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 researcher is conducting a study on underreported intimate partner violence. Which ethical requirement is MOST critical when recruiting study participants?
Answer: Ensuring fully informed, voluntary consent without coercion
Voluntary informed consent is a foundational ethical requirement in human subjects research, particularly with vulnerable populations such as IPV survivors.
A forensic nurse identifies a pattern of inadequate forensic evidence collection at their hospital. The MOST ethically appropriate course of action is to:
Answer: Advocate for systemic change through quality improvement processes and administrative channels
Ethical professional practice includes advocacy for systemic improvements through appropriate organizational channels to address patterns of inadequate care.
When a forensic nurse documents an injury as 'consistent with the stated mechanism,' this phrasing MOST appropriately reflects which professional standard?
Answer: Objective, scope-appropriate language that does not overstate clinical certainty
Forensic nurses use precise, qualified language to document what findings suggest without overstating medical certainty or assuming causation beyond their expertise.
A forensic nurse feels emotionally overwhelmed after a particularly disturbing pediatric abuse case. Which action BEST reflects ethical self-care and professional responsibility?
Answer: Seek peer support, supervision, or counseling to maintain professional fitness and prevent secondary trauma
Addressing secondary traumatic stress through appropriate support is an ethical professional responsibility that protects both the nurse's wellbeing and the quality of patient care.
Which of the following BEST describes an ethical obligation unique to forensic nursing compared to general nursing?
Answer: Balancing therapeutic care responsibilities with evidence-preservation duties and legal obligations
Forensic nurses uniquely must balance their duty to provide compassionate patient care with their concurrent obligations to preserve forensic evidence and fulfill legal reporting duties.
A forensic nurse working in a rural area is the only trained examiner available. They are asked to examine a patient whose type of assault is outside their primary training. The MOST ethical action is to:
Answer: Perform the examination to the best of their ability while acknowledging limitations and seeking consultation
When no alternative exists, a forensic nurse should provide care within their best capacity while transparently acknowledging limitations, documenting appropriately, and seeking available consultation.
A forensic nurse discovers mid-examination that a patient's injuries are inconsistent with the history provided. The nurse's MOST appropriate action is to:
Answer: Document objective findings accurately without drawing conclusions about the patient's truthfulness
Forensic nurses must document objective clinical findings accurately and completely, leaving interpretation of inconsistencies to the appropriate investigative and legal processes rather than making judgments about patient credibility.