Professional Ethics, Law, and Nursing Regulation
Core concepts
This domain tests the legal and ethical framework of practice. Know the nurse practice act and scope of practice, licensure, and delegation rules. Understand ethical principles: autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, justice, and veracity. Informed consent requires the provider to explain and the nurse to witness and advocate. Confidentiality is protected by law, with exceptions such as reportable conditions. Know advance directives, do-not-resuscitate orders, and patient rights. Understand negligence and malpractice elements, and the role of incident reports. Mandatory reporting includes abuse and certain communicable diseases. Professional boundaries and the code of ethics guide conduct.
Traps to watch
A frequent trap is confusing the nurse's role in informed consent: the nurse does not obtain consent but verifies understanding and witnesses. Another is choosing to document in the chart that an incident report was filed; incident reports are not part of the medical record. Questions may test that a nurse cannot delegate assessment or teaching. Watch for items about breaching confidentiality, even with family, without consent. Ethical dilemmas often have no perfect answer; choose the option that respects autonomy and safety.
Worked rule of thumb
When an item involves a legal or ethical conflict, ask: what protects the client's rights and safety while staying within scope? Example: if a client refuses a treatment, respect autonomy after ensuring they understand consequences, and document the refusal.