NP Regulatory Frameworks & Compliance 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which organization accredits nurse practitioner educational programs in the United States?
- American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) (Correct answer)
- National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN)
- American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP)
Correct answer: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and ACEN are the primary accrediting bodies for NP educational programs.
Question 2: An NP is employed by a hospital and is asked to sign a non-compete agreement. The primary concern regarding these agreements in healthcare is:
- They violate NP scope of practice laws
- They may restrict patients' access to their established provider (Correct answer)
- They are unenforceable under federal HIPAA law
- They require DEA re-registration in a new location
Correct answer: They may restrict patients' access to their established provider
Non-compete agreements in healthcare raise ethical concerns because restricting an NP's practice in a geographic area can limit patients' access to an established, trusted provider.
Question 3: Under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA), a hospital emergency department must:
- Provide treatment only to patients with insurance coverage
- Perform a medical screening exam on anyone requesting emergency care regardless of ability to pay (Correct answer)
- Transfer unstable patients to county facilities immediately upon arrival
- Require NP supervision by a physician for all screening exams
Correct answer: Perform a medical screening exam on anyone requesting emergency care regardless of ability to pay
EMTALA requires hospitals with emergency departments to provide a medical screening examination and stabilizing treatment to all patients regardless of ability to pay or insurance status.
Question 4: A patient with capacity refuses a recommended blood transfusion for religious reasons. The NP should:
- Proceed with the transfusion if the condition is life-threatening
- Obtain a court order to override the patient's refusal
- Respect the refusal, document it thoroughly, and ensure informed refusal is signed (Correct answer)
- Transfer care to a physician who can override the decision
Correct answer: Respect the refusal, document it thoroughly, and ensure informed refusal is signed
A competent adult has the legal and ethical right to refuse any medical treatment, including life-saving interventions; the NP must document the informed refusal process.
Question 5: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Bloodborne Pathogens Standard requires healthcare employers to:
- Mandate hepatitis B vaccination for all employees at employee expense
- Provide hepatitis B vaccination at no cost to employees at risk of occupational exposure (Correct answer)
- Test all patients for bloodborne pathogens before procedures
- Terminate employment of any worker who refuses vaccination
Correct answer: Provide hepatitis B vaccination at no cost to employees at risk of occupational exposure
OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard requires employers to offer hepatitis B vaccination free of charge to all employees with occupational exposure risk.
Question 6: Which federal program specifically provides health coverage for low-income adults, children, pregnant women, elderly adults, and people with disabilities?
- Medicare
- TRICARE
- Medicaid (Correct answer)
- CHIP only
Correct answer: Medicaid
Medicaid is a joint federal-state program providing health coverage to low-income individuals across multiple eligibility categories, while Medicare primarily serves those 65+ or with certain disabilities.
Question 7: A state's Nurse Practice Act (NPA) is BEST described as:
- Federal legislation defining NP prescriptive authority nationally
- State legislation that defines the scope of nursing practice and establishes the state board of nursing (Correct answer)
- A voluntary set of guidelines published by the AANP
- Hospital bylaws that govern NP privileges at a specific institution
Correct answer: State legislation that defines the scope of nursing practice and establishes the state board of nursing
Each state's Nurse Practice Act is state-level legislation that defines the legal scope of nursing practice, establishes licensure requirements, and creates the regulatory authority of the state board of nursing.
NP Regulatory Frameworks & Compliance 3
Which organization accredits nurse practitioner educational programs in the United States?