Ethical & Legal Flashcards
Pass the exam :)
What are MUST haves for whistleblowing?
- adequate documentation to establish wrongdoing
- presence of unethical or illegal conduct
- Seek counsel of someone you trust outside of the situation to get an objective perspective
- Consult with your state nurses association or legal counsel before taking action
- you are not protected from retaliation by your employer until you blow the whistle
Who do you report your concern to or blow your whistle to?
National and/or state agency responsible for regulation of that organization. In the case of criminal activity, to law enforcement agencies as well.
The Joint Commission or the National Committee for Quality Assurance confer protection to whistleblowers. True or False.
False. These are private groups. . You must report to a state or national regulator.
The process by which vulnerabilities are identified and changes made to minimize the consequences of adverse patient outcomes and liability is called?
Risk management
Nurse practice act is the law within the state or US territory. The state boards of nursing cannot grant exceptions to the acts, waive or expand the acts provisions. True or False
True
What are the three categories of nurses defined by Nurse practice acts?
1) LPNs and LVNs
2) RNs
3) NPs
What is the objective of risk management?
To identify potential hazards and eliminate them before anyone is harmed or disabled
Does Risk management activities include writing policies and procedures?
Yes
Written policies and procedures are a requirement of The Joint Commission. True or False
True
The policies and procedures must be clearly stated, well delineated and based on practices long time ago. True or False.
False. They should be based on current practice.
Who reviews the polices and procedures frequently for compliance and timeliness?
Nurse managers
Equal employment opportunities is under which law?
Civil Rights Act
Equal Employment Opportunity Act does not apply to any private institutions. True or False
False. It applies to private institutions with 15 or more employees.
Legislation regarding sexual harassment at workplaces is under which law?
Civil Rights Act
What is the difference between internal and external whistleblowers?
Internal whistleblowers report misconduct to a fellow employee or supervisor within the agency. External whistleblower report misconduct to outside persons or entities.
What distinguishes ethics from law?
Ethics focuses on the good of an individual and law comprises rules and regulations pertinent to society as a whole.
Nurses experience moral distress occurs when..?
two ethical principles compete with each other. E.g., when nurses cannot provide what they perceive to be best for a given patient, financial pressures, limited resources, limits imposed by HCP, disagreements among family members regarding care.
What is the role of ethics committee?
- provide structure and guidelines for potential problems - serve as open forums for discussion
- functions as true patient advocate by placing patient at the core of committee discussions
Autonomy model of ethics committee is for ____ patients
competent patients
Patient-benefit model of ethics committee is for ____ patients
incompetent patients. Substituted judgement is used such as what the patient would want if capable making decisions.
Social justice model of ethics committee is for _____
whole organization. It considers broad social issues and is accountable to overall institution.
Are standards of care the legal requirement for nursing practice?
Yes. They describe the minimum acceptable nursing care
Who develops standards for nursing practice?
American Nurses Association (ANA)
Who defines the scope of nursing practice, distinguishes between nursing and medical practice, and establishes education and licensure requirements for nurses?
Nurse Practice Act
Who requires accredited hospitals to have WRITTEN nursing policies and procedures?
The Joint Commission
Living wills, health care proxies, and durable powers of attorney are all part of?
Advance directives
What is Texas Peer Assistance Program for Nurses (TPAPN)?
TPAPN provides early identification, support, monitoring, accountability and advocacy to Texas nurses who have an identified substance use and/or mental health condition or related incident, so that they may return to safe nursing practice.
Is TPAPN part of Texas Nurses Association (TNA)?
Yes
Addiction is a chronic disease that often involves cycles of relapse and remission. True or false
True
_____ is characterized by inability to consistently abstain, impairment in behavioral control, craving, diminished recognition of significant problems with one’s behaviors and interpersonal relationships, and a dysfunctional emotional response.
Addiction
What are the behavioral changes of someone with substance use disorder?
- Attendance and performance such as arriving late or leaving early, unexplained absences from the unit for extended periods, excessive number of mistakes including medication error
- secretive, suspicious behavior such as frequent trips to bathroom, wearing long sleeves in warm weather
- appetite and sleep pattern
- personality or attitude such as increasing isolation from colleagues
- mood swings, irritability, or anger such as inappropriate verbal or emotional responses
- lack of motivation, diminished alertness, confusion, or memory lapses
- fearful, anxious or paranoid
What are the physical changes of someone with substance use disorder?
Bloodshot eyes, abnormal sized pupils, sudden weight loss or weight gain, deterioration of physical appearance, unusual smells on breath, body, clothes