C

chapter 3

Introduction to Health Care

  • Overview of the textbook: Haroun/Mitchell, Introduction to Health Care, 5th Edition (2021 Cengage).

Chapter 3: Ethical and Legal Responsibilities

  • Focus on ethics and legalities in health care settings.

Ethics

Definition

  • System of principles for determining right and wrong.

  • Guides decision-making in health care.

  • Varies among cultural groups and is influenced by religion, history, and collective experiences.

Ethical Dilemmas

  • Situations with no clear answers or correct courses of action.

  • Examples include gun control, capital punishment, and freedom of speech.

Ethics and the Law

  • Ethics underlie many legal principles.

  • Conflicts may arise between laws and individual ethics.

  • Laws can have unintended negative consequences.

Questions and Answers

Question 1

  • True or False: Some laws have harmful results.

Answer 1

  • True. Some laws can cause harm despite intentions to be fair.

Ethics and Health Care

Importance of Ethics

  • Many health care issues involve ethical decision-making.

  • Hippocratic Oath emphasizes medical ethics.

Current Ethical Topics

  • Impact of technology on health care decisions; definitions of life; care expenses; birth control; vaccinations.

Question 2

  • True or False: A good system of ethics will provide answers to most health care decisions.

Answer 2

  • False. Many health care issues have complex ethical dilemmas with no easy answers.

Professional Codes of Ethics

  • Standards for professional conduct to ensure high care quality.

  • Many organizations develop codes for handling difficult ethical issues.

Personal Values

  • Foundation for making decisions and guiding behavior.

  • Influenced by family, religion, education, and personal experiences.

  • Values can vary and are not inherently right or wrong.

Question 3

  • Which of the following is an example of a value?

    • A. Law protecting patient welfare

    • B. Professional behavior code

    • C. Personal belief in the necessity of education

Answer 3

  • C. Personal belief that education is necessary for a satisfying life is a value.

Guiding Principles of Health Care Ethics

Primary Principles

  • Preserve life.

  • Do good.

  • Respect autonomy.

  • Uphold justice.

Additional Ethical Obligations

  • Be honest.

  • Be discreet.

  • Keep promises.

  • Do no harm.

Preserve Life

Importance

  • Life is precious, with a need to preserve it through all means.

  • Ongoing debates over definitions of life and requests for euthanasia.

Legal Considerations

  • Dilemmas arise in organ transplantation, euthanasia, and resource rationing.

Question 4

  • True or False: It is illegal in most states to withdraw artificial life support.

Answer 4

  • False. Withdrawal is not illegal under certain conditions.

Do Good

  • Promote the welfare of others; basic health care duty.

  • Act in the best interest of patients.

Respect Autonomy

  • Right for patients to make their own health care decisions, including treatment refusals.

Consent in Healthcare

Types of Consent

General

  • Patient permission is required for treatment.

Types

  • Informed Consent: Clear explanation of procedures including risks.

  • Implied Consent: Indicated by patient actions.

  • Express Consent: Written agreement from the patient.

Legal Violations

  • Battery: Treating patients without consent.

  • Assault: Threatening to treat without permission.

  • False Imprisonment: Detaining competent patients against their will.

Question 6

  • An example of ______ is when a patient shows for a scheduled root canal.

    • A. Express consent

    • B. Implied consent

    • C. Informed consent

Answer 6

  • B. Implied consent.

Advance Directives

Importance and Types

  • Written instructions specifying health care desires:

    • Living Will: Outlines specific health care instructions.

    • Durable Power of Attorney: Authorizes individuals to make decisions on behalf of incapacitated persons.

Patient Self-Determination Act

  • Requires health care facilities to provide information about advance directives to patients.

Question 7

  • True or False: A patient must sign a living will upon admission to a hospital.

Answer 7

  • False. Patients are not required to create advance directives.

Uphold Justice

  • Justice in healthcare refers to fairness in the quality of care.

  • Dilemmas include equitable distribution of resources and ranking of services.

Reporting Abuse

Requirements

  • Protect others from harm by reporting abuse.

  • Must be reported to supervisors; patient confidentiality does not apply.

Laws That Support Healthcare

Key Legislation

  • Occupational Safety and Health Act: Ensures employee safety.

  • Controlled Substances Act: Regulates addictive drug use.

Fraud in Health Care

Definition and Examples

  • Involves dishonesty: e.g., improper insurance claims, selling ineffective treatments.

Be Discreet

  • Essential for preserving patient confidentiality; information must not be released without consent.

  • Follow HIPAA regulations to protect patient privacy.

Question 8

  • True or False: Health care facilities must develop confidentiality policies.

Answer 8

  • True.

Maintaining Patient Privacy

Importance

  • Close doors and curtains, and avoid discussing patients in public.

Confidentiality Issues

  • Dilemmas arise with public safety concerns, such as contagious diseases.

Keep Promises

  • Promises are essential for trust in health care relationships.

Contracts in Health Care

Components

  • Contracts consist of offers, acceptance, and consideration.

Types of Contracts

  • Express: Written or spoken agreements.

  • Implied: Formed through actions.

Breach of Contract

Definition

  • Occurs when one party fails to fulfill contractual obligations.

Question 9

  • Example of breach of contract: A patient refusing to pay due to dissatisfaction.

Answer 9

  • A patient refusing payment constitutes a breach.

Do No Harm

Definition

  • Core responsibility of healthcare professionals.

  • Negligence defined as failure to meet reasonable care standards.

Malpractice

Explanation

  • Professional negligence can lead to lawsuits.

Best Practices

  • Performing duties with care and treating patients respectfully.

Question 10

  • True or False: Poor communication leads to malpractice lawsuits.

Answer 10

  • True. It's a major contributor to litigation.

Laws That Protect

Good Samaritan Law

  • Protects those providing emergency care within their training scope.

Patient Rights

Legislation

  • Includes the Patient's Bill of Rights and protections under the Affordable Care Act.

Handling Ethical Dilemmas

Priority

  • Focus on patient well-being and responsibility in decision-making.

Resources

  • Consultations available with ethics committees, legal counsel, and professional associations.