Professionalism and Ethics Flashcards

Which of the following is an example of maintaining professional appearance standards?

Answer: Wearing clean, properly fitting scrubs and minimal jewelry

Professional appearance standards in clinical settings require clean attire, minimal jewelry, and neat grooming.

An advance directive should be honored because it reflects the principle of:

Answer: Autonomy

Advance directives are documents expressing patient wishes when they cannot speak for themselves, reflecting autonomy.

A medical assistant receives an expensive gift from a grateful patient. The best course of action is to:

Answer: Decline politely, explaining facility policy on gifts

Most healthcare facilities prohibit accepting valuable gifts to maintain professional boundaries and avoid conflicts of interest.

What is the purpose of a code of ethics in healthcare?

Answer: To establish standards of conduct that guide professional behavior

A code of ethics provides a framework of values and standards that guide professional decision-making and behavior.

Which scenario represents a dual-role conflict of interest for a medical assistant?

Answer: Handling billing for a family member who is a patient at the facility

Processing financial or clinical information for a family member creates a conflict of interest that compromises objectivity.

Veracity as an ethical principle in healthcare means:

Answer: Being truthful and honest in all patient interactions

Veracity requires healthcare professionals to be truthful with patients, even when information is difficult to share.

A medical assistant who witnesses a HIPAA violation by a supervisor should:

Answer: Report the violation through proper internal channels or to the HHS Office for Civil Rights

HIPAA violations must be reported internally or to HHS OCR; whistleblower protections exist for good-faith reporters.