Professional Ethics & Communication Flashcards
7 cards from real MLS 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 & Communication flashcards as text
An MLS receives a specimen labeled only with a room number and no patient identifiers. The correct action is to:
Answer: Reject the specimen and request a properly labeled recollection
Specimens with insufficient identification must be rejected to prevent patient misidentification errors that could cause serious harm.
Whistleblower protections in healthcare settings are intended to:
Answer: Protect employees who report illegal or unsafe practices from retaliation
Whistleblower laws protect healthcare workers from employer retaliation when they report violations of law or unsafe conditions.
Informed consent in the laboratory context is most relevant when:
Answer: Collecting specimens for HIV testing in many states
Many states require specific informed consent before HIV testing because of the sensitive nature of the diagnosis and its implications.
A laboratory manager instructs an MLS to falsify proficiency testing results. The MLS should:
Answer: Refuse and report the instruction to compliance or regulatory authorities
Falsifying proficiency testing is a federal regulatory violation under CLIA; MLSs must refuse and report through compliance channels.
When communicating a panic value to a nurse who refuses to provide read-back confirmation, the MLS should:
Answer: Document that read-back was refused, the value communicated, and the time
When read-back is refused, thorough documentation protects the laboratory and ensures a record of the communication attempt.
A laboratory's social media policy prohibits posting patient information online. An MLS posts a 'funny' lab result (with no name) from a patient's chart. This action:
Answer: Still violates HIPAA if the result could identify the patient in context
Even de-identified information can constitute a HIPAA violation if the combination of details could reasonably identify a patient.
The concept of 'scope of practice' in medical laboratory science means an MLS should:
Answer: Limit practice to tasks for which they are educated, trained, and competent
Scope of practice defines the boundaries of professional competency; practicing outside this scope endangers patients and violates professional standards.