Author Question: Which of the following statements accurately describes the legal responsibility of the nurse making ... (Read 309 times)

audie · **on:** Jul 23, 2018

Which of the following statements accurately describes the legal responsibility of the nurse making a diagnosis for a client?

A) The nurse may make a diagnosis, but the physician is responsible for making sure it is appropriate for the client.
B) The nurse practitioner is responsible for making all nursing diagnoses and determining if they are appropriate for the client.
C) The nurse must decide if he or she is qualified to make a nursing diagnosis and will accept responsibility for treating it.
D) The health care facility directs the nursing diagnosis in order to receive payment for services performed.

Question 2

A student is reviewing a client's chart before giving care. She notes the following diagnoses in the contents of the chart: appendicitis and acute pain. Which of the diagnoses is a medical diagnosis?

A) Neither appendicitis nor acute pain
B) Both appendicitis and acute pain
C) Appendicitis
D) Acute pain

Dnite · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 23, 2018

Answer to Question 1

Ans: C

The term diagnosis means there is a problem requiring qualified treatment. The nurse must decide if he or she is qualified to make the diagnosis and will be able to treat it. If not, the nurse must refer the client to a qualified person for treatment.

Answer to Question 2

Ans: C

Medical diagnoses identify diseases (in this case, appendicitis). Nursing diagnoses describe problems treated by the nurse within the scope of independent nursing practice.