1. The nurse is caring for a patient who needs a liver transplantto survive. This patient has been out of work for several months,does not have health insurance, and cannot afford the procedure.Which of the following statements speaks to the ethical elements ofthis case?
A. The health care team should select a plan that considers theprinciple of justice as it pertains to the distribution of healthcare resources.
B. The patient should enroll in a clinical trial of a newtechnology that can do the work of the liver, similar to the waydialysis
treats kidney disease.
C. The social worker should look into enrolling the patient inMedicaid, since many states offer expanded coverage.
D. A family meeting should take place in which the details of thepatient’s poor prognosis are made clear to his family so that
they can adopt a palliative approach.
2. When designing a plan for pain management for a patientfollowing surgery, the nurse assesses that the patient’s priorityis to be as free of pain as possible. The nurse and patient worktogether to identify a plan to manage the pain. The nursecontinually reviews the plan with the patient to ensure that thepatient’s priority is met. If the nurse’s actions are driven byrespect for autonomy, what aspect of this scenario bestdemonstrates that?
A. Assessing the patient’s pain on a numeric scale every 2hours
B. Asking the patient to establish the goal for pain control
C. Using alternative measures such as distraction or repositioningto relieve the pain
D. Monitoring the patient for oversedation as a side effect of hispain medication
3. The application of deontology does not alwaysresolve an ethical problem. Which of the following statements bestexplains one of the limitations of deontology?
A. The emphasis on relationships feels uncomfortable to decisionmakers who want more structure in deciding the best action.
B. The single focus on power imbalances does not apply to allsituations in which ethical problems occur.
C. In a diverse community it can be difficult to find agreement onwhich principles or rules are most important.
D. The focus on consequences rather than on the “goodness” of anaction makes decision makers uncomfortable
