NUR2115 Fundamentals of Professional Nursing
Exam Study Guide
Nursing Ethical Principles:
What are they (6)?
ANSWER:
- Autonomy: Patient has right to make his/her own decisions, even if it is not
his/her best interest.
- Beneficence: Do what is bests for the patient (do good)
- Fidelity: Keep your promises
- Justice: Provide fairness in care and allocation of resources
- Nonmaleficence: Do no harm
- Veracity: Tell the truth
Interprofessional Team
ANSWER:
- Provider: Assesses, diagnoses and treats illnesses. Includes: doctors, advance
practice nurses (ex: nurse practitioners), physician assistants.
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- Occupational Therapist: Helps patients regain their ability to perform ADLs
(activities of daily living)
- Social Worker: Identifies and coordinates community resources and other
patient needs necessary for discharge and recovery.
- Speech Language Pathologist: Assists with patient issues related to speech,
language, and swallowing
Torts:
Unintentional Torts Intentional Torts
ANSWER:
Unintentional Torts
- Negligence (ex: forgetting to set bed alarm for a patient at risk for falls)
- Malpractice (ex: medication error that harms patient)
Intentional Torts
- Assault (ex: nurse threatens patient)
- Battery (ex: nurse hits patient, or administers medication against patients
will)
- False imprisonment (ex: nurse inappropriately restrains a patient or
administers a chemical restraint such as a sedative)
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Informed Consent:
Provider responsibilities RN responsibilities
ANSWER:
Provider Responsibilities
- Communicate purpose of procedure, and complete description of procedure in
- Explain risks vs. benefits
- Describe other options to treat the condition
the patient's primary language (use of medical interpreter if needed)
RN responsibilities
- Make sure provider gave the patient the above information
- Ensure patient is competent to give informed consent (i.e. patient is an adult
- Have patient sign consent document
- Notify provider if patient has more questions or doesn't understand any
or emancipated minor, not impaired)
information provided.
Advance Directives:
Living Will Durable power of attorney (DPOA) Provider's orders
Mandatory reporting for RNs?
ANSWER:
Advance Directives:
- Living will: Communicates patient's wishes regarding medical treatment if
patient becomes incapacitated. 3 / 4
- DPOA: Patient designates health care proxy to make medical decisions for
them if they become incapacitated.
- Provider's orders: Prescription for DNR (do not resuscitate) or AND (allow
natural death)
Mandatory reporting for RNs:
- Suspicion of abuse (child, elderly, domestic violence)
Communicable diseases to local/state health department (mandated by state)
Nursing Documentation:
Objective data Subjective data Legal guidelines Incident reports
ANSWER:
- Objective data: What you see, hear, feel, smell. Do not include opinions or
interpretations of data.
- Subjective data: Document as direct quotes, or clearly identify information as
a statement by patient.
- Legal guidelines: Do not leave blank spaces in documentation. Do not use
correction tape/fluid or scratch/black out words. Include your name and title.
- Incident reports: Created when an accident or unusual event occurs (ex:
medication error, fall). Used for quality improvement at facility. IT IS NOT PART
OF THE PATIENTS RECORD AND SHOULD NOT BE REFERRED TO IN THE
PATIENT'S MEDICAL RECORD.
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