Legal and Ethical Issues Flashcards

A resident with decision-making capacity informs the Medication Aide that they do not want to take their prescribed blood pressure medication this morning. Which of the following is the MOST appropriate action for the Medication Aide to take?

Answer: Withhold the medication, document the refusal, and report it to the supervising nurse.

Patients have the right to refuse treatment, including medications. The Medication Aide's responsibility is to respect the resident's autonomy, document the refusal accurately in the Medication Administration Record (MAR), and promptly inform the supervising nurse who can then assess the situation and take further action.

Which of the following actions constitutes a violation of a resident's right to confidentiality?

Answer: Sharing details about a resident's difficult behavior with a coworker in the cafeteria.

Discussing a resident's personal health information in a public area like a cafeteria where the conversation can be overheard is a breach of confidentiality. This violates the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) principles. Communication about residents should be professional and occur in private, secure settings.

A Medication Aide documents that a dose of a pain medication was administered to a resident but keeps the medication for personal use. This action is an example of:

Answer: Diversion

Diversion is the act of stealing medication and falsifying records to conceal the theft. It is a serious legal and ethical violation. Negligence is failing to provide the expected standard of care, malpractice is professional negligence, and assault is a threat of harm.

The ethical principle of 'nonmaleficence' for a Medication Aide most directly relates to which of the following responsibilities?

Answer: Preventing medication errors and avoiding harm.

The principle of nonmaleficence means 'to do no harm.' For a Medication Aide, this is most directly applied by diligently working to prevent medication errors, monitoring for adverse reactions, and following all safety protocols to avoid causing injury to a resident.

A resident's family member, who is a nurse, asks the Medication Aide to administer an over-the-counter herbal supplement to the resident to help with sleep. The supplement is not on the resident's medication orders. How should the Medication Aide respond?

Answer: Refuse to give the supplement and explain that it requires a physician's order.

Medication Aides can only administer medications that have been prescribed by an authorized healthcare provider and are listed on the resident's official medication record. Administering any substance, even an herbal supplement, without an order is outside the scope of practice and potentially dangerous.

Which of the following is an example of a Medication Aide maintaining professional boundaries?

Answer: Politely declining a resident's invitation to their family dinner outside of work hours.

Maintaining professional boundaries means keeping the relationship with a resident therapeutic and safe, which includes not engaging in personal relationships or activities with them outside of the professional setting. Accepting gifts, sharing personal problems, and keeping secrets can blur these important lines.