Professionalism & Ethical Medical Practice Flashcards
7 cards from real ABPS practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Professionalism & Ethical Medical Practice flashcards as text
A physician who is HIV-positive wishes to continue performing invasive surgical procedures. The primary ethical consideration is:
Answer: Balancing the physician's right to practice with the duty to prevent patient harm
The physician's welfare must be balanced against the duty to protect patients, typically through consultation with occupational health and infectious disease specialists.
Which situation represents an appropriate use of placebo therapy?
Answer: Using open-label placebo after full patient consent and education
Open-label placebo use with full patient consent is ethically permissible and has demonstrated efficacy in certain conditions.
A patient with end-stage dementia has no advance directive. The surrogate requests aggressive life-sustaining treatment. The physician believes this is not in the patient's best interest. The best course of action is:
Answer: Engage the surrogate in shared decision-making focused on patient's prior values
Shared decision-making with the surrogate, incorporating the patient's known values and best interest standard, is the appropriate approach in this scenario.
The Tarasoff duty requires physicians to:
Answer: Warn identifiable third parties of credible threats made by patients
The Tarasoff doctrine obligates clinicians to protect identifiable potential victims when a patient makes a credible, specific threat of violence.
When a physician has a conscientious objection to a legal medical procedure, the ethical obligation is to:
Answer: Inform the patient and provide a timely referral to a willing provider
A physician may decline services based on conscience but must inform the patient and ensure access to care through referral.
Which scenario best illustrates moral distress in a healthcare setting?
Answer: A nurse who believes a patient's care is futile but is required to continue aggressive treatment
Moral distress occurs when a clinician knows the ethically correct action but institutional constraints prevent them from taking it.
Under HIPAA, which of the following is a permitted disclosure without patient authorization?
Answer: Reporting a communicable disease to public health authorities
HIPAA permits disclosure to public health authorities for disease surveillance and reporting without patient authorization.