Ethical, Legal & Professional Standards Flashcards
7 cards from real LPN 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, Legal & Professional Standards flashcards as text
Which action by an LPN constitutes professional boundary violation?
Answer: Providing personal contact information and meeting a patient socially outside work
Forming personal social relationships with patients outside the professional context crosses therapeutic boundaries and is considered a boundary violation.
What is the legal term for intentionally touching a patient without consent, even if no harm results?
Answer: Battery
Battery is the intentional, unconsented touching of another person; in healthcare, performing a procedure without consent can constitute battery.
A family member asks the LPN not to tell the patient about a terminal diagnosis. How should the LPN respond?
Answer: Explain that the patient has the right to know their own diagnosis
Patients have the right to truthful information about their own health (veracity), and the LPN should explain this right while involving the care team.
Which scenario best describes negligence by an LPN?
Answer: Failing to raise side rails on a fall-risk patient who then falls
Failing to follow the standard of care (raising side rails for a fall-risk patient) that results in patient harm meets the legal definition of negligence.
An LPN receives an order that seems unsafe. After clarifying with the physician, the LPN still believes it is dangerous. What is the best action?
Answer: Refuse to carry out the order and notify the charge nurse or supervisor
LPNs have both a legal and ethical obligation to refuse orders they believe are unsafe and must escalate to the charge nurse or supervisor.
Which of the following is an example of the ethical principle of justice in nursing practice?
Answer: Providing the same quality of care regardless of a patient's ability to pay
Justice requires fair, equitable treatment for all patients regardless of socioeconomic status, race, or other factors.
Which organization is responsible for investigating complaints of nursing misconduct and can revoke an LPN's license?
Answer: The State Board of Nursing
State Boards of Nursing have the legal authority to investigate complaints and take disciplinary action, including license revocation.