A nurse is teaching a newly hired nurse about the legal aspects of documentation.
Which of the following statements by the newly hired nurse indicates an understanding of the teaching?
“I should document only normal findings to avoid alarming the client.”.
“I should document any incident that occurs during my shift and notify the provider.”.
“I should document in advance to save time and ensure accuracy.”.
“I should document my personal opinions about the client’s condition and care.”.
The Correct Answer is B
“I should document any incident that occurs during my shift and notify the provider.” This statement indicates an understanding of the legal aspects of documentation, which include:.
• Documenting accurately, objectively, and completely to provide evidence of care delivery and support the nurse’s moral and legal responsibilities.
• Documenting any change in the patient’s condition, treatments, medications, interventions, client responses, and complaints.
• Documenting any incident that occurs during the shift and notifying the provider to ensure appropriate follow-up and prevent further harm.
• Documenting in a timely manner to minimize errors and omissions.
The other choices are wrong because:.
• Choice A is wrong because documenting only normal findings can mislead the client and other health professionals about the actual status of the client. It can also impede patient care and hinder the nurse’s legal defense in the event of a malpractice lawsuit.
• Choice C is wrong because documenting in advance can compromise the accuracy and integrity of the documentation. It can also lead to legal action if the documented events do not match the actual events.
• Choice D is wrong because documenting personal opinions about the client’s condition and care can be considered unprofessional, biased, and disrespectful. It can also damage the nurse-client relationship and expose the nurse to legal liability.
Normal ranges for documentation depend on the type of information being documented, such as vital signs, laboratory values, assessment findings, etc.
They may vary according to different sources and standards.
Nurses should follow the policies and procedures of their institution and use their clinical judgment when documenting abnormal findings.
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Related Questions
Correct Answer is ["A","D"]
Explanation
The nurse should include factual information about what happened and notify the risk management department.These actions are part of the steps of reporting medication errorsand the good practice guide on recording, coding, reporting and assessment of medication errors.
Choice B is wrong because the nurse should not state opinions about who was responsible for the error.
This could be seen as biased, unprofessional or accusatory.
The nurse should focus on the facts and the causes of the error, not on blaming individuals.
Choice C is wrong because the nurse should not file the report in the client’s medical record.
This could violate the client’s privacy and confidentiality.
The report should be filed in a separate system that is accessible only to authorized personnel.
Choice E is wrong because the nurse should not discuss possible solutions to prevent future errors.
This could be premature, unrealistic or inappropriate.
The nurse should leave this task to the investigation team or the risk management department, who will analyse the incident and make recommendations based on evidence and best practice.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
A critical pathway provides guidelines for managing clients with similar health problems.According to the definition from Wikipedia, a critical pathway is one of the main tools used to manage the quality in healthcare concerning the standardisation of care processes.It has been shown that their implementation reduces the variability in clinical practice and improves outcomes.
Choice A is wrong because a critical pathway does not specify the plan of care for clients with different diagnoses, but rather for a specific group of patients with a predictable clinical course.Choice C is wrong because a critical pathway does not describe the roles and responsibilities of each member of the health care team, but rather defines, optimizes and sequences the different tasks (interventions) by the professionals involved in the patient care.Choice D is wrong because a critical pathway does not evaluate the quality and cost-effectiveness of care delivered to clients, but rather aims to promote organised and efficient patient care based on evidence-based medicine.
Normal ranges for COPD are: FEV1/FVC ratio < 0.7; FEV1 < 80% predicted; FVC normal or reduced; TLC > 80% predicted; RV > 120% predicted; DLCO < 80% predicted.
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