A nurse administers an incorrect medication to a client. Following an assessment of the client, the nurse determines that the client has not experienced any adverse effects as a result of the medication. The nurse does not complete an incident report because no harm came to the client. Which of the following ethical principles did the nurse violate?
Autonomy.
Veracity.
Confidentiality.
Beneficence.
The Correct Answer is B
A. Autonomy: This principle refers to respecting a patient's right to make their own decisions about their healthcare. In this scenario, the nurse's actions did not directly impact the client's autonomy, as the client was not involved in the decision-making process regarding the incident report.
B. Veracity: This principle involves being truthful and transparent. By not completing an incident report, the nurse failed to uphold veracity, as this action concealed the truth about the medication error, potentially affecting future care and trust in the healthcare system.
C. Confidentiality: This principle is about protecting patient information. The nurse's failure to report the incident did not violate confidentiality, as it did not involve disclosing or mishandling the client's private information.
D. Beneficence: This principle focuses on doing good and acting in the best interest of the patient. While the nurse's intention might have been to avoid unnecessary alarm, failing to report the incident could prevent the healthcare team from learning from the mistake and improving patient safety, thus indirectly affecting beneficence.
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Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
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Correct Answer is C
Explanation
Choice A rationale:
Justice. Justice refers to fair and equitable treatment for all individuals. While it is an important ethical principle, it does not directly relate to the nurse's action of returning a telephone call promptly and as promised. Justice involves issues of fairness and distribution of resources, and it's not the most applicable principle in this context.
Choice B rationale:
Nonmaleficence. Nonmaleficence refers to the principle of "do no harm." While it is crucial in healthcare, it doesn't directly address the nurse's action of returning a client's call promptly. This principle is more concerned with preventing harm in clinical interventions and decision-making.
Choice C rationale:
Fidelity. Fidelity, or faithfulness, is the ethical principle that aligns with the nurse's action in this scenario. By returning the call by the end of the day as promised, the nurse is demonstrating fidelity to the client's trust and expectations. This principle emphasizes the importance of keeping promises and being loyal to commitments made to clients.
Choice D rationale:
Autonomy. Autonomy pertains to an individual's right to make their own decisions about their care and treatment. While autonomy is a vital principle in healthcare, it does not directly relate to the nurse's action of returning a telephone call promptly. Autonomy focuses more on involving the client in their care decisions and respecting their choices.
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
Choice A rationale:
Unequal chest expansion is the correct choice. In a patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the airways are often narrowed and obstructed, leading to difficulty in moving air in and out of the lungs. This can result in unequal chest expansion during breathing, where one side of the chest expands less than the other. This finding is commonly observed in patients with COPD due to the imbalance in lung function between different areas of the lungs.
Choice B rationale:
Atrophied neck and trapezius muscle is not a typical finding in COPD. Muscle atrophy can occur in conditions of prolonged disuse or immobility, but it is not a characteristic manifestation of COPD itself.
Choice C rationale:
Increased tactile fremitus refers to increased vibrations felt on the chest wall during speech. This finding is more commonly associated with conditions that cause lung consolidation, such as pneumonia. In COPD, there is often air trapping and hyperinflation of the lungs, which would not lead to increased tactile fremitus.
Choice D rationale:
An anterior-to-posterior chest diameter ratio of 1:1 is not a typical finding in a healthy individual, let alone in a patient with COPD. In COPD, there is often an increase in the anterior-to-posterior chest diameter ratio, giving the chest a barrel-like appearance. This is due to the trapped air and hyperinflation of the lungs, which is characteristic of the disease.
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