Patient Safety & Ethical Practices Flashcards
7 cards from real ABEM practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Patient Safety & Ethical Practices flashcards as text
A patient with a pacemaker is referred for nerve conduction studies. Which precaution is MOST important?
Answer: Avoid stimulation near the pacemaker generator and leads
Electrical stimulation should be kept away from the pacemaker generator and lead pathways to prevent inappropriate inhibition or triggering.
During EMG, a patient discloses they are currently taking warfarin. Which needle technique modification is MOST appropriate?
Answer: Use smaller gauge needles and minimize needle passes
Smaller gauge needles and fewer passes reduce bleeding risk in anticoagulated patients while still allowing a diagnostic study.
Informed consent for electrodiagnostic studies should include all of the following EXCEPT:
Answer: The interpreter's opinion on the likely diagnosis
The interpreter's diagnostic opinion is not a required element of informed consent, which focuses on procedure details, risks, and patient rights.
A referring physician requests an electrodiagnostic report that emphasizes findings supporting a specific diagnosis he has already given the patient. The most ethical response is to:
Answer: Report all findings objectively regardless of the referring physician's preference
Electrodiagnosticians have an independent professional obligation to report findings accurately and objectively.
Which of the following best describes the principle of beneficence as applied in electrodiagnostic medicine?
Answer: Performing only those studies that are likely to benefit the patient clinically
Beneficence requires the clinician to act in the patient's best interest by performing clinically indicated studies.
An electrodiagnostician discovers incidental EMG findings suggesting ALS in a patient referred only for carpal tunnel evaluation. The most appropriate action is to:
Answer: Inform the patient and referring physician and recommend appropriate follow-up
Incidental clinically significant findings must be disclosed to the patient and referring physician with appropriate guidance for follow-up.
A patient refuses needle EMG after consenting to nerve conduction studies only. The electrodiagnostician should:
Answer: Respect the refusal and complete only the nerve conduction studies, documenting the limitation
Patient autonomy requires respecting refusal; the study is completed as permitted and limitations are documented in the report.