Ethical and legal issues related to midwifery | Mock Test | Staff Nurse | Guides Academy
Time: 15:00
A new mother refuses the routine Vitamin K injection for her newborn. The midwife provides information on the risks and benefits but respects the mother's decision. This action primarily upholds which ethical principle?
[a] Beneficence.
[b] Justice.
[c] Autonomy.
[d] Non-maleficence.
The legal document that defines the midwife's scope of practice within a specific state or country is the:
[a] Hospital policy manual.
[b] Code of Ethics for Midwives.
[c] Nurse Practice Act or Midwifery Act.
[d] Patient's Bill of Rights.
During an antenatal visit, a midwife suspects that a pregnant woman is a victim of domestic violence. What is the midwife's primary legal and ethical responsibility?
[a] To immediately confront the woman's partner.
[b] To document the suspicion in the chart without speaking to the woman.
[c] To provide a safe environment to discuss the issue and follow mandatory reporting laws.
[d] To advise the woman to leave her partner immediately.
A midwife discusses a patient's complicated birth story with a colleague in the hospital cafeteria. This is a direct violation of which legal principle?
[a] The standard of care.
[b] The principle of veracity.
[c] The Good Samaritan Law.
[d] Patient confidentiality (HIPAA in the US).
The failure of a midwife to act in a reasonable and prudent manner, resulting in harm to a patient, is legally known as:
[a] Assault.
[b] Slander.
[c] Negligence or Malpractice.
[d] A breach of contract.
The concept of "Respectful Maternity Care" is an ethical framework that emphasizes:
[a] The midwife's right to make all clinical decisions.
[b] The importance of following all hospital protocols without deviation.
[c] The right of every woman to be free from harm, mistreatment, and to retain her dignity.
[d] The use of advanced technology in all births.
What is the midwife's primary role regarding informed consent for a caesarean section?
[a] To explain the surgical technique to the patient.
[b] To obtain the consent on behalf of the obstetrician.
[c] To act as a witness to the patient's signature and confirm her understanding and voluntariness.
[d] To decide if the patient is mentally competent to sign the form.
The legal principle "if it wasn't documented, it wasn't done" highlights the importance of:
[a] Providing verbal reports to the next shift.
[b] Following the physician's orders.
[c] Accurate, timely, and comprehensive charting.
[d] Obtaining informed consent.
A labouring woman feels pressured by staff to accept an epidural that she does not want. By speaking up for the woman's wishes, the midwife is fulfilling the role of a(n):
[a] Manager.
[b] Advocate.
[c] Researcher.
[d] Technician.
A midwife identifies a complication during labour that is beyond their legal scope of practice to manage independently. The correct legal and ethical action is to:
[a] Attempt to manage the complication to avoid bothering the physician.
[b] Ask another midwife for assistance.
[c] Document the finding and continue to monitor.
[d] Consult with and/or transfer care to an obstetrician or other appropriate provider.
The ethical principle of "Justice" in a maternity setting means:
[a] The midwife must always do what is best for the fetus.
[b] The midwife should only care for low-risk patients.
[c] All women should have fair and equitable access to care, regardless of their background.
[d] The patient's right to privacy must be protected.
What is the most appropriate action for a midwife who witnesses a colleague providing unsafe care?
[a] Ignore the situation to avoid conflict.
[b] Discuss the issue with other colleagues in the breakroom.
[c] Intervene if necessary for patient safety and report the issue through the proper chain of command.
[d] Immediately report the colleague to the state licensing board.
A midwife who promises a patient she will stay with her through the next set of contractions but then leaves for a break fails to uphold which ethical principle?
[a] Veracity.
[b] Justice.
[c] Fidelity (faithfulness).
[d] Autonomy.
A key component of avoiding a malpractice claim is:
[a] Only caring for low-risk patients.
[b] Being friends with the patient.
[c] Practicing within the standard of care and maintaining clear, objective documentation.
[d] Always having a physician present during delivery.
The term "standard of care" for a midwife is legally defined as:
[a] The level of care provided in the best-equipped hospitals.
[b] What the patient expects to receive.
[c] The written policies of the employing hospital.
[d] The care that a reasonably prudent and skillful midwife would provide in similar circumstances.
"Conscientious objection" in midwifery refers to:
[a] A patient's right to refuse care.
[b] A midwife's right to refuse to participate in a procedure that violates their moral or religious beliefs.
[c] A legal objection filed during a malpractice lawsuit.
[d] The process of objecting to a hospital policy.
Which action is an example of battery in a maternity care setting?
[a] Threatening to perform a procedure without consent.
[b] Performing a physical procedure, like an episiotomy, on a patient without her consent.
[c] Accidentally causing harm to a patient through carelessness.
[d] Writing false information in the patient's chart.
What is the midwife's ethical responsibility when a woman's birth plan includes requests that are outside of safe, evidence-based practice?
[a] To refuse to care for the woman.
[b] To follow the birth plan exactly as written.
[c] To discuss the risks and benefits of each request and collaboratively find a safe alternative.
[d] To report the woman to hospital administration.
The duty to be truthful and not mislead patients or their families is the ethical principle of:
[a] Fidelity.
[b] Autonomy.
[c] Veracity.
[d] Justice.
A midwife posts a photo on social media of a "beautiful sunset" from a patient's room, inadvertently capturing the patient's unique name on a whiteboard. This is a breach of:
[a] The standard of care.
[b] Scope of practice.
[c] Patient privacy and confidentiality.
[d] Hospital policy on photography only.
The four elements required to prove malpractice are duty, breach of duty, causation, and:
[a] Intent.
[b] Consent.
[c] Harm or damages.
[d] Documentation.
The principle of non-maleficence ("do no harm") would support which midwifery practice?
[a] Requiring all women to have continuous electronic fetal monitoring.
[b] Avoiding routine, non-indicated interventions like episiotomies.
[c] Encouraging a scheduled induction of labour for convenience.
[d] Separating the mother and baby immediately after birth for assessment.
Professional organizations, like the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM), play a key role in:
[a] Granting licenses to individual midwives.
[b] Directly disciplining midwives for misconduct.
[c] Establishing international standards of practice and ethical codes.
[d] Paying for midwives' malpractice insurance.
When documenting a patient's refusal of a recommended treatment, the midwife's note must include the patient's understanding of the:
[a] Cost of the alternative treatment.
[b] Midwife's personal opinion.
[c] Risks associated with the refusal.
[d] Names of all staff who witnessed the refusal.
An ethical dilemma arises in midwifery when:
[a] A clear policy dictates the correct course of action.
[b] The midwife must choose between two equally undesirable alternatives.
[c] A patient agrees with all recommended care.
[d] There is a conflict between two or more ethical principles.
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