Ethics and Ethical Dilemmas

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Questions and Answers

What type of consent is indicated by a patient's actions, such as arriving for an appointment?

Implied consent (correct)

Express consent

Explicit consent

Informed consent

Which document allows individuals to designate someone to make health care decisions on their behalf?

Health care surrogate (correct)

Advance directive

Living will

Power of attorney

What is considered battery in a healthcare context?

Threatening to treat without permission

Failing to obtain informed consent

Treating a patient without consent (correct)

Holding a patient against their will

What does the HIPAA Security Rule require from healthcare facilities?

Development of safeguards to protect patient information Signup and view all the answers

Under the Patient Self-Determination Act, what must health care facilities provide to adult patients?

Information about advance directives Signup and view all the answers

What constitutes fraud in the healthcare environment?

Filing insurance claims for unperformed services Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of reporting suspected abuse in healthcare?

To protect others from harm Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a requirement under HIPAA related to patient records?

Health facilities can disclose information without consent Signup and view all the answers

What principle is upheld when ensuring all patients receive the same level of care?

Justice Signup and view all the answers

What is an indicator of professional negligence that may lead to malpractice lawsuits?

Failing to meet a reasonable standard of care Signup and view all the answers

What is meant by ethical dilemmas?

Situations that have no clear answers or correct courses of action Signup and view all the answers

What primarily influences personal values?

Family, religion, education, and personal experience Signup and view all the answers

Which principle is NOT one of the guiding principles of health care ethics?

Maximize profit Signup and view all the answers

Which situation exemplifies a conflict between ethics and law?

Refusal of treatment by a patient Signup and view all the answers

What is the principle of respecting autonomy primarily concerned with?

Allowing patients to make their own decisions about care Signup and view all the answers

How do professional codes of ethics assist healthcare professionals?

They provide guidelines for handling complex issues Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'preserve life' encompass in ethical discussions?

Supporting life through artificial means or letting nature take its course Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements is accurate regarding euthanasia?

It is illegal in almost all states Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Ethics

Defines principles for determining right and wrong; aids in decision-making and resolving complex issues.
Influenced by religion, history, and collective human experiences.

Ethical Dilemmas

Situations lacking clear answers or correct actions, such as gun control and capital punishment.

Professional Codes of Ethics

Standards of conduct established for professions, guiding behavior in difficult situations.

Personal Values

Individual beliefs about what is important, shaped by family, religion, education, and personal experiences; does not equate to right or wrong.

Ethics and the Law

Ethics form the foundation for laws; however, laws may sometimes conflict with personal ethics and beliefs.

Guiding Principles of Health Care Ethics

Preserving life, doing good, respecting autonomy, upholding justice, being discreet, keeping promises, doing no harm, and being honest.

Preserve Life

No universal definition of life; societal acceptance grows for removing artificial life support under certain conditions (e.g., Terri Schiavo case).
Euthanasia remains largely illegal, despite discussions around relieving suffering (e.g., Brittany Maynard).

Do Good

Health professionals must prioritize the best interests of their patients.

Respect Autonomy

Patients have rights to make decisions about their care and to refuse treatment even if detrimental to their health.
Informed consent is crucial, involving detailed explanation of procedures.
Types of consent include implied (through actions), express (written), and specific considerations for surgical consent.

Assault: Threatening touch/treatment without permission is a crime.
Battery: Unconsented touching/treatment is illegal.
False imprisonment: Retaining a competent patient against their will.

Advance Directives

Under the Patient Self-Determination Act of 1991, healthcare facilities must inform adult patients about advance directives.
Directives can include designating a health care surrogate and creating living wills to express health care wishes.

Uphold Justice

Justice emphasizes fairness in healthcare, ensuring equal care for all patients.
Challenges include equitable resource distribution and healthcare service ranking.

Reporting Abuse

Mandated to protect individuals from harm; abuse must be reported to authorities, overriding patient confidentiality.

Be Discreet

Commitment to confidentiality; patients’ information requires written consent for disclosure.
HIPAA establishes national standards to safeguard patient privacy and specifies rights regarding medical records.

Be Discreet (continued)

Defamation: Unauthorized information disclosure harming another’s reputation.
Libel pertains to written disclosures, while slander involves verbal disclosures.

Keep Promises

Trust in professional relationships is built on keeping commitments.

Do No Harm

A fundamental responsibility for health care professionals; Good Samaritan laws provide legal protection in emergencies.
Malpractice arises from professional negligence, often linked to poor patient-provider relationships.

Be Honest

Integrity is key in interactions with coworkers and supervisors; fraud in healthcare includes unethical practices like billing for unperformed services or misrepresenting credentials.

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Description

Explore the principles of ethics, guiding decisions in complex situations including professional standards and personal values. This quiz delves into ethical dilemmas like gun control and capital punishment, and examines how ethics intersect with the law and health care practices.