AP Safety, Clean Needle Technique & Ethics 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When a patient discloses they are HIV-positive, the acupuncturist's primary obligation is to:
- Refuse treatment to protect staff
- Maintain confidentiality and use standard precautions (Correct answer)
- Inform other patients in the waiting area
- Require written consent from the patient's physician
Correct answer: Maintain confidentiality and use standard precautions
Standard (universal) precautions are applied to ALL patients regardless of known infection status, and patient HIV status is strictly confidential.
Question 2: Which of the following best describes the 'one-handed scoop' technique in acupuncture practice?
- A method to recap needles safely using only one hand (Correct answer)
- A technique for inserting needles into deep tissue
- A way to dispose of sharps with one hand while holding the patient
- A guide tube insertion method
Correct answer: A method to recap needles safely using only one hand
The one-handed scoop technique allows practitioners to recap a needle using only one hand, minimizing the risk of needlestick injury.
Question 3: A patient requests that their acupuncturist share treatment details with their chiropractor. The acupuncturist should:
- Decline, as HIPAA prohibits sharing between providers
- Obtain a signed written authorization from the patient first (Correct answer)
- Share verbally since both are licensed healthcare providers
- Share only diagnosis, never treatment details
Correct answer: Obtain a signed written authorization from the patient first
A signed written authorization from the patient is required before disclosing protected health information (PHI) to another provider outside a direct treatment relationship.
Question 4: The BEST location for a sharps disposal container in a treatment room is:
- On the floor near the treatment table
- Mounted at point-of-use, within arm's reach of the practitioner (Correct answer)
- In a locked cabinet to prevent patient access
- In the hallway outside the treatment room
Correct answer: Mounted at point-of-use, within arm's reach of the practitioner
Sharps containers should be placed at the point of use so needles can be immediately and safely disposed of without recapping or carrying.
Question 5: An acupuncturist discovers that a colleague is practicing while impaired by alcohol. The most appropriate first action is to:
- Ignore it as it is not their professional responsibility
- Report the concern to the state licensing board (Correct answer)
- Warn only the patients currently scheduled with that colleague
- Confront the colleague publicly in front of staff
Correct answer: Report the concern to the state licensing board
Practitioners have an ethical and often legal obligation to report impaired colleagues to the relevant licensing authority to protect public safety.
Question 6: Which statement about moxa (moxibustion) safety is CORRECT?
- Moxa cones can be placed directly on skin without risk if the patient feels comfortable
- Patients with impaired sensation are at higher risk of moxa burns and require closer monitoring (Correct answer)
- Indirect moxa carries the same burn risk as direct moxa
- Carbon monoxide from moxa smoke is not a clinical concern indoors
Correct answer: Patients with impaired sensation are at higher risk of moxa burns and require closer monitoring
Patients with diabetic neuropathy, spinal cord injury, or other sensory deficits cannot reliably report heat intensity, increasing burn risk during moxibustion.
Question 7: Under the NCCAOM Code of Ethics, a practitioner who recognizes their own personal bias toward a patient should:
- Continue treatment without disclosure since bias does not affect needling technique
- Refer the patient to another qualified practitioner if bias impairs objectivity (Correct answer)
- Document the bias in the chart but proceed with treatment
- Discuss the bias openly with the patient before each session
Correct answer: Refer the patient to another qualified practitioner if bias impairs objectivity
When personal bias compromises the practitioner's ability to provide competent, objective care, referral to another provider is the ethical obligation.
AP Safety, Clean Needle Technique & Ethics 2
When a patient discloses they are HIV-positive, the acupuncturist's primary obligation is to: