CBS Professional Ethics & Communication 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A CBS is working with a mother who expresses strong religious objections to any supplementation. The infant shows signs of dehydration. What is the MOST appropriate action?
- Respect the mother's wishes and take no further action
- Explain the medical risks clearly and recommend immediate evaluation by a healthcare provider (Correct answer)
- Contact child protective services immediately without informing the mother
- Provide supplementation without the mother's consent to protect the infant
Correct answer: Explain the medical risks clearly and recommend immediate evaluation by a healthcare provider
A CBS must prioritize infant safety by clearly communicating risks and referring to a healthcare provider while respecting the mother's autonomy within safe limits.
Question 2: Which of the following BEST describes the concept of 'scope of practice' for a Certified Breastfeeding Specialist?
- The geographic region in which a CBS is licensed to practice
- The range of services a CBS is competent and authorized to provide based on training and certification (Correct answer)
- The number of clients a CBS can serve simultaneously
- The types of insurance a CBS is permitted to bill
Correct answer: The range of services a CBS is competent and authorized to provide based on training and certification
Scope of practice defines the specific services, procedures, and actions a CBS is trained, competent, and authorized to perform.
Question 3: A mother asks a CBS to keep her breastfeeding difficulties secret from her obstetrician. The CBS should:
- Agree to full confidentiality as the client's wishes are paramount
- Explain the limits of confidentiality and encourage open communication with her healthcare team (Correct answer)
- Immediately disclose all information to the obstetrician without the mother's knowledge
- Refuse to continue providing support unless the mother consents to disclosure
Correct answer: Explain the limits of confidentiality and encourage open communication with her healthcare team
A CBS should clarify confidentiality boundaries and encourage the mother to share relevant information with her care team to ensure coordinated, safe care.
Question 4: When documenting a breastfeeding support session, a CBS should PRIMARILY ensure that notes are:
- Detailed enough to bill insurance at the highest possible rate
- Accurate, objective, timely, and relevant to the client's breastfeeding goals (Correct answer)
- Written in technical jargon to demonstrate professional competence
- Shared immediately on social media to raise breastfeeding awareness
Correct answer: Accurate, objective, timely, and relevant to the client's breastfeeding goals
Documentation should be accurate, objective, timely, and focused on information relevant to supporting the client's breastfeeding journey.
Question 5: A CBS discovers that a colleague is providing breastfeeding advice that is inconsistent with current evidence-based guidelines. The BEST first step is to:
- Report the colleague to licensing authorities immediately
- Discuss the concern directly with the colleague in a respectful, private manner (Correct answer)
- Ignore the situation to avoid workplace conflict
- Warn all shared clients about the colleague's practices
Correct answer: Discuss the concern directly with the colleague in a respectful, private manner
Addressing concerns directly and respectfully with a colleague is the appropriate first step before escalating to formal reporting mechanisms.
Question 6: Which ethical principle is MOST closely associated with a CBS's obligation to avoid causing harm to clients?
- Autonomy
- Justice
- Nonmaleficence (Correct answer)
- Beneficence
Correct answer: Nonmaleficence
Nonmaleficence is the ethical principle of 'do no harm,' obligating practitioners to avoid actions that could injure or harm their clients.
Question 7: A CBS receives a gift basket from a formula company in exchange for recommending their product to clients. This situation MOST directly violates which professional standard?
- Continuing education requirements
- Conflict of interest and independence standards (Correct answer)
- Documentation protocols
- Referral network guidelines
Correct answer: Conflict of interest and independence standards
Accepting gifts in exchange for product recommendations creates a conflict of interest that compromises professional independence and client trust.
CBS Professional Ethics & Communication 2
A CBS is working with a mother who expresses strong religious objections to any supplementation.
The infant shows signs of dehydration.
What is the MOST appropriate action?