FREE Bachelor of Health Science Medical Ethics and Law Questions and Answer

Question 1

As a resident in the emergency department, you encounter an angry parent who is upset that the social worker has been questioning him about striking his 5-year-old child. The child has visited the emergency department multiple times this year with unrelated traumas and is now brought in with a burn wound on his legs, claiming to have slipped into a hot bathtub. The parent threatens to sue and asserts their love for their son. What actions should you take in this situation?

Accepted Answer

Report the family to child protective services.

Answer

Given the multiple red flags—repeated traumas, a suspicious burn injury with an inconsistent explanation, and the parent's aggressive reaction—there is a strong suspicion of child abuse. As a healthcare professional, you have a legal and ethical obligation to report suspected child abuse to Child Protective Services (CPS). This action prioritizes the child's safety and initiates an investigation by the appropriate authorities, rather than attempting to handle the situation independently or waiting for further incidents.

Question 2

As you're working at the hospital desk, a fellow hospital employee asks for information about a patient who was admitted last night due to a pulmonary embolus caused by cancer. This person claims to be a close friend and co-worker of your patient and provides proper identification as a hospital employee. What would be the most appropriate response to this request?

Accepted Answer

Inform him that you are not at liberty to give details regarding the patient without the patient’s permission.

Answer

Patient information is protected by HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), which mandates strict confidentiality. Even if the person is a co-worker and friend with hospital ID, you cannot disclose patient details without explicit permission from the patient themselves. This ensures the patient's right to privacy and control over their health information.

Question 3

While attending to patients in the clinic, you encounter two individuals dressed in dark suits and wearing sunglasses. They show you valid badges identifying them as members of a federal law enforcement agency. These individuals inform you that they are conducting a "minor investigation" related to one of your patients and request to review the patient's chart for a few minutes. They suggest that not cooperating could have consequences. What should you do in this situation?

Accepted Answer

Tell them you cannot show them the chart unless there is a signed release from the patient.

Answer

Under HIPAA, patient records are highly protected, even from law enforcement, unless specific legal conditions are met. A signed patient release, a court order, or a subpoena is typically required to access patient charts. Simply showing badges and claiming an investigation is not sufficient grounds to breach patient confidentiality.

Question 4

As a psychiatrist, you find yourself in a session with a patient who expresses concerns about feeling persecuted by their boss. The patient has a history of mild schizophrenia and confides in you about planning to harm their boss in the future. Despite assuring the patient that everything discussed in the session will remain confidential, you now face an ethical dilemma. What action should you take?

Accepted Answer

Inform both the patient’s boss as well as law enforcement of the threat.

Answer

This scenario invokes the 'duty to warn' principle, established by the Tarasoff v. Regents of the University of California case. When a patient poses a serious threat of physical violence to an identifiable victim, a healthcare professional's duty to protect the intended victim overrides patient confidentiality. Therefore, both the potential victim and law enforcement must be notified to prevent harm.

Question 5

You are discussing the care of an elderly woman with her family. The patient is currently awake and alert but very ill and physically fragile. You are waiting for the results of a biopsy that may indicate cancer that has already spread throughout her body. The family requests that you inform them first about the biopsy results to avoid upsetting the patient further, as they believe there may be no hope for a cure. What should you do?

Accepted Answer

Explain to them that that decision can only be made by the health-care proxy.

Answer

Since the patient is awake, alert, and has decision-making capacity, they have the right to receive information about their own health status directly. While the family's concern is understandable, they cannot override the patient's autonomy or the healthcare provider's obligation to the patient. If the patient were incapacitated, then a legally designated health-care proxy would be the appropriate person to make such decisions.

BHS - Bachelor of Health Science Practice Test

BHS - Bachelor of Health Science Practice Test

FREE Bachelor of Health Science Medical Ethics and Law Questions and Answer