A registered nurse in the United States is caring for a patient who asks the nurse to participate in a treatment that conflicts with the nurse's deeply held beliefs. What is the nurse's best action?

Correct answer: B. Provide safe care while promptly seeking an appropriate replacement

  • A. Refuse abruptly and leave the patient without help
  • B. Provide safe care while promptly seeking an appropriate replacement
  • C. Tell the patient that the treatment is morally wrong
  • D. Delay the treatment until the patient changes the request

Explanation

The nurse should not abandon the patient or impose personal beliefs. The nurse provides safe care, informs the supervisor promptly, and requests an appropriate transfer when conscientious objection is recognized by policy and law.

Submitted by a TestUstad contributor and published by the TestUstad editorial teamLast updated
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About US Legal and Ethical Nursing Practice

US nursing law and ethics include state nurse practice acts, scope of practice, standards of care, negligence, malpractice, documentation, confidentiality under HIPAA and informed consent. Ethical reasoning applies autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, justice and fidelity to conflicts such as refusal of treatment, advance directives, privacy breaches and mandatory reporting, which are not the same as legal liability.

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