The emergency department nurse administers a prescribed narcotic for a client with renal colic and then discharges the client without ensuring the client has a designated driver. The client is subsequently involved in a motor vehicle collision on their way home, causing injury to self and others. Which ethical principle did the nurse violate?

Veracity

Autonomy

Beneficence

Nonmaleficence

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is D

Choice A reason: Veracity is the principle of truthfulness and honesty. It involves providing accurate information to clients and being truthful in communication. While important in healthcare, veracity does not specifically address the nurse's failure to ensure the client's safety after administering a narcotic.

Choice B reason: Autonomy refers to respecting the client's right to make their own decisions about their care. While autonomy is a fundamental ethical principle, the scenario involves the nurse's responsibility to ensure safety, which falls under a different principle.

Choice C reason: Beneficence is the principle of acting in the best interest of the client by promoting good and preventing harm. Although related to the scenario, beneficence focuses more on the proactive aspect of providing care rather than preventing harm resulting from inaction.

Choice D reason: Nonmaleficence is the ethical principle of "do no harm." The nurse violated this principle by discharging the client without ensuring they had a designated driver, leading to a motor vehicle collision and injuries. The nurse's action indirectly caused harm, violating the principle of nonmaleficence.

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Correct Answer is C

Explanation

Choice A reason: Restricting visiting of the victims until the bodies are prepared is a procedural step that can be managed without immediate involvement. While it's important, it does not directly address the family's immediate emotional needs.

Choice B reason: Providing privacy for law enforcement to interview the family is necessary for the investigation, but it should not take precedence over addressing the family's immediate emotional distress.

Choice C reason: Offering a calm location for the family to cope and discuss their needs addresses the immediate emotional and psychological support that the family requires in the wake of a traumatic event. It provides them with a safe space to begin processing their grief and start the healing process.

Choice D reason: Calling the hospital chaplain is a valuable step for providing spiritual and emotional support, but the first priority is to offer a calm and safe environment for the family. The chaplain can then be called to assist in this supportive space.

A. Conduct a study about the time and money costs of implementing the change. B. Provide the staff with a questionnaire to quantify staff satisfaction with the changes. C. Compare the number of medication errors before and after the action was implemented. D. Establish a benchmark to identify a standard of performance.

Correct Answer is C

Explanation

Choice A reason: Conducting a study about the time and money costs of implementing the change is valuable for understanding the resource implications of the measures. However, it does not directly evaluate the effectiveness of the changes in reducing medication errors.

Choice B reason: Providing the staff with a questionnaire to quantify staff satisfaction with the changes can offer insights into how well the measures are being received by the staff and may indicate potential areas for improvement in implementation. Nonetheless, it does not measure the direct impact on medication error rates.

Choice C reason: Comparing the number of medication errors before and after the action was implemented is the most direct and effective method to evaluate the success of the changes. This approach allows the committee to measure the actual impact of the interventions on reducing medication errors, providing clear evidence of their effectiveness.

Choice D reason: Establishing a benchmark to identify a standard of performance is essential for setting goals and expectations. However, it is not a method for evaluating the success of changes that have already been implemented. It is more relevant for future goal-setting and performance measurement.

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Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

A family in the emergency department is overwhelmed at the loss of several family members due to a shooting incident in the community. Which intervention should the nurse complete first?

Correct Answer is C

Explanation

As a member of the quality improvement committee, a nurse is evaluating the results of recently implemented measures designed to reduce medication errors. Which of the following methods should the nurse use to evaluate the success of the changes?

Correct Answer is C

Explanation

The nurse is caring for a group of clients. After making initial rounds, which client is the nurse's priority?

The nurse observes an unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) reprimanding a client for not using the urinal properly. The UAP tells him that he will be put in a diaper if he does not use the urinal more carefully next time. Which of the following torts is the UAP committing?

The nurse is on her break in the hospital cafeteria when she overhears two nurses talking about a client's condition. The nurse understands this could lead to which of the following complaints?

The nurse is eating lunch in the hospital cafeteria, which is crowded with visitors and other staff. A health care provider approaches the nurse and asks, "How is my client Ms. Jones in room 312 doing?" Which response by the nurse would be most appropriate?