Ethical and Professional Practice Flashcards
7 cards from real CFN practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Ethical and Professional Practice flashcards as text
A forensic nurse is caring for an incarcerated patient who is also a crime victim. Which ethical principle is MOST challenged in this dual-role scenario?
Answer: Justice, balancing equitable care with institutional security obligations
Justice is challenged when nurses must balance fair, equitable care for incarcerated victims against institutional security constraints and policies.
A patient discloses during a forensic exam that they want to harm someone specific after they are discharged. What is the forensic nurse's obligation?
Answer: Warn the intended victim and notify appropriate authorities per the duty to protect
The duty to protect (Tarasoff obligation) requires healthcare providers to warn identifiable potential victims and notify authorities when a credible threat of harm is disclosed.
When a forensic nurse maintains detailed, accurate records primarily to support accountability and professional integrity rather than legal requirement, this reflects which ethical concept?
Answer: Professional accountability and transparency
Professional accountability involves maintaining accurate records to uphold integrity, transparency, and responsibility to patients, employers, and the public.
A forensic nurse is asked to conduct a strip search of a detainee as part of a routine intake process. Before complying, the nurse should FIRST:
Answer: Assess whether the search is medically necessary and falls within nursing scope of practice
Forensic nurses must evaluate whether requested procedures are medically justified and within their professional scope before participating, as non-medically-indicated strip searches may constitute ethical violations.
A sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) documents findings that could exonerate an accused individual. Which ethical principle MOST requires the nurse to report these findings accurately?
Answer: Veracity and justice, ensuring the legal system has accurate information
Veracity and justice require forensic nurses to report all findings truthfully and completely, including those that may exonerate a suspect, because the legal system depends on accurate forensic evidence.
A forensic nurse is asked to provide expert testimony outside their specialized area of forensic nursing. The most ethical response is to:
Answer: Decline testimony on matters outside their established competence and scope of expertise
Professional ethics require experts to testify only within their established area of competence to prevent misleading the court and to uphold professional integrity.
Which scenario BEST illustrates a conflict between patient autonomy and the forensic nurse's mandatory reporting obligation?
Answer: A domestic violence victim requesting that no report be made to authorities
When a domestic violence victim requests no report be made but state law mandates reporting, the nurse faces a direct conflict between respecting patient autonomy and fulfilling legal reporting obligations.