ENA Professional & Ethical Issues — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary ethical principle when a patient refuses treatment?
- Beneficence
- Non-maleficence
- Autonomy (Correct answer)
- Justice
Correct answer: Autonomy
Respect for autonomy requires that patients' decisions about their own care be honored, including the right to refuse treatment.
Question 2: Which situation requires reporting under mandatory reporting laws?
- Patient refusing medication
- Suspected child abuse (Correct answer)
- Request for second opinion
- Failure to follow a diet
Correct answer: Suspected child abuse
Suspected child abuse must be reported according to mandatory reporting laws, even if not confirmed.
Question 3: What action best demonstrates professional accountability in nursing?
- Delegating tasks without supervision
- Avoiding feedback from peers
- Reporting a medication error immediately (Correct answer)
- Blaming others for patient outcomes
Correct answer: Reporting a medication error immediately
Professional accountability means taking responsibility for one’s actions, including reporting errors promptly and honestly.
Question 4: Which principle is most relevant when providing equal care to all patients?
- Fidelity
- Justice (Correct answer)
- Veracity
- Confidentiality
Correct answer: Justice
The ethical principle of justice emphasizes fairness and equality in the distribution of healthcare resources and treatment.
Question 5: Why is maintaining patient confidentiality essential in emergency care?
- To prevent legal disputes
- To ensure accurate billing
- To build trust and protect privacy (Correct answer)
- To limit documentation needs
Correct answer: To build trust and protect privacy
Confidentiality builds trust between patients and healthcare providers, protecting sensitive personal information from unauthorized disclosure.
Question 6: What should a nurse do if a colleague is suspected of substance abuse while on duty?
- Confront the colleague alone
- Ignore the behavior unless it worsens
- Report the concern to a supervisor (Correct answer)
- Document in the colleague's personnel file
Correct answer: Report the concern to a supervisor
Reporting to a supervisor is essential to protect patient safety and initiate proper intervention and support for the colleague.
ENA Professional & Ethical Issues
What is the primary ethical principle when a patient refuses treatment?