COMLEX Medical Law/Ethics Questions with Correct Answers

What are the reportable disease in most US states? - ANSWERSHepA HepB Syphilis Gonorrhea Mumps Measles Rubella Tuberculosis Salmonellosis Shigellosis E.Coli (think food outbreaks) AIDS (not HIV) Varicella Meningitis ***easily spread and/or dangerous diseases need to be reported True or False: Parents can refuse to have their child receive Chemotherapy - ANSWERSFalse- if parents refuse consent for treatment for a non-emergent, but fatal medical condition the physical should obtain a court order In terms of consent, if both parents (who are divorced) have custody of a child, do both need to give consent for the child to be treated? - ANSWERSNo- only one parent needs to consent for treatment What classifies one as an emancipated minor? - ANSWERSHomeless Parent (i.e. 16yo mother) Married Military Finically independent High School Graduate What medical circumstances do minor not need parental consent? - ANSWERSemergency care STIs substance abuse prenatal care How long does a physician have to release records when requested by a patient? - ANSWERS30 days What is the difference between competency and capacity? - ANSWERSCompetency= legal definition Capacity= medical definition --ability to make decisions on their own What is the Hospice Model? - ANSWERS-focus on quality of life (not life prolongation) -symptomatic control (i.e. pain, N/V, anxiety, depression) -interdisciplinary team (medical, nursing, psychosocial, spiritual, bereavement care) -services provided at home, assisted living, or dedicated facility -requires a survival prognosis of 6mo What are the 2 components of an advance directive? - ANSWERS1. Living will 2. Durable power of attorney What happens if a durable power of attorney disagrees with the patients living will? - ANSWERS(the living will must ultimately be honored) 1st Step= meet with family and discuss situation (while providing supportive care) and review living will 2nd Step=if conflicts arise- consult hospital's ethics committee. What is the most common cause of medical errors? - ANSWERSMiscommunication between providers True or False? A physician can respond to an employers request for health information if given verbal permission by the patient? - ANSWERSTrue- physicians can respond to an employers request for health information either by a verbal or written consent. Is it legal/ethical for students to practice medical procedures on recently deceased patients? - ANSWERSYes- the attending physician must obtain permission from the family (or patient prior to death) before a student can perform procedures. The training must be a structured training sequence and performed under close supervision. True or False? A pregnant mother who has the capacity to chose has the right to refuse treatment even if it places her unborn child at risk. - ANSWERSTrue Autonomy - ANSWERSAutonomy is the right or capacity to make one's own rational decisions, using one's own value system, and act on those decisions, without undue coercion from other people or influences. Thus autonomy requires an adequate degree of freedom of thought and action. Beneficence - ANSWERSOne should act in such a way that it produces beneficial results. Usually in health care, beneficence is interpreted as a health care professional's duty to act in a manner that in their best judgement will benefit the patient. Euthanasia - ANSWERSEuthanasia is intentionally causing the death of a person, the motive being to benefit that person, honor his/her wishes, or protect him/her from further suffering. If the motive is other than the interests of the patient, then it does not qualify as euthanasia (i.e. cost-cutting, triage, etc.). Active Euthanasia - ANSWERSActive is providing or doing something that directly causes the patient's death. (i.e. giving lethal medication, withdrawing a ventilator when the patient is still paralyzed from medication, delivering carbon monoxide, etc.). Passive Euthanasia - ANSWERSPassive is when one has a treatment with a good chance of preventing or delaying a patient's death and does not use it (i.e. withdrawing or withholding a ventilator in a patient with an underlying condition that makes it difficult or impossible to breathe without assistance, withdrawing or withholding medication necessary to keep the patient's blood pressure up, not treating pneumonia in a patient with PVS, etc.). Fidelity - ANSWERSFidelity (loyalty and/or promise-keeping) - In some cases this term is used to describe a duty to be loyal. In other instances it is used to refer to the duty to keep one's promises. With managed care contracts and the increase in institutional affiliations, more health care professionals are finding themselves in situations where they have to choose between honoring a contractual obligation or doing what they believe is in the patient's best interests. They may also find that their obligations to different third parties conflict Nonmaleficence (Primum Non Nocere) - ANSWERS"Above all, do no harm." 1. A health care professional has a duty to avoid harming his/her patient. 2. A health care professional has a duty to prevent any harm to the patient Paternalism - ANSWERSActing like a parent towards another. Paternalism is where person A decides to treat Person B in accordance with what Person A believes to be in Person B's best interests, regardless of Person B's wishes. This is done out of beneficent motives for Person B. Person A assumes that he/she knows what is best for person B. Paternalism weighs patient well-being more highly than patient autonomy. Furthermore, it does not recognize the subjectivity of well-being and individual values.