Examining Legal and Professional Issues in Nursing: Case Studies

This assignment solution delves into the legal and professional issues within nursing, focusing on a scenario involving Nurse A and the implications of administering expired medication. It evaluates whether Nurse A's actions should be reported based on criteria such as ignoring substantial risk, violating the Texas Nursing Practice Act, and potential impairment. The solution also addresses whistle blower protection, highlighting issues of confidentiality, fair treatment, and freedom of expression following the reporting of an incident. Additionally, it includes multiple-choice and true/false questions from a textbook chapter on nursing regulations and disciplinary actions, covering topics like disciplinary choices of nursing boards and common disciplinary categories.

Running head: Legal and professional issues in nursing 1
Legal and professional issues in nursing
Name of student
Institution
Date

Legal and professional issues in learning 2
PART 1a

Legal and professional issues in learning 3
CRITERIA WHETHER NURSE A SHOULD BE
REPORTED
1. Conduct that ignores a substantial risk
that exposed a patient or other person to
significant physical emotional or
financial harm or the potential for such
harm.
Nurse A should be reported because it is
documented that she checks the expiration
date of any medication before administering
it to any patient. She ignored this, which
posed a great threat to the children being
immunized as the vaccination might not
have worked efficiently.
2. Behaviour that violated the Texas
Nursing Practice Act or a Board rule and
contributed to the death or serious injury
of a patient.
Based on this criterion, Nurse A should not
be reported since no serious health issue
about the children being vaccinated was
reported, nor did any death occur.
3. A practice related violation involving
impairment or suspected impairment by
reason of chemical dependency,
intemperate use, misuse or abuse of
drugs or alcohol, mental illness, or
diminished mental capacity (Peirce &
Smith, 2013).
Based on this crierion, Nurse A should not
be reported since she was not impaired by
chemical dependency, nor was she under the
influence of drugs or had any form of
mental illness.
4. A violation of Board Rule 217.12 with
actions that constitute abuse,
exploitation, fraud, or a violation of
professional boundaries.
Nurse A should not be reported since she
was not in violation of any professional
boundaries since she did not willingly
administer the wrong vaccine
5. Actions that indicate the nurse lacks
knowledge, skill, judgment, or
conscientiousness to such an extent that
the nurse's continued practice of nursing
could reasonably be expected to pose a
This was the first time this was happening,
showing that the nurse had the skills and
knowledge in the field of medicine. She did
not also cause harm to anyone. Since the
rule states that even a one time mistake is no

Legal and professional issues in learning 4
PART 1b
Nurse A's actions should be reported to the board. This is because she is in violation of two
criteria, which pose a danger to patients in the hospital. Even though she still came out clean and
took responsibility, she still has to be punished for violating the rules (Cates, 2017).
PART 2
Whistle blower protection. After reporting the incedent, the manager
didn't protect the whistle blowr
Confidentiality and safeguards to prevent
impermissible disclosures, including written
agreement by all parties (Guido, 2014).
The information provided by the complainant
was later disclosed to other people thus
making the complainant feel insecure
Fair treatment to workers. After filing the complaint, the complainant
was given a suspension with no explanation
Freedom of expression. After expressing himself, the complainant
started getting blackmailed at his work place
PART 3

Legal and professional issues in learning 5
Multiple Choice and True/False Questions from Chapter 15 Textbook Readings
1). Boards of nursing have a number of disciplinary choices that may include which of the
following?
a) Loss of work hours
b) Community service
c) Revoking a license
d) Time in jail
Answer:____ Revoking a license _________
2). The primary obligation of all board of nursing members is to do which of the following?
a) License enough nurses to meet the societal demand for nursing care
b) Provide alternative programs for nurses with drug and alcohol addictions
c) Protect the safety of the public by licensing only competent nurses
d) Monitor the practice of nurses with histories of mental health illnesses
Answer: _ License enough nurses to meet the societal demand for nursing care
3). Common disciplinary categories reviewed by boards of nursing include which of the
following?
a) Academic awards dishonesty
b) Personal sexual relationships outside of work
c) Patient abandonment
d) Social media use at home

Legal and professional issues in learning 6
Answer:_____ Patient abandonment ____________
4). In legal terms, nursing licensure is a right.
a) True
b) False
Answer:________ True __________
5). An allegation against a nurse has been submitted to the state board of nursing for review.
Which of the following is a common disciplinary category reviewed by boards of nursing?
a) Abuse of time-off policies
b) Patient abandonment
c) Protecting patient records and privacy
d) Personal relationships
Answer: _____ Patient abandonment ____________

Legal and professional issues in learning 7
References
Cates, A. (2017). Annotated Guide to the Texas Nursing Practice Act, 13th Edition 2017.
Griffith, R., & Tengnah, C. (2017). Law and Professional Issues in Nursing. Learning Matters.
Guido, G. W. (2014). Legal and Ethical Issues in Nursing. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice
Hall.
Peirce, A. G., & Smith, J. A. (2013). Ethical and Legal Issues for Doctoral Nursing Students: A
Textbook for Students and Reference for Nurse Leaders. NJ: DEStech Publications.