Medical Ethics & Patient Rights Flashcards

A patient from a different cultural background declines cancer screening that their physician believes is medically necessary. The most ethically appropriate response is to:

Answer: Explore the cultural values influencing the decision while respecting autonomy

Culturally competent care requires understanding the values behind a patient's decision before taking any action, while ultimately respecting autonomous refusals.

The concept of 'therapeutic privilege' in medical ethics refers to:

Answer: Withholding information from a patient if disclosure would cause serious harm

Therapeutic privilege is the controversial practice of withholding information when a provider believes disclosure would cause severe psychological harm, though it is rarely ethically justified.

A nurse overhears a colleague sharing identifiable patient information in a hospital elevator. The nurse's BEST course of action is to:

Answer: Remind the colleague that PHI conversations in public areas violate HIPAA

HIPAA requires reasonable safeguards to prevent incidental disclosures, including avoiding PHI discussions in public or non-private areas.

Which of the following BEST describes the ethical concept of 'fidelity' in healthcare?

Answer: Keeping promises and honoring commitments made to patients

Fidelity requires healthcare providers to keep their promises and remain faithful to the commitments made to their patients.

A minor seeks confidential reproductive health services in a state that permits minors to consent to such care. Under HIPAA, parental access to these records is:

Answer: Governed by state law, and may be restricted if the minor consented independently

HIPAA defers to state law on minor consent; when state law allows minors to consent independently, parents may not automatically access those records.

A hospital is considering a policy to share patient data with a commercial partner for marketing purposes. Ethical review should prioritize:

Answer: Patient privacy, explicit consent, and whether the use aligns with patient expectations

Marketing use of PHI requires explicit patient authorization under HIPAA, and ethical review must center patient trust and privacy as primary values.

A patient who was previously enrolled in a clinical trial withdraws consent. The research team must:

Answer: Stop collecting new data and remove the participant from ongoing interventions

Upon withdrawal, researchers must stop further data collection and interventions; previously collected data use depends on the consent document terms.