CO Ethics & Professional Standards 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient from a different cultural background refuses a recommended orthotic device for religious reasons. The orthotist should:
- Proceed with the treatment despite the refusal
- Document the refusal, respect the patient's autonomy, and explore culturally acceptable alternatives (Correct answer)
- Discharge the patient from care immediately
- Contact the patient's family to override the decision
Correct answer: Document the refusal, respect the patient's autonomy, and explore culturally acceptable alternatives
Respecting cultural and religious beliefs is part of patient-centered care, and practitioners must honor informed refusal while documenting it.
Question 2: The ABC Code of Ethics requires orthotists to maintain competence through:
- Hiring experienced staff only
- Ongoing continuing education and professional development (Correct answer)
- Limiting practice to procedures performed more than 100 times
- Annual peer review of all cases
Correct answer: Ongoing continuing education and professional development
The ABC Code of Ethics mandates that practitioners maintain and expand competence through continuing education throughout their career.
Question 3: An orthotist learns during a fitting that a patient is experiencing domestic abuse. The MOST appropriate action is to:
- Ignore the information to preserve the therapeutic relationship
- Provide information about resources and follow mandatory reporting laws where applicable (Correct answer)
- Immediately contact law enforcement without informing the patient
- Document nothing to avoid legal liability
Correct answer: Provide information about resources and follow mandatory reporting laws where applicable
Practitioners have an ethical duty to connect patients with resources and comply with mandatory reporting laws while maintaining a supportive approach.
Question 4: Which situation represents a dual relationship that could compromise professional ethics?
- Treating a patient referred by another healthcare provider
- Providing orthotic care to a close personal friend (Correct answer)
- Accepting insurance reimbursement for services
- Using standardized outcome measures for all patients
Correct answer: Providing orthotic care to a close personal friend
Providing clinical care to personal friends creates a dual relationship that can impair professional judgment and objectivity.
Question 5: Under the principle of justice in healthcare ethics, an orthotist is obligated to:
- Treat only patients with the best insurance coverage
- Provide fair and equitable care regardless of a patient's socioeconomic status (Correct answer)
- Prioritize patients based on their likelihood of a good outcome
- Charge higher fees to patients without a referral
Correct answer: Provide fair and equitable care regardless of a patient's socioeconomic status
Justice requires equitable distribution of care and resources without discrimination based on socioeconomic or personal factors.
Question 6: An orthotist realizes mid-treatment that a case exceeds their competency level. The ethical course of action is to:
- Proceed anyway to avoid inconveniencing the patient
- Refer the patient to a more qualified practitioner and explain why (Correct answer)
- Ask the patient to sign a waiver of liability and continue
- Bill for the service and document that the patient accepted the risk
Correct answer: Refer the patient to a more qualified practitioner and explain why
Practicing within one's competency is ethically required, and referral is appropriate when clinical demands exceed current skills.
Question 7: Social media use by orthotists raises which primary ethical concern?
- It may increase referrals inappropriately
- Posting patient cases without explicit consent violates confidentiality (Correct answer)
- It is prohibited by all state licensing boards
- Online reviews cannot be trusted as marketing tools
Correct answer: Posting patient cases without explicit consent violates confidentiality
Sharing patient cases or photos on social media without written consent violates patient confidentiality and HIPAA regulations.
CO Ethics & Professional Standards 3
A patient from a different cultural background refuses a recommended orthotic device for religious reasons.
The orthotist should: