During a seminar on ethics, the educator realizes that more information is needed when a participant describes which situation as a violation of the ethical principle of autonomy?
a. An older person with advanced stages of Alzheimer's disease is denied the right to ambulate in the hallway.
b. A mentally competent adult refuses medical treatment for the autoimmune disease lupus erythematosus, stating that this condition reflects the will of a higher power.
c. A mentally competent visitor fell during visiting hours but refused to be examined by the physician on call.
d. A mentally competent adult with a broken wrist refuses to be given a local anesthetic prior to a procedure.
ANS: A
Correct: Autonomy is defined as personal freedom, the right to make choices. However, in this case, the patient is not able to be fully informed so they can clearly understand the choices being offered.
Incorrect:
b. Allowing a mentally competent adult to refuse medical treatment is an example of autonomy. As long as the actions do not infringe on the autonomous actions of others, that person should be free to decide whatever he or she wishes. This freedom should be applied even if the decision creates risk to his or her health and even if the decision seems unwise to others.
c. The visitor has the right to refuse treatment even if the decision creates a risk to his or her health or seems unwise to others.
d. A mentally competent adult refusing anesthetic prior to a procedure demonstrates autonomy. The patient has the right to refuse the anesthetic even if it creates a risk to his or her health; in this case, the risk of pain.
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Leadership of a medical unit have been instructed to integrate the principles of the Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) competency of quality improvement. What action should the unit's leaders take?
A) Provide access to online journals and Web-based clinical resources for nursing staff. B) Use flow charts to document the processes of care that are used on the unit. C) Enforce continuing education requirements for all care providers. D) Reduce the use of chemical and physical restraints on the unit.
The nurse is caring for a client who has been jogging in 90-degree weather and is in the Emergency Department with nausea, vomiting, and abdominal cramps. The nurse should expect the client's electrolyte panel to reveal:
1. a sodium level of 100 mEq/L. 2. a sodium level of 125-130 mEq/L. 3. a sodium level of 150 mEq/L. 4. a sodium level of 160 mEq/L.
The nurse understands that age-related changes in the neurological system include a decreased number of brain cells, decreased cerebral blood flow, and decreased metabolism
How would these expectations affect the nurse's plan when caring for an older patient at home? Select all that apply. 1. The older adult will be distracted after a few minutes on the task. 2. The older adult will not be open to learning to perform his or her own dressing change. 3. The older adult will be less reliable at completing self-care activities. 4. When too many stimuli are present, the older adult cannot process and respond in a timely fashion. 5. The older adult has an increased risk for falls.
There are four primary scientific principles for therapeutic touch. Which of the following is not one of these principles?
A) A human being is bilaterally symmetrical. B) A human being is an open energy system. C) Distractions of modern life interfere with healing agents. D) Illness is an imbalance in an individual's energy field.