Question 1
Learning Objective 3. Describe the roles and scope of practice of the professional nurse (PO1, PO5, PO6, PO7, PO9)
Learning Objective 5. Apply legal parameters and ethical principles related to the professional nursing role in the provision of safe, patient-centered care
As a registered nurse within your professional practice setting, it is important to understand that the Nurse Practice Act differs regionally depending on the state you live in. As a visiting nurse, you are seeing a 72-year-old patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The patient has been discharged home, and this is your first post-hospital visit. Upon arrival you ask the patient for his discharge medications and notice that his medication list has changed from his pre-admission stay.
- Review the Nurse Practice Act within your state and describe the provision that discusses safe medication administration.
- What safeguards are in place that would prevent harm for this patient?
- How do you as a nurse foster and enforce a set of professional values that are essential to upholding ethical principles?
- What are the scope and standards of practice?
- How are scope and standards of practice different from the nursing scope of practice?
- What is the role, objective and function of the board of nursing?
Question 2
In three to five paragraphs answer the following questions.
- Define in your own words “ethical nursing practice.”
- Describe the basis or framework you used for your definition.
- Explain the difference between legal and ethical nursing practice.
- Discuss one ethical or bioethical dilemma a nurse may encounter and describe how it could be handled.