RCA Resident Rights & Advocacy 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A resident's family member demands to see the resident's medical chart without the resident's consent. What is the administrator's correct response?
- Allow access because family members have automatic rights to records
- Deny access and explain that the resident must provide written authorization (Correct answer)
- Allow access only if the family member is listed as next of kin
- Refer the family member to the attending physician to decide
Correct answer: Deny access and explain that the resident must provide written authorization
Under HIPAA, residents control their own health information and family members cannot access records without the resident's written authorization.
Question 2: Which federal law enacted in 1987 established comprehensive resident rights in nursing facilities receiving Medicare or Medicaid funding?
- HIPAA
- ADA
- OBRA (Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act) (Correct answer)
- EMTALA
Correct answer: OBRA (Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act)
OBRA 1987 established the foundation of nursing facility resident rights and quality-of-care standards still enforced today.
Question 3: A resident refuses a prescribed medication. Staff insists the resident must take it for their own safety. Which principle is being violated?
- Beneficence
- Autonomy and the right to refuse treatment (Correct answer)
- Non-maleficence
- Justice
Correct answer: Autonomy and the right to refuse treatment
Residents have the absolute right to refuse any treatment, including medications, and staff cannot override this decision.
Question 4: The Long-Term Care Ombudsman program is required by which legislation?
- Social Security Act
- Medicare Modernization Act
- Older Americans Act (Correct answer)
- Nursing Home Reform Act
Correct answer: Older Americans Act
The Older Americans Act mandates the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, which advocates for residents in nursing facilities and board-and-care homes.
Question 5: A resident with dementia is placed in physical restraints without a physician order or informed consent process. This violates which resident right?
- Right to privacy
- Right to grievance
- Freedom from restraint used for discipline or staff convenience (Correct answer)
- Right to refuse transfer
Correct answer: Freedom from restraint used for discipline or staff convenience
OBRA mandates freedom from physical restraints imposed for discipline or convenience; restraints require a physician order, clinical justification, and least-restrictive approach.
Question 6: Which action best demonstrates a facility's commitment to resident dignity?
- Referring to all residents by their room number for efficiency
