Negligence, intent, harm, and causation

• Violation, harm, intent, and duty

• Breach, negligence, harm, and causation

What is the legal relationship that exists between the nurse and the patient?

• Accountability

• Liability

• Nurse-patient relationship

• Advocate

What is the importance of maintaining standards of care?

• To give directions to the practicing nurse

• To define what can or cannot be done to patients

• To ensure quality and safety in patient care

• All of the above

Which of the following is an example of a way the nursing profession is regulated?

• Nurse practice acts

• Institutional policies and procedures

• Professional liability insurance

• All of the above

What is the impact of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) privacy rule on the health care system?

• It ensures patient confidentiality

• It protects patient rights

• It regulates the use and disclosure of patient health information

• All of the above

What is the difference between a legal duty and an ethical duty?

• A legal duty is required by law, while an ethical duty is based on personal beliefs

• A legal duty is enforceable by the legal system, while an ethical duty is not

• A legal duty is universal, while an ethical duty varies depending on culture

• A legal duty is objective, while an ethical duty is subjective

What are advance directives?

• Legal documents that allow individuals to specify their medical treatment preferences

• Instructions given by a nurse to a patient regarding their care

• Ethical guidelines for health care professionals

• Written information provided to patients regarding their rights

What is the nurse's role in reporting unethical behavior?

• To ignore unethical behavior

• To confront the individual engaging in unethical behavior

• To report the unethical behavior to the appropriate authority

• To support and encourage unethical behavior