Ethics & Professional Standards Flashcards
7 cards from real AP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Ethics & Professional Standards flashcards as text
A patient discloses they are using herbal supplements purchased online that may interact with their current medications. What is the acupuncture physician's primary ethical obligation?
Answer: Document the supplements and inform the prescribing physician with patient consent
The acupuncturist must document potential interactions and coordinate care with the prescribing provider, requiring informed patient consent to share information.
Which principle of biomedical ethics requires an acupuncture physician to provide truthful information about the expected outcomes of treatment?
Answer: Veracity
Veracity is the ethical duty to tell the truth, including honest disclosure of treatment prognosis and limitations.
An acupuncture physician posts before-and-after photos of a patient on social media without written authorization. This violates:
Answer: HIPAA Privacy Rule and professional ethics standards
Sharing identifiable patient images without written authorization violates HIPAA's Privacy Rule and breaches the ethical duty of confidentiality.
When must an acupuncture physician obtain written informed consent rather than verbal consent?
Answer: Before any treatment that carries significant risk, or as required by state law and facility policy
Written informed consent is required for higher-risk procedures and whenever state law or facility policy mandates documentation.
A licensed acupuncture physician learns that a colleague is practicing under the influence of alcohol. The most appropriate first step is to:
Answer: Address the concern with the colleague privately and, if unresolved, report to the appropriate authority
Professional ethics require addressing impairment concerns first through collegial conversation and escalating to licensing authorities if patient safety remains at risk.
A patient who has completed a course of acupuncture treatment asks the physician to be friends on social media. The most ethically appropriate response is to:
Answer: Decline and explain that maintaining professional boundaries protects both parties
Post-treatment social media connections can blur professional boundaries and potentially compromise the therapeutic relationship if care resumes.
Under the ethical principle of justice, an acupuncture physician should:
Answer: Distribute health resources and treatment fairly without discrimination
Justice requires fair and equitable treatment of all patients without discrimination based on race, gender, socioeconomic status, or other protected characteristics.