Ethico/Legal Flashcards
What does medicolegal mean in the context of geriatrics?
Medicolegal refers to the interface between medicine and the law, where legal principles and healthcare practices intersect. This involves areas such as capacity, consent, and legal responsibilities in the care of elderly patients.
Medicolegal concerns in geriatrics involve issues related to ________, ________, and healthcare responsibilities.
Capacity; consent
What are the key ethical issues in the care of elderly patients?
Key ethical issues include autonomy, informed consent, dignity, and respect for the elderly, along with considerations of beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice in decision-making.
Key ethical issues in geriatrics include ________, informed consent, and respect for dignity.
Autonomy
What is the principle of autonomy in geriatric ethics?
Autonomy refers to the right of patients, including elderly individuals, to make their own decisions regarding their care, provided they have the mental capacity to do so.
The principle of ________ emphasizes that patients should have the right to make decisions about their own care
Autonomy
How does capacity impact ethical and legal decision-making in geriatrics?
Capacity refers to a patient’s ability to understand, retain, and weigh the information necessary to make informed decisions. If a patient lacks capacity, decisions may need to be made by a legal proxy or healthcare provider.
A patient’s ability to make decisions is referred to as ________.
Capacity
What are the legal requirements for assessing a patient’s capacity?
Legal requirements for assessing capacity include determining if the patient understands the relevant information, appreciates the consequences of their decisions, and can communicate their decisions.
To assess a patient’s capacity, you must determine if they understand the ________ and appreciate the consequences of their decisions.
Relevant information
What is the role of informed consent in geriatric care?
Informed consent is the process of ensuring that a patient understands the nature, risks, and benefits of a treatment or intervention before agreeing to it. This is essential in upholding the patient’s autonomy and right to make decisions about their care.
________ consent ensures that a patient understands the risks, benefits, and nature of a treatment before agreeing to it.
Informed
What is the significance of dignity in geriatric care from an ethical perspective?
Dignity involves treating elderly patients with respect, recognizing their worth as individuals, and avoiding practices that may demean or dehumanize them. This is essential for maintaining trust and providing compassionate care.
________ in geriatric care involves treating patients with respect and recognizing their worth.
Dignity
How do the principles of beneficence and non-maleficence apply to elderly patients?
Beneficence refers to acting in the best interest of the patient, while non-maleficence involves avoiding harm. Together, these principles guide healthcare providers to ensure that treatments benefit the patient without causing unnecessary harm.
Beneficence refers to acting in the ________ interest of the patient, while non-maleficence refers to ________ harm.
Best; avoiding
What is justice in the context of geriatric ethics?
Justice refers to fairness in the distribution of healthcare resources, ensuring that elderly patients have equal access to treatment and care without discrimination.
Justice involves ________ in the distribution of healthcare resources and equal access to care.
Fairness
What is the role of advance directives in geriatric care?
Advance directives allow patients to express their preferences for medical treatment in advance, in case they lose capacity to make decisions in the future. These documents help guide healthcare decisions based on the patient’s wishes.
________ directives allow patients to express their treatment preferences in advance, in case they lose capacity.
Advance
What is the legal framework for decision-making when a patient lacks capacity?
When a patient lacks capacity, decisions are made by a legally designated proxy (e.g., a lasting power of attorney) or, in some cases, by healthcare professionals in the patient’s best interest, following legal and ethical guidelines.
If a patient lacks capacity, decisions may be made by a ________ or healthcare professionals acting in the patient’s ________.
Proxy; best interest
How does the concept of “best interest” apply to decision-making in geriatrics?
The concept of “best interest” guides decisions made on behalf of patients who cannot make their own decisions. It involves considering the patient’s values, preferences, and the potential benefits and risks of interventions.
The principle of ________ guides decisions made for patients who cannot make their own, considering their values and preferences.
: Best interest
What are the ethical challenges in end-of-life care for elderly patients?
