A nurse is teaching a class on torts. The nurse should include which of the following situations as an example of negligence?
A client who is alert and oriented makes an informed decision to leave the hospital against medical advice. The nurse applies restraints to the client to prevent him from leaving.
A nurse identifies the absence of peripheral pulsation in a casted extremity in the early morning and reports it to the provider in the early afternoon.
A client who is competent refuses an antidepressant medication. The nurse dissolves the medication in food and administers it to her without her knowledge.
A nurse finds a client who is on a low-sodium diet eating salted potato chips. The nurse tells the client that she will apply wrist restraints if he does not stop eating the potato chips.
The Correct Answer is B
Rationale:
A. Applying restraints to prevent an alert, oriented client from leaving AMA: This is an example of false imprisonment, not negligence.
B. Negligence is the failure to act as a reasonably prudent nurse would under similar circumstances. Notifying the provider hours after discovering absent peripheral pulses shows a delay in appropriate action, which can lead to serious complications (e.g., compartment syndrome, tissue ischemia). This failure to act promptly meets the definition of negligence.
C. Administering medication without the client’s knowledge after refusal: This constitutes battery, as it involves intentional, unauthorized physical contact.
D. Threatening to apply restraints if the client continues eating chips: This is assault, since it is a threat of harm without physical contact.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
Rationale:
A. Teaching about low-sodium foods requires specialized knowledge and should be performed by an RN.
B. Measuring and recording intake and output can be done by an AP, as it involves routine data collection rather than clinical judgment.
C. Wound irrigation is a more complex procedure that requires clinical skills and should be performed by an RN or LPN.
D. Evaluating pain relief involves clinical assessment and judgment, which is beyond the scope of an AP.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
Rationale:
A. Measuring I&O can be performed by an AP, as it does not require advanced skills or clinical judgment.
B. Reinforcing teaching about medication is within the LPN's scope of practice, as LPNs are trained to provide education and support based on the teaching provided by RNs or physicians.
C. Developing a plan of care is generally a responsibility of the RN, as it involves comprehensive assessment and planning.
D. Completing an admission assessment is a task for RNs due to its complexity and the need for a detailed clinical evaluation.
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