CME Medical Ethics & Patient Rights 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A minor client comes in for electrolysis without a parent. What must the electrologist do before proceeding?
- Treat the minor since they appear mature
- Obtain parental or guardian consent before providing treatment (Correct answer)
- Ask the minor to sign the consent form themselves
- Proceed only if the minor pays in advance
Correct answer: Obtain parental or guardian consent before providing treatment
Minors cannot legally provide informed consent for medical procedures; parental or guardian consent is required.
Question 2: What is the electrologist's ethical duty when a client presents with signs of domestic abuse?
- Ignore the signs to avoid involvement in personal matters
- Ask detailed questions about the client's home life
- Document observations and follow mandatory reporting laws if applicable (Correct answer)
- Contact police immediately without assessing the situation
Correct answer: Document observations and follow mandatory reporting laws if applicable
Healthcare providers must follow mandatory reporting laws and document observations of possible abuse while maintaining client dignity.
Question 3: An electrologist receives a subpoena for a client's treatment records. What should the practitioner do?
- Destroy the records to protect client confidentiality
- Comply with the subpoena and notify the client (Correct answer)
- Refuse to comply because records are confidential
- Provide records only to the attorney who issued the subpoena
Correct answer: Comply with the subpoena and notify the client
A valid subpoena is a legal order requiring compliance; the electrologist should comply and notify the client of the legal requirement.
Question 4: Which practice best demonstrates respect for client autonomy in electrology?
- Making treatment decisions on behalf of clients to save time
- Providing clients with complete information to make their own informed choices (Correct answer)
- Following family members' wishes rather than the client's
- Proceeding with treatment when a client seems hesitant
Correct answer: Providing clients with complete information to make their own informed choices
Autonomy is honored by ensuring clients have all necessary information to make free and informed decisions about their own care.
Question 5: What should an electrologist do if a client refuses to sign a consent form but still wants treatment?
- Proceed since verbal consent is sufficient
- Treat the client and document the verbal agreement
- Decline to provide treatment without written informed consent (Correct answer)
- Contact the client's physician for authorization to treat
Correct answer: Decline to provide treatment without written informed consent
Written informed consent protects both the client and the practitioner; treatment should not proceed without it.
Question 6: A client requests that the electrologist not share treatment information with their spouse, who also happens to be a client. What is the correct action?
- Honor the request and maintain separate confidential records for each client (Correct answer)
- Tell the spouse since they share a household
- Inform only the parts of the treatment the spouse might notice
- Require clients who are couples to consent to shared records
Correct answer: Honor the request and maintain separate confidential records for each client
Each client's records are confidential and cannot be shared with anyone else, including family members, without written authorization.
Question 7: An electrologist unknowingly performs a treatment that causes a client injury. What is the ethical obligation?
- Conceal the incident to avoid liability
- Disclose the incident to the client and document it thoroughly (Correct answer)
- Blame equipment failure without further investigation
- Continue treatment and monitor the situation silently
Correct answer: Disclose the incident to the client and document it thoroughly
Ethical practice requires transparency; the practitioner must disclose adverse events to the client and document them accurately.
CME Medical Ethics & Patient Rights 3
A minor client comes in for electrolysis without a parent.
What must the electrologist do before proceeding?