Professional Ethics and Conduct Flashcards
7 cards from real General practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Professional Ethics and Conduct flashcards as text
Which of the following best describes 'vicarious liability' in a professional context?
Answer: An employer being held responsible for the unethical or negligent acts of their employees
Vicarious liability means an employer can be held legally and ethically responsible for employee misconduct on the job.
A professional learns that a competing firm is engaging in unethical practices that harm consumers. The most appropriate ethical response is to:
Answer: Report the misconduct to the relevant professional or regulatory body
Reporting misconduct to regulatory bodies protects the public and upholds the integrity of the profession.
What distinguishes an ethical dilemma from a straightforward ethical violation?
Answer: An ethical dilemma involves a genuine conflict between two or more valid ethical principles
An ethical dilemma arises when two legitimate values or duties conflict, making the right choice unclear.
Why is maintaining continuing education important from an ethics standpoint?
Answer: It ensures professionals remain competent and can serve clients effectively as knowledge evolves
Ongoing education is an ethical obligation to ensure you can provide competent service as standards and knowledge evolve.
A professional is pressured by a supervisor to overlook a safety concern to save money. The ethical response is to:
Answer: Document the concern and escalate through available channels, including external reporting if necessary
Professionals have a duty to protect public safety even when pressured by authority figures to do otherwise.
Which of the following is the best example of 'transparency' in professional practice?
Answer: Clearly disclosing fees, methods, potential conflicts, and limitations to clients before beginning work
Transparency means clients are fully informed of relevant information so they can make sound decisions.
What is the primary purpose of whistleblower protections in the context of professional ethics?
Answer: To protect professionals who report illegal or unethical conduct from retaliation
Whistleblower protections allow professionals to report wrongdoing without fear of losing their job or facing legal action.