The nurse manager plans to teach the graduate nurse the reason ...

[EAugust]

The nurse manager plans to teach the graduate nurse the reason why the nursing unit has policies and procedures. What best describes the reason for policies and procedures?
 
  1. The policies and procedures establish standards of care for the institution.
  2. The policies and procedures indicate how nursing personnel are to perform skills.
  3. The policies and procedures establish how the health care facility is to be run.
  4. The policies and procedures indicate the steps that must be taken when a medication error occurs.

Question 2

The nurse makes a medication error and a patient dies. In court, the attorney for the family of the deceased patient asks the nurse if she followed standards of care in administering the medication. How would the attorney phrase this question?
 
  1. Did you follow agency guidelines as in previous circumstances?
  2. Did you follow the physician's orders and double-check them before administration?
  3. Did you do the three checks and follow the five rights as taught in school?
  4. Did you do what another nurse would have done under similar circumstances?

[iceage]

Answer to Question 1

Correct Answer: 1
Rationale: The reason health care facilities have policies and procedures is to establish standards of care for the facility; the performance of skills is included under standards of care. Steps to be taken when a medication error occurs are included under standards of care. Health care facilities have policies and procedures in place to establish standards of care for the facility, not to establish how the facility is to be run.

Answer to Question 2

Correct Answer: 4
Rationale: Standards of care refer to the actions that a reasonable and prudent nurse with equivalent preparation would do under similar circumstances. Standards of care do not refer to following physician orders. Standards of care do not refer to following agency guidelines. Standards of care do not refer to doing three checks or five rights.

[EAugust]

TYSM

[kusterl]

Excellent