MSRA Professional Dilemmas 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A relative of a patient asks you for confidential details about the patient's condition, but the patient has not given consent. What should you do?
- Explain you cannot share details without the patient's consent (Correct answer)
- Share the information as they are close family
- Share only the diagnosis but not the prognosis
- Tell them to ask the consultant
Correct answer: Explain you cannot share details without the patient's consent
Patient confidentiality must be maintained unless the patient consents to disclosure.
Question 2: You are asked to cover an additional ward at short notice, leaving your own patients with reduced cover. What is the most appropriate action?
- Discuss the staffing concern with the senior on call before agreeing (Correct answer)
- Refuse outright and stay where you are
- Agree without raising any concern
- Leave your ward and cover the other one
Correct answer: Discuss the staffing concern with the senior on call before agreeing
Raising the safety implications with a senior allows a balanced decision about safe cover for all patients.
Question 3: A patient with capacity refuses a treatment you strongly believe they need. What is the most appropriate response?
- Respect their decision after ensuring they understand the consequences (Correct answer)
- Treat them anyway in their best interests
- Discharge them immediately for non-compliance
- Persuade a relative to override the decision
Correct answer: Respect their decision after ensuring they understand the consequences
A patient with capacity has the right to refuse treatment once properly informed of the risks.
Question 4: You smell alcohol on a colleague who is about to start a clinical shift. What is the most appropriate first action?
- Speak to them privately and raise it with a senior to ensure patient safety (Correct answer)
- Ignore it as you may be mistaken
- Announce it to the whole team
- Cover their shift quietly and say nothing
Correct answer: Speak to them privately and raise it with a senior to ensure patient safety
Patient safety requires the colleague to be removed from clinical duties and the concern escalated appropriately.
Question 5: A patient offers you an expensive gift after a successful operation. What is the most appropriate response?
- Politely decline or follow the trust's policy on accepting gifts (Correct answer)
- Accept it as it would be rude to refuse
- Accept it and keep it private
- Ask for cash instead
Correct answer: Politely decline or follow the trust's policy on accepting gifts
Accepting valuable gifts can compromise professional boundaries, so trust policy should guide the response.
Question 6: You disagree with a management plan made by your consultant for a patient. What is the most appropriate action?
- Raise your concerns respectfully with the consultant and discuss the reasoning (Correct answer)
- Change the plan yourself without telling anyone
- Follow it silently despite your concerns
- Complain to other juniors about the consultant
Correct answer: Raise your concerns respectfully with the consultant and discuss the reasoning
Constructive discussion clarifies the reasoning and can improve the plan while maintaining professional respect.
Question 7: A junior colleague is clearly overwhelmed and struggling to complete their tasks. What is the most appropriate action?
- Offer to help and suggest they speak to a senior if needed (Correct answer)
- Tell them to manage their own workload
- Report them for being too slow
- Complete their tasks without telling them
Correct answer: Offer to help and suggest they speak to a senior if needed
Supporting a struggling colleague protects patient safety and team wellbeing while encouraging appropriate escalation.
MSRA Professional Dilemmas 3
A relative of a patient asks you for confidential details about the patient's condition, but the patient has not given consent.
What should you do?