Author Question: A patient has just been transferred to the acute medicine unit from the intensive care unit and the ... (Read 58 times)

nramada · **on:** Jul 8, 2018

A patient has just been transferred to the acute medicine unit from the intensive care unit and the patient's arterial line has not yet been discontinued.

The nurse on the acute medicine unit is a recent graduate and does not have experience in caring for an arterial line. As a result, the nurse is unsure how to safely address this aspect of the patient's care. How should the nurse best respond?

A) Look up arterial lines in the policy and procedures manual on the unit.
B) Inform the unit manager that this patient assignment is inappropriate.
C) Enlist the help of a more senior nurse on the unit.
D) Have the patient transferred back to the intensive care unit.

Question 2

A nurse working in a hospital setting is accused of malpractice. Which statement accurately represents a legal element of this type of negligence?

A) Malpractice is present only if a breach of duty was the cause of the harm.
B) When the harm is not clear and needs to be proved in court, the legal term res ipsa loquitur
is used.
C) Breach of duty is clearly defined as the expression of malicious intent.
D) A breach of duty is a failure to act as a prudent professional according to standards of care
designated by the federal government.

kescobar@64 · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 8, 2018

Answer to Question 1

Ans: C
To provide safe care, the nurse must identify when a situation requires greater
expertise or knowledge and when assistance is needed. Asking a colleague for assistance is an
appropriate demonstration of this competency. Looking up a procedure in a policy manual is an
appropriate action but does not show a willingness to ask others for help. It would likely be
premature to refuse the care of this patient or to have him or her transferred.

Answer to Question 2

Ans: A
One of the essential elements of malpractice is a breach of duty by the professional.
When the harm is so clear and the responsibility for the harm so straightforward that it does not
need to be proved in court, the legal term res ipsa loquitur is used. Breach of duty is not
synonymous with malicious intent. The standards by which breach of duty is evaluated are not
defined by the federal government.