Legal & Ethical Responsibilities in Forensic Nursing 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 Legal & Ethical Responsibilities in Forensic Nursing flashcards as text
A forensic nurse is asked by a defense attorney to review evidence in a case involving her former patient. The most appropriate response is to:
Answer: Decline due to the conflict of interest from prior nurse-patient relationship
A prior nurse-patient relationship creates a conflict of interest that compromises objectivity required of forensic experts.
When collecting forensic evidence, the chain of custody is best described as:
Answer: A documented chronological record tracking evidence possession and handling
Chain of custody is the documented trail showing who collected, handled, and transferred evidence to ensure its integrity.
A minor presents for a sexual assault examination without a parent. Under which circumstance may a forensic nurse proceed without parental consent?
Answer: When the minor is a mature minor or emancipated, or in an emergency
Emancipated minors, mature minors, and emergency situations are recognized legal exceptions to the parental consent requirement.
Which ethical principle is MOST directly violated when a forensic nurse shares case photographs on social media, even without identifying information?
Answer: Nonmaleficence
Sharing patient-related forensic images risks psychological and legal harm, violating the principle of nonmaleficence (do no harm).
A forensic nurse's documentation of injuries must be objective primarily because:
Answer: Objective documentation withstands legal scrutiny and accurately reflects findings
Objective, factual documentation is legally defensible and accurately represents clinical findings without bias or interpretation.
A forensic nurse suspects that a colleague is impaired during a patient examination. The nurse's ethical obligation is to:
Answer: Intervene immediately to protect patient safety and report per institutional policy
Patient safety requires immediate intervention when a colleague appears impaired, followed by reporting through proper channels.
The ethical concept of 'justice' in forensic nursing practice most directly refers to:
Answer: Fair, equitable treatment and resource distribution regardless of patient background
Justice as an ethical principle requires forensic nurses to provide fair and impartial care regardless of a patient's background or circumstances.