Ethical challenges include decisions about life-sustaining treatments, palliative care, withdrawal of treatment, and ensuring that the patient’s wishes are respected, especially when they may be unable to communicate them directly.
Ethical challenges in end-of-life care include decisions about life-sustaining treatments and ensuring that the patient’s ________ are respected.
Wishes
What is the role of a healthcare professional when a patient’s wishes are unclear regarding treatment?
When a patient’s wishes are unclear, healthcare professionals should engage in shared decision-making with the patient’s family or legal proxy, following ethical guidelines to act in the best interest of the patient.
If a patient’s wishes are unclear, healthcare professionals should engage in ________ decision-making with the patient’s family or legal proxy.
Shared
What is a non-accidental injury (NAI) in geriatrics?
Non-accidental injury refers to harm inflicted on an elderly person through physical, emotional, sexual abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation, often occurring in contexts of caregiving or dependency.
Non-accidental injury in geriatrics refers to harm caused by ________, neglect, or financial exploitation.
Abuse
What are the common types of abuse associated with non-accidental injury in elderly patients?
Common types of abuse include physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation.
Common types of abuse in non-accidental injuries include physical, ________, sexual abuse, and neglect.
Emotional
What are some risk factors for non-accidental injury in elderly patients?
Risk factors include advanced age, dependency on caregivers, cognitive impairment (e.g., dementia), social isolation, and caregiver stress or substance misuse.
Cognitive impairment, social isolation, and caregiver stress are risk factors for ________ injury in elderly patients.
Non-accidental
What physical signs may indicate non-accidental injury in an elderly patient?
Physical signs include unexplained bruises, fractures, burns, or injuries in various stages of healing, and injuries inconsistent with the patient’s explanation.
Physical signs of non-accidental injury include unexplained ________, fractures, and burns.
Bruises
What behavioral signs may raise suspicion of non-accidental injury in an elderly person?
Behavioral signs include withdrawal, fearfulness, anxiety, depression, reluctance to speak openly, or signs of poor self-care and hygiene.
Behavioral signs of non-accidental injury include fearfulness, withdrawal, and ________.
Depression
What are some red flags for potential financial exploitation in elderly patients?
Red flags include sudden changes in financial circumstances, unexplained withdrawals, missing possessions, or being unaware of financial transactions.
Signs of financial exploitation in the elderly include sudden financial changes and ________ possessions.
Missing
What should be included in the assessment of suspected non-accidental injury in an elderly patient?
The assessment should include a thorough history, physical examination, documentation of injuries, and inquiry into the patient’s home and social environment.
In suspected non-accidental injury, assessment includes thorough history, examination, and ________ of injuries.
Documentation
What is the healthcare professional’s responsibility when non-accidental injury is suspected?
Healthcare professionals have a duty to report suspicions to safeguarding authorities or adult protection services while ensuring the patient’s safety and privacy.
Healthcare professionals must report suspected non-accidental injury to ________ authorities.
Safeguarding
What legal frameworks guide the management of non-accidental injury in elderly patients?
Legal frameworks include safeguarding laws, adult protection legislation, and the principles of confidentiality balanced against the duty to report abuse.
Management of non-accidental injury is guided by safeguarding laws and ________ protection legislation.
Adult
What role does a multidisciplinary team play in addressing non-accidental injury in elderly patients?
The multidisciplinary team (MDT) ensures coordinated care by involving medical, social, legal, and mental health professionals to protect and support the patient.
Addressing non-accidental injury involves an ________ team to ensure coordinated care.
Multidisciplinary
What interventions can help prevent non-accidental injury in elderly patients?
Interventions include caregiver support programs, education on stress management, regular home visits, social engagement for isolated individuals, and monitoring for signs of neglect or abuse.
Prevention of non-accidental injury involves caregiver support and ________ management education.
Stress
How can healthcare professionals build trust with elderly patients to identify potential non-accidental injury?
Healthcare professionals can build trust by maintaining confidentiality, providing empathetic care, and creating a safe space for patients to discuss concerns without fear of judgment.
Building trust involves maintaining confidentiality and creating a ________ space for discussion.
Safe
What ethical principles guide the management of non-accidental injury in geriatrics?
Ethical principles include autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice, ensuring the patient’s rights and safety are prioritized.
Management of non-accidental injury is guided by ethical principles like autonomy and ________.
Beneficence
Polypharmacy is often defined as the use of ________ or more medications simultaneously.
5
Why is polypharmacy a significant concern in geriatrics?
Polypharmacy increases the risk of adverse drug reactions, drug interactions, medication non-adherence, and prescribing cascades, especially in older adults with multimorbidity.
Polypharmacy increases the risk of adverse drug ________, drug interactions, and non-adherence.
reactions
What are common causes of polypharmacy in elderly patients?
Common causes include multimorbidity, lack of regular medication reviews, multiple prescribers, and the use of over-the-counter medications or supplements.
Multimorbidity, multiple prescribers, and lack of medication reviews are common causes of ________.
Polypharmacy
What are the potential adverse effects of polypharmacy?
Adverse effects include falls, confusion, sedation, delirium, gastrointestinal disturbances, and increased hospitalizations.
Polypharmacy can lead to adverse effects such as falls, confusion, and ________.
Delirium
What is a prescribing cascade?
A prescribing cascade occurs when an adverse drug reaction is misinterpreted as a new medical condition, leading to the prescription of additional medications to treat the reaction.
A prescribing ________ occurs when a drug side effect is treated with another medication.
Cascade
What strategies can be used to prevent polypharmacy?
Strategies include regular medication reviews, deprescribing where appropriate, involving a multidisciplinary team, and educating patients about their medications.
Regular medication reviews and ________ unnecessary drugs are key strategies to prevent polypharmacy.
Deprescribing
What is deprescribing?
Deprescribing is the planned and supervised process of dose reduction or stopping medications that may no longer be beneficial or may be causing harm.
________ is the process of reducing or stopping medications that are no longer beneficial.
Deprescribing
What tools can be used to review medication appropriateness in elderly patients?
Tools include the STOPP/START criteria, Beers Criteria, and the Medication Appropriateness Index.
The ________ Criteria and Beers Criteria are tools for reviewing medication appropriateness in the elderly.
STOPP/START
What are the key principles of medication review in polypharmacy?
Key principles include assessing the indication for each medication, reviewing potential drug interactions, and aligning the medication regimen with the patient’s goals and life expectancy.
Medication reviews should assess the ________ for each drug and potential interactions.
Indication
Why is patient education important in managing polypharmacy?
Patient education ensures they understand their medications, promotes adherence, and empowers them to report side effects or question unnecessary prescriptions.
Educating patients about their medications promotes ________ and empowers them to report side effects.
Adherence
How does polypharmacy affect medication adherence?
Polypharmacy can decrease adherence due to complex regimens, pill burden, and side effects.
Complex regimens and pill burden associated with polypharmacy can reduce ________.
Adherence
What is the role of a multidisciplinary team (MDT) in managing polypharmacy?
The MDT ensures coordinated care by involving doctors, pharmacists, and nurses to review and optimize medication regimens.
A multidisciplinary team helps optimize medication regimens and ensures ________ care.
Coordinated
What is the importance of aligning medication regimens with patient goals in polypharmacy?
Aligning regimens ensures treatments are consistent with the patient’s values, priorities, and expected outcomes, avoiding unnecessary medications.
Aligning regimens with patient goals avoids unnecessary ________.
Medications
How can technology assist in managing polypharmacy?
Technology can assist through electronic prescribing, drug interaction checks, and alerts for medication reviews.
_______ prescribing and interaction checks can help manage polypharmacy effectively
Electronic
What role do pharmacists play in managing polypharmacy?
Pharmacists can review prescriptions, suggest deprescribing, monitor for interactions, and educate patients about their medications.
Pharmacists can monitor for drug interactions and suggest ________ where appropriate.
Deprescribing
