Ethical and Legal Principles Flashcards
7 cards from real CARN practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Ethical and Legal Principles flashcards as text
A patient in an addiction treatment program requests that their employer not be informed of their diagnosis. Which federal regulation primarily protects this confidentiality?
Answer: 42 CFR Part 2
42 CFR Part 2 provides stricter confidentiality protections specifically for substance use disorder treatment records than general HIPAA rules.
Under 42 CFR Part 2, which of the following disclosures is permitted WITHOUT patient consent?
Answer: Medical emergency involving immediate threat to life
42 CFR Part 2 permits disclosure without consent in a bona fide medical emergency when the patient's life is at immediate risk.
A CARN discovers that a colleague is diverting opioid medications intended for addiction treatment patients. What is the nurse's primary ethical and legal obligation?
Answer: Document the behavior and report to the nursing supervisor and appropriate authorities
Nurses have a legal and ethical duty to report suspected drug diversion to protect patient safety and comply with state reporting laws.
Which ethical principle is MOST at stake when a nurse provides inaccurate information about the risks of medication-assisted treatment to steer a patient toward a preferred abstinence-only program?
Answer: Veracity
Veracity (truth-telling) is violated when a nurse provides inaccurate or incomplete information that influences a patient's treatment decision.
A patient with opioid use disorder is court-ordered to treatment but refuses medication-assisted treatment on religious grounds. The ethical principle most relevant to honoring this refusal is:
Answer: Autonomy
Autonomy supports a patient's right to refuse treatment, including specific modalities, even when court-ordered for the treatment program itself.
A CARN is asked to sign documentation attesting to treatment services that were not actually provided. This action would constitute:
Answer: Healthcare fraud
Signing attestations for services not rendered constitutes healthcare fraud, which is illegal and violates professional ethics.
When a patient threatens to harm a specific, identifiable third party, a nurse's legal duty under Tarasoff principles requires:
Answer: Warning the potential victim and notifying appropriate authorities
Tarasoff establishes a duty to warn identifiable potential victims when a credible threat of harm exists, overriding typical confidentiality.