Patient Safety and Ethics Flashcards

A patient undergoing a prolonged EEG develops a stage IV pressure ulcer under a scalp electrode. This outcome best represents a failure in which ethical principle?

Answer: Non-maleficence

Non-maleficence — the duty to avoid causing harm — is violated when preventable pressure injuries occur due to inadequate electrode site monitoring.

During a routine outpatient EEG, a patient discloses they are currently experiencing active suicidal ideation. What is the technologist's first action?

Answer: Immediately alert clinical staff or a supervisor and ensure the patient is not left alone

Active suicidal ideation is a psychiatric emergency requiring immediate notification of clinical staff and continuous patient supervision.

Which scenario represents an appropriate use of physical restraint during a pediatric EEG?

Answer: Using a papoose board with parental consent and physician order when medically necessary and less restrictive methods have failed

Restraint requires a physician order, parental consent, documented failure of alternatives, and must be the least restrictive option necessary.

An EEG technologist is asked by a pharmaceutical company representative to share de-identified EEG recordings for research. What must occur before any sharing?

Answer: Written approval from the facility's IRB or privacy officer and a data use agreement must be in place

Sharing patient data for research, even de-identified, requires institutional oversight through an IRB and a formal data use agreement.

A patient who speaks only Spanish arrives for an EEG and the technologist speaks only English. Which approach best upholds informed consent standards?

Answer: Arrange a qualified medical interpreter (in person, phone, or video) before obtaining consent

Informed consent requires that the patient fully understands the procedure, which necessitates a qualified medical interpreter — not a family member — to avoid conflict of interest and ensure accuracy.

Which action by an EEG technologist during a video-EEG monitoring session could constitute a HIPAA violation?

Answer: Posting an anonymized educational clip on a social media platform without explicit patient authorization

Posting any patient recording — even anonymized — to social media without specific written HIPAA authorization is a privacy violation.

A technologist notices a patient's pacemaker is not listed on the referral but the patient mentions it during setup. Which is the correct immediate action regarding electrical safety?

Answer: Stop setup, verify pacemaker type and settings with the patient's cardiologist, and document the finding before proceeding

Undisclosed implanted devices require clinical verification before proceeding because certain electrode currents and stimulation protocols may interact with pacemaker function.