Ethics & Professional Standards Flashcards
7 cards from real COM practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Ethics & Professional Standards flashcards as text
A COM learns that a peer is practicing without maintaining required continuing education credits. What is the most appropriate action?
Answer: Privately encourage the peer to meet requirements and report to the licensing body if unresolved
Encouraging compliance and reporting unresolved violations protects the profession and the public.
Which of the following best defines 'professional accountability' for a COM?
Answer: Taking responsibility for one's clinical decisions, errors, and outcomes
Professional accountability means owning one's actions, including errors, and taking corrective steps when necessary.
A COM is offered a financial incentive by a device company to recommend their oral appliance to patients. This arrangement is ethically problematic because:
Answer: It creates a conflict of interest that may bias clinical recommendations
Financial incentives from vendors create conflicts of interest that can compromise impartial clinical recommendations.
Terminating care for a patient who has been non-compliant with home exercises should include which essential step?
Answer: Providing a written notice and adequate time for the patient to find alternative care
Ethical termination of care requires written notice, transition support, and reasonable time for the patient to secure alternative services.
Which activity best supports a COM's commitment to evidence-based practice as an ethical obligation?
Answer: Regularly reviewing current peer-reviewed research and integrating findings into practice
Staying current with peer-reviewed literature ensures that clinical practice reflects the best available evidence.
A COM is treating an adult patient who is also a personal acquaintance. The patient shares confidential personal information during treatment. The COM should:
Answer: Maintain strict confidentiality and document the dual relationship
Confidentiality obligations apply regardless of the personal relationship, and dual relationships must be carefully documented.
A COM's social media post inadvertently reveals a patient's identity and treatment. Under HIPAA, this constitutes:
Answer: A breach of Protected Health Information (PHI) requiring breach notification
Any unauthorized disclosure of PHI, including indirect identifiers, constitutes a HIPAA breach requiring notification.