Professional Ethics & Standards Flashcards

A healthcare construction professional is asked to certify that a project meets all applicable codes, but they have not had adequate time to review all systems. They should:

Answer: Decline to certify until a complete review is performed

Professional certifications carry legal and ethical weight and must not be issued without complete and thorough review; premature certification exposes professionals and the public to harm.

In healthcare construction, 'interim life safety measures' (ILSMs) are implemented primarily to:

Answer: Compensate for compromised life safety features during construction and protect building occupants

ILSMs are compensatory actions required when construction activities temporarily compromise the building's life safety systems to maintain an equivalent level of safety for occupants.

When a subcontractor on a healthcare project engages in discriminatory hiring practices, the prime contractor's ethical responsibility includes:

Answer: Addressing the violation by requiring compliance with equal opportunity requirements as a contract condition

Prime contractors are ethically and legally responsible for ensuring their subcontractors comply with equal employment opportunity requirements as a condition of the contract.

What is the primary purpose of requiring competitive bidding on public healthcare construction projects?

Answer: To promote fairness, transparency, and the best use of public funds

Competitive bidding on public projects promotes ethical procurement by ensuring transparency, equal opportunity, and responsible stewardship of taxpayer-funded healthcare infrastructure.

A healthcare construction professional is ethically obligated to maintain continuing education because:

Answer: Healthcare codes, infection control protocols, and best practices evolve, requiring professionals to stay current

The evolving nature of healthcare codes, guidelines, and patient safety standards creates an ethical duty to maintain current competence through ongoing professional development.

When a project scope change significantly increases infection risk during a hospital renovation, who must be notified?

Answer: The Infection Control practitioner, facilities management, and the Authority Having Jurisdiction

Scope changes affecting infection risk require coordinated notification to the hospital's infection control team, facilities staff, and potentially the AHJ to revise the ICRA and implement proper controls.

According to professional ethics standards, a healthcare construction professional who makes a mistake that harms a project should first:

Answer: Promptly disclose the error to affected parties and take corrective action

Professional integrity requires prompt, honest disclosure of mistakes followed by corrective action; concealment compounds the ethical violation and increases harm to the project and occupants.