CLT Medical Ethics & Patient Rights 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient verbally consents to a blood draw but then pulls their arm away during the procedure. What is the most appropriate action for the laboratory technologist?
- Stop the procedure and reassess patient willingness (Correct answer)
- Continue quickly to minimize discomfort
- Restrain the arm gently to complete the draw
- Document the refusal and proceed anyway
Correct answer: Stop the procedure and reassess patient willingness
Physical withdrawal indicates withdrawal of consent, requiring the technologist to stop and reassess before proceeding.
Question 2: Which federal law primarily governs the privacy of patient laboratory results and medical records?
- CLIA
- HIPAA (Correct answer)
- ADA
- OSHA
Correct answer: HIPAA
HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) sets national standards for protecting patient health information privacy.
Question 3: A laboratory technologist discovers that a colleague has been accessing patient records of celebrities out of curiosity. This behavior is best described as:
- Acceptable if no information is shared externally
- A violation of patient privacy and HIPAA (Correct answer)
- Permissible for quality control purposes
- Only a concern if the patient complains
Correct answer: A violation of patient privacy and HIPAA
Accessing patient records without a legitimate job-related need is a HIPAA Privacy Rule violation regardless of whether information is shared.
Question 4: Which principle of biomedical ethics obligates laboratory professionals to act in the patient's best interest?
- Autonomy
- Justice
- Beneficence (Correct answer)
- Nonmaleficence
Correct answer: Beneficence
Beneficence requires healthcare professionals to take positive actions that promote the well-being and best interests of patients.
Question 5: A patient asks a phlebotomist for their HIV test results over the phone. The appropriate response is to:
- Provide the results if the patient correctly states their date of birth
- Refer the patient to their ordering physician for results (Correct answer)
- Release results only after verifying insurance coverage
- Post results on the patient portal immediately
Correct answer: Refer the patient to their ordering physician for results
Sensitive results such as HIV should be communicated through the ordering provider to ensure proper counseling and follow-up care.
Question 6: A minor patient aged 15 presents alone for a drug screening ordered by their parent. The patient demands to see the results before the parent. What should the technologist do?
- Show results to the minor since they are the patient
- Withhold results and follow institutional policy on minors (Correct answer)
- Give results only after parental permission
- Refuse to perform the test without the parent present
Correct answer: Withhold results and follow institutional policy on minors
Institutional policy governs minor patient rights, and in most cases the ordering party (parent or guardian) controls access to results unless an exception applies.
Question 7: The concept of 'informed refusal' means that a patient has:
- Refused treatment without any explanation from staff
- Been informed of risks of refusing a recommended test and still declines (Correct answer)
- Refused consent due to language barriers
- Declined a procedure without signing any documentation
Correct answer: Been informed of risks of refusing a recommended test and still declines
Informed refusal requires the patient to be educated about the consequences of declining before their decision is respected and documented.
CLT Medical Ethics & Patient Rights 2
A patient verbally consents to a blood draw but then pulls their arm away during the procedure.
What is the most appropriate action for the laboratory technologist?