Legal & Ethical Foundations

Framework (5 modules):

• Scope of practice — two sources (state law, facility policy), and why "I've seen it done" isn't authorization

• Informed consent — the three ingredients of valid consent, and the nurse's actual role in it

• Patient rights and confidentiality — why it applies everywhere, not just the chart

• Code status and advance directives — what a DNR does and doesn't mean, who speaks when a patient can't

• Documentation and when to report — the legal-record framing, plus mandatory reporting and non-punitive incident reporting

Practice Lab — Legal & Ethical Practice Lab (5 drills):

• In scope or out? — 7 tasks classified as RN scope or requiring another role

• Valid consent or not? — 6 consent scenarios, including sedation timing, withdrawal, and capacity

• Who can know? — 7 confidentiality scenarios, including family, coworkers, and social media

• Code status scenarios — 5 multiple-choice situations involving DNR, family disagreement, and POLST conflicts

• Report it? — 8 scenarios sorted into document-only / incident report / mandatory report