Medical Law

  1. Which of the following behaviors may be: (1) ethical but illegal, (2) legal but unethical, (3) illegal and unethical, and (4) legal and ethical.

a) Working in a clinic that performs abortions.

b) Respecting the wishes of a client suffering from ALS that he be permitted to die with dignity and not placed on “breathing machines”

c) Respecting the health surrogate’s wishes regarding termination of life support of her friend.

d) Observing a coworker take out two tablets of oxycodone as ordered for pain management for his patient but keeping one for himself, administering only one tablet to the patient.

  1. Differentiate among the following: deontological theories, utilitarianism, and principlism.
  2. What do you think about health-care professionals disclosing information to clients about a poor prognosis, even though the information may cause severe distress.
  3. What do they think about health-care professionals disclosing information to clients against family wishes?
  4. You see a colleague use another nurse’s password to access the medication administration system and take out a narcotic. What would you do?
  5. Your colleague’s child fell and was brought to the emergency department. She comes back up to the unit and tells you that they cleaned and debrided the wound, and she needs to change the dressings twice a day using a wet to dry method. You see her go into the supply system and remove the dressings and saline using a patient’s identification number. What would you do?
  6. You are caring for a patient who has a terminal disease. He asks you if he is dying. Would you tell him? If yes, how? If no, what might you say? .
  7. You are administering hydromorphone to a patient. The patient asks you what you are administering. Would you tell the patient about the medication?

Essentials of Nursing Leadership & Management 6th Edition Sally A. Weiss MSN, EdD, RN, CNE, ANEF Ruth M. Tappen EdD, RN, FAAN ISBN-13: 978-0-8036-3663-7