Chapter 4: Cultural, Legal, and Ethical Considerations Flashcards
Define Verocity
The duty to tell the truth
The nurse is assessing an elderly Hispanic woman who is being treated for hypertension. During the assessment, what is important for the nurse to remember about cultural aspects?
The nurse’s assessment needs to include gathering information regarding religious practices and beliefs regarding medication, treatment, and healing.
All beliefs need to be considered clearly so as to prevent a conflict from arising between the goals of nursing and health care and the dictates of a patient’s cultural background. Assessing religious practices and beliefs is part of a thorough cultural assessment
A patient has been selected as a potential recipient of an experimental drug for heart failure. The nurse knows that when informed consent has been obtained, it indicates which of these?
The patient has had the study’s purpose, procedures, and the risks involved explained to him.
Informed consent involves the careful explanation of the purpose of the study, the procedures to be used, and the risks involved.
Define nonmaleficence
the duty to do no harm
During a busy night shift, a new nurse administered an unfamiliar medication without checking it in a drug handbook. Later that day, the patient had a severe reaction because he has renal problems, which was a contraindication to that drug. The nurse may be liable for which of these?
Nursing negligence
Negligence is the failure to act in a reasonable and prudent manner or failure of the nurse to give the care that a reasonably prudent (cautious) nurse would render or use under similar circumstances.
A patient is undergoing major surgery and asks the nurse about a living will. He states, “I don’t want anybody else making decisions for me. And I don’t want to prolong my life.” The patient is demonstrating which ethical term?
Autonomy
Nurses have the ethical responsibility to tell the truth to their patients. What is this principle known as?
Veracity
Define Autonomy
self-determination, or the ability to make one’s own decisions
Define Beneficence
the ethical principle of doing or actively promoting good
Define Justice
the ethical principle of being fair or equal in one’s actions
