Healthcare Aide Ethical & Legal Responsibilities Flashcards

A healthcare aide is asked by a supervisor to perform a task outside their scope of practice. The aide should:

Answer: Refuse politely and explain it is outside their scope of practice

Performing tasks outside scope of practice is illegal and dangerous regardless of who requests it; aides must respectfully decline and explain the reason.

What is the purpose of an Advance Directive?

Answer: To document a person's wishes for medical care if they become unable to decide

An Advance Directive is a legal document that records a patient's medical care preferences for situations where they can no longer make decisions.

A healthcare aide notices unexplained bruising on an elderly resident. Under mandatory reporting laws, the aide must:

Answer: Report the observation to the supervising nurse immediately

Mandatory reporting laws require healthcare workers to report suspected abuse or neglect to a supervisor immediately, without delay.

Which action by a healthcare aide constitutes a HIPAA violation?

Answer: Texting a resident's diagnosis to a concerned family member without consent

Texting a resident's private health information without their authorization is a clear HIPAA violation, even with good intentions.

The ethical principle of 'beneficence' in healthcare means:

Answer: Acting in the best interest of the patient to promote their wellbeing

Beneficence means actively doing good and promoting the patient's health and wellbeing, not merely avoiding harm.

A healthcare aide accidentally makes an error in care. What is the ethical obligation?

Answer: Report the error honestly to the supervisor and document it accurately

Honesty and accountability are core ethical obligations; errors must be reported and documented accurately to ensure proper follow-up care and prevent future mistakes.

Which situation represents 'false imprisonment' in a healthcare setting?

Answer: Restraining a resident without medical order or legal justification

Restraining or confining a person without proper medical orders or legal authority constitutes false imprisonment, which is both illegal and unethical.