Professional Ethics and Standards Flashcards

A CDCES is asked by a patient to withhold their HbA1c results from their spouse who manages all family medical decisions. What is the correct approach?

Answer: Honor the patient's right to control their own health information

Adult patients have an autonomous right to control who receives their health information, regardless of family dynamics.

The CDCES credential requires how many continuing education hours over the 5-year renewal period?

Answer: 100 hours

CDCES certification renewal requires 100 continuing education hours, with at least 30 in diabetes-focused content, over the 5-year cycle.

A CDCES is teaching a group class when a patient discloses a very personal struggle with diabetes distress. What is the most ethical response?

Answer: Offer to speak privately after class and connect the patient with support resources

Protecting patient privacy and dignity requires transitioning sensitive disclosures to a private setting and offering appropriate support resources.

What does 'cultural humility' require of a CDCES when working with a patient from a different cultural background?

Answer: Continuously reflecting on personal biases and deferring to the patient's cultural knowledge

Cultural humility is an ongoing process of self-reflection, recognizing power imbalances, and centering the patient as the expert on their own cultural context.

A CDCES discovers an error in a patient's education record that was made by a colleague. What is the ethical obligation?

Answer: Correct the error with a dated notation and follow facility policies on error correction

Ethical record management requires correcting errors transparently with proper notation rather than concealment or destruction of records.

Which scenario represents an appropriate dual relationship for a CDCES?

Answer: Teaching diabetes education in a community class attended by a former patient

Incidental overlap in community settings is generally permissible when the professional relationship has ended and no undue influence exists.

When a CDCES disagrees with a physician's treatment recommendation for a patient, what is the most appropriate action?

Answer: Communicate concerns directly to the physician through appropriate professional channels

Professional ethics require raising clinical concerns through respectful, direct communication with the prescribing provider rather than unilateral action or silence.