Applied Law and Ethics in Health Care EXAM with
Questions and Answers/Plus a Rationale Updated 2026
A+/Instant Download PDF
Table of Contents
1. Principles of Biomedical Ethics
2. Patient Autonomy and Informed Consent
3. Legal Standards of Professional Negligence
4. Confidentiality and HIPAA Compliance
5. End-of-Life Decisions and Advance Directives
6. Ethical Issues in Resource Allocation
7. Professional Licensure and Regulatory Oversight
8. Research Ethics and Human Subjects Protection
1. A patient with decision-making capacity refuses a life-saving blood transfusion due to religious
beliefs. The attending physician insists on the procedure, arguing that the patient's long-term
survival is the medical priority. Which principle of biomedical ethics is being violated by the
physician?
A. Beneficence
B. Autonomy
, C. Non-maleficence
D. Justice
CORRECT ANSWER : B
Rationale: Autonomy dictates that a patient with capacity has the right to refuse treatment even
if that decision seems irrational to the provider. Beneficence requires acting in the patient's best
interest, but it does not override autonomy. Non-maleficence refers to the duty to do no harm,
and Justice refers to the fair distribution of resources; neither is the primary conflict here.
2. A nurse identifies that a colleague has documented vital signs that were never actually taken. The
nurse considers reporting this breach. Under legal standards of professional conduct, what is the
primary imperative?
A. Maintaining institutional loyalty
B. Ensuring accurate medical records for patient safety
C. Allowing the colleague a chance for self-correction
D. Avoiding personal conflict within the unit
CORRECT ANSWER : B
Rationale: Accurate documentation is a fundamental legal and ethical requirement for patient
safety and continuity of care; falsifying records is professional misconduct. Institutional loyalty
does not supersede the legal duty to maintain accurate patient records. Internal resolution is
insufficient when professional integrity and patient safety are compromised.
3. A physician is sued for medical malpractice. To prevail, the plaintiff must prove all of the
following elements EXCEPT:
A. Duty of care
B. Breach of duty
C. Intent to cause harm
D. Causation and damages
CORRECT ANSWER : C
Rationale: Medical malpractice is typically based on negligence, which does not require proof of
intent to harm, but rather a deviation from the standard of care. Duty, breach, causation, and
, damages are the four necessary elements to establish a successful negligence claim. Requiring
intent would change the case to an intentional tort, which is distinct from standard malpractice.
4. A health information manager is asked to release patient records to a life insurance company.
The patient has not signed an explicit release form for this specific purpose. What is the correct
legal action?
A. Release the information to maintain positive business relations
B. Deny the request to remain compliant with HIPAA privacy rules
C. Release the records only if the insurance company pays a fee
D. Ask the patient’s family for permission instead
CORRECT ANSWER : B
Rationale: Under HIPAA, a patient’s protected health information cannot be released to third
parties like life insurance companies without a signed, specific authorization from the patient.
Releasing it without authorization violates federal law, regardless of business relations or fees.
Family members do not have the legal authority to consent to the release of records for a patient
who has capacity.
5. A terminally ill patient requests physician-assisted suicide in a jurisdiction where it is illegal.
The physician believes the patient is suffering immensely and feels morally obligated to assist.
What is the legal outcome for the physician?
A. Protected under the principle of mercy
B. Subject to criminal prosecution for homicide
C. Protected if the patient provides written consent
D. Subject only to civil malpractice claims
CORRECT ANSWER : B
Rationale: In jurisdictions where physician-assisted suicide is prohibited by law, the act is
considered a crime, regardless of the physician's moral motives or the patient's desire to end
suffering. Written consent does not provide a legal defense against criminal charges. It is treated
as homicide or manslaughter, not mere malpractice.
6. A hospital administration is forced to triage ICU beds during a pandemic. They implement a
policy prioritizing patients with the highest probability of recovery. Which ethical framework is
being applied?
, A. Deontology
B. Utilitarianism
C. Virtue Ethics
D. Egoism
CORRECT ANSWER : B
Rationale: Utilitarianism focuses on achieving the greatest good for the greatest number of
people, which is the underlying logic of triage protocols during crises. Deontology focuses on
duties and rules, which might conflict with triage. Virtue ethics focuses on the character of the
moral agent, and Egoism focuses on self-interest; neither justifies systemic triage policies.
7. A patient with advanced dementia lacks an advance directive and is unable to communicate. The
family is divided on whether to proceed with a feeding tube. What should be the first step for the
clinical ethics committee?
A. Search for a legal surrogate or power of attorney
B. Defer to the hospital’s chaplain
C. Perform the procedure to avoid potential lawsuit
D. Ask the attending physician to make the final choice
CORRECT ANSWER : A
Rationale: When a patient lacks capacity, the legal priority is to identify a previously appointed
health care proxy or surrogate decision-maker. Deferring to the physician or chaplain ignores
the legal hierarchy of decision-making. Proceeding without consent violates the legal and ethical
requirement for informed authorization.
8. An orthopedic surgeon performs a procedure on the wrong limb. This is classified as a "never
event." What legal principle establishes that the hospital is also liable for the surgeon's error?
A. Res ipsa loquitur
B. Respondeat superior
C. Stare decisis
D. Habeas corpus
CORRECT ANSWER : B
Questions and Answers/Plus a Rationale Updated 2026
A+/Instant Download PDF
Table of Contents
1. Principles of Biomedical Ethics
2. Patient Autonomy and Informed Consent
3. Legal Standards of Professional Negligence
4. Confidentiality and HIPAA Compliance
5. End-of-Life Decisions and Advance Directives
6. Ethical Issues in Resource Allocation
7. Professional Licensure and Regulatory Oversight
8. Research Ethics and Human Subjects Protection
1. A patient with decision-making capacity refuses a life-saving blood transfusion due to religious
beliefs. The attending physician insists on the procedure, arguing that the patient's long-term
survival is the medical priority. Which principle of biomedical ethics is being violated by the
physician?
A. Beneficence
B. Autonomy
, C. Non-maleficence
D. Justice
CORRECT ANSWER : B
Rationale: Autonomy dictates that a patient with capacity has the right to refuse treatment even
if that decision seems irrational to the provider. Beneficence requires acting in the patient's best
interest, but it does not override autonomy. Non-maleficence refers to the duty to do no harm,
and Justice refers to the fair distribution of resources; neither is the primary conflict here.
2. A nurse identifies that a colleague has documented vital signs that were never actually taken. The
nurse considers reporting this breach. Under legal standards of professional conduct, what is the
primary imperative?
A. Maintaining institutional loyalty
B. Ensuring accurate medical records for patient safety
C. Allowing the colleague a chance for self-correction
D. Avoiding personal conflict within the unit
CORRECT ANSWER : B
Rationale: Accurate documentation is a fundamental legal and ethical requirement for patient
safety and continuity of care; falsifying records is professional misconduct. Institutional loyalty
does not supersede the legal duty to maintain accurate patient records. Internal resolution is
insufficient when professional integrity and patient safety are compromised.
3. A physician is sued for medical malpractice. To prevail, the plaintiff must prove all of the
following elements EXCEPT:
A. Duty of care
B. Breach of duty
C. Intent to cause harm
D. Causation and damages
CORRECT ANSWER : C
Rationale: Medical malpractice is typically based on negligence, which does not require proof of
intent to harm, but rather a deviation from the standard of care. Duty, breach, causation, and
, damages are the four necessary elements to establish a successful negligence claim. Requiring
intent would change the case to an intentional tort, which is distinct from standard malpractice.
4. A health information manager is asked to release patient records to a life insurance company.
The patient has not signed an explicit release form for this specific purpose. What is the correct
legal action?
A. Release the information to maintain positive business relations
B. Deny the request to remain compliant with HIPAA privacy rules
C. Release the records only if the insurance company pays a fee
D. Ask the patient’s family for permission instead
CORRECT ANSWER : B
Rationale: Under HIPAA, a patient’s protected health information cannot be released to third
parties like life insurance companies without a signed, specific authorization from the patient.
Releasing it without authorization violates federal law, regardless of business relations or fees.
Family members do not have the legal authority to consent to the release of records for a patient
who has capacity.
5. A terminally ill patient requests physician-assisted suicide in a jurisdiction where it is illegal.
The physician believes the patient is suffering immensely and feels morally obligated to assist.
What is the legal outcome for the physician?
A. Protected under the principle of mercy
B. Subject to criminal prosecution for homicide
C. Protected if the patient provides written consent
D. Subject only to civil malpractice claims
CORRECT ANSWER : B
Rationale: In jurisdictions where physician-assisted suicide is prohibited by law, the act is
considered a crime, regardless of the physician's moral motives or the patient's desire to end
suffering. Written consent does not provide a legal defense against criminal charges. It is treated
as homicide or manslaughter, not mere malpractice.
6. A hospital administration is forced to triage ICU beds during a pandemic. They implement a
policy prioritizing patients with the highest probability of recovery. Which ethical framework is
being applied?
, A. Deontology
B. Utilitarianism
C. Virtue Ethics
D. Egoism
CORRECT ANSWER : B
Rationale: Utilitarianism focuses on achieving the greatest good for the greatest number of
people, which is the underlying logic of triage protocols during crises. Deontology focuses on
duties and rules, which might conflict with triage. Virtue ethics focuses on the character of the
moral agent, and Egoism focuses on self-interest; neither justifies systemic triage policies.
7. A patient with advanced dementia lacks an advance directive and is unable to communicate. The
family is divided on whether to proceed with a feeding tube. What should be the first step for the
clinical ethics committee?
A. Search for a legal surrogate or power of attorney
B. Defer to the hospital’s chaplain
C. Perform the procedure to avoid potential lawsuit
D. Ask the attending physician to make the final choice
CORRECT ANSWER : A
Rationale: When a patient lacks capacity, the legal priority is to identify a previously appointed
health care proxy or surrogate decision-maker. Deferring to the physician or chaplain ignores
the legal hierarchy of decision-making. Proceeding without consent violates the legal and ethical
requirement for informed authorization.
8. An orthopedic surgeon performs a procedure on the wrong limb. This is classified as a "never
event." What legal principle establishes that the hospital is also liable for the surgeon's error?
A. Res ipsa loquitur
B. Respondeat superior
C. Stare decisis
D. Habeas corpus
CORRECT ANSWER : B
