Ethics

Question 1

What is autonomy?

Answer 1

respecting individual’s beliefs and decisions as long as they are competent (capacity to understand)

Question 2

What is the most important ethical rule?

Answer 2

autonomy (honor patient’s wishes)

Question 3

What is capacity?

Answer 3

ability for patient to understand situation, treatment options, consequences of choice

Question 4

True or false. you must follow the last known wishes of the patient even if they are verbal and contradict the written proxy

Answer 4

true

Question 5

What is the rule of the health care proxy?

Answer 5

person designated by patient to care out patient’s wishes when the patient is no long competent enough to make decisions

Question 6

When does the health care proxy go into effect?

Answer 6

patient has lost the capacity to make decisions

Question 7

What is the order of decision making? (7)

Answer 7

1. patient
2. health care proxy agent
3. living will
4. persons clearly familiar with pt’s wishes
5. family (spouse -> adult kids -> parents -> siblings)
6. ethics committee
7. court order

Question 8

When should an ethics committee be obtained?

Answer 8

medical futility (when pt or proxy asking for tests and treatments that may have no benefit)

Question 9

When should a patient have a psychiatric evaluation in ethical cases?

Answer 9

it is unclear if patient has capacity

Question 10

When can minors have decision making capacity? (4)

Answer 10

1. contraception
2. pre-natal care
3. STD testing and treatment
4. substance abuse treatment

Question 11

When are minors considered emancipated? (3)

Answer 11

1. living outside of home and self-supporting
2. in military
3. legal emancipated

Question 12

True or False. If patient is brain dead, you dont need consent to stop therapy such as mechanical ventilation or antibiotics.

Answer 12

True (first discuss, educate, explain and confer with family members before stopping treatment)

Question 13

What is the first thing you should do before stopping treatment in a patient with brain death?

Answer 13

discuss, educate, explain, and confer with the family

Question 14

What is the exception for obtaining informed consent before a treatment?

Answer 14

emergency

Question 15

Who should be the one to obtain informed consent from the patient?

Answer 15

person doing procedure (b/c know all complications of procedure, alternatives to procedure, etc)

Question 16

True or False. Pregnant women can refuse procedures and treatments even though by doing so it may be risky to the unborn child.

Answer 16

True

Question 17

What should be done if a patient informs you that he is going to hurt someone?

Answer 17

1. detain patient
2. call police
3. notify and warm potential victim

Question 18

True or false. Parents can not withhold life or limb saving treatment from their child.

Answer 18

True (give blood transfusion to kid of Jehovah’s witness in case of emergency)

Question 19

Who should ask a patient or family member for consent for organs for organ transplant?

Answer 19

organ donor network

Question 20

True or False. Organ donor cards give an indication of patient’s wishes, but family can refuse organ donation even if patient has organ donor card.

Answer 20

True

Question 21

When can a patient’s confidentiality be broken? (4)

Answer 21

1. reportable diseases (STDs, HIV, TB)
2. court order
3. going to harm self/ others
4. child/ elder abuse

Question 22

When do you provide health-related protected records to government agencies (law enforcement, etc)?

Answer 22

have valid warrant or subpoena from courts

Question 23

True or False. HIV-positive healthcare worker does not have to disclose their status to their patients or their employers.

Answer 23

True

Question 24

True or false. Small gifts from patients are acceptable as long as they aren’t tied to specific treatment request.

Answer 24

True

Question 25

Is it ever acceptable to receive gift from pharmaceutical industry?

Answer 25

No

however can receive a meal in direct association with educational activities b/c not considered a gift