Patient Care for CT - Ethical, Legal, and Clinical Monitoring

Flashcards covering ethical, legal, and clinical monitoring aspects of patient care in Computed Tomography (CT).

Informed Consent

A valid consent requiring that the patient be mentally competent, of legal age, adequately informed in lay terms, and offering consent voluntarily.

Implied Consent

Consent that is not expressly granted but rather implicitly granted by a person’s actions, silence, or inaction.

HIPAA

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act; legislation that mandates patient healthcare information and records be held confidential.

Advance Directive

A document in which a person states choices for medical treatment or designates a decision-maker if they lose decision-making capacity.

Living Will

A written document directing that life-sustaining measures be withheld or withdrawn if the patient has a terminal condition.

Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare (DPOA)

A document in which an individual names someone else to make healthcare decisions if the individual becomes unable to make them.

Health Care Proxy

A trusted person designated by the patient to make healthcare decisions and sign consent forms when the patient is unable to speak.

DNR

Do Not Resuscitate; an agreement between a physician and patient/representative that may be filed when the patient's condition is terminal or quality of life has declined.

Torts

A type of law under which suits are brought against healthcare workers for unintentional acts or civil wrongs that fall below the standard of care.

Assault

The threat of touching in an injurious way that causes the patient to feel apprehensive about being injured.

Battery

The intentional touching or use of force without permission, such as imaging the wrong patient or performing a procedure against a patient’s will.

Negligence

The neglect or omission of reasonable care or caution.

Respondeat Superior

A legal doctrine meaning 'Let the master answer,' where the employer is responsible for the acts of the employee within the scope of employment.

Res Ipsa Loquitor

A doctrine meaning 'The thing speaks for itself,' applicable when the harm could not have occurred without negligent conduct under the defendant's exclusive control.

Spoliation

The intentional destruction or alteration of medical records and evidence without legitimate authorization.

Doctrine of Double Effect

Explains that a harmful side effect of a beneficial action is permissible if the harm is not intended and the good effect is what was intended.

Ethics

The science of human behavior used to systemize principles of morally correct conduct.

Aphasia

A defect or loss of language function where comprehension or expression is impaired due to injury to the brain's language center.

Maslow’s Theory (Physiologic Needs)

The most basic human needs including food, shelter, air, water, sleep, and sexual fulfillment.

Grieving Process

A five-stage process consisting of denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.

Metformin (Glucophage)

A diabetic medication that must be stopped at or prior to CT studies with IV contrast and withheld for $48\,\text{hours}$ afterward.

Log Roll

A transfer technique requiring $4$ to $5$ people, used for patients with known or suspected spinal injuries.

Nonrebreathing Mask

An oxygen delivery device with a one-way valve that can supply up to $100\%$ oxygen concentration.

Standard Adult Oral Temperature

The normal reading is $37^\circ\text{C}$ or $98.6^\circ\text{F}$.

Tachycardia

A rapid heart rate exceeding $100\,\text{b/min}$.

Bradycardia

A slow heart rate below $60\,\text{b/min}$.

Orthopnea

The ability to breathe easier only when in the upright or erect position, often seen in COPD patients.

Hypoxia

Decreased oxygen in the blood, indicated by a pulse oximetry reading of $85\%$ or lower.

Sphygmomanometer

An instrument used to measure blood pressure in millimeters of mercury ($\text{mm Hg}$).

Hypertension

High blood pressure defined as a systolic measurement over $140\,\text{mm Hg}$ or diastolic over $90\,\text{mm Hg}$.

Pulse Oximeter (Capnometer)

A device used to monitor oxygen saturation of hemoglobin ($SaO_2$), with normal values between $95\%$ and $100\%$.

Invasive Procedure Blood Tests

Tests such as Prothrombin time (PT), International normalized ratio (INR), and Platelet count used to assess hemorrhaging risk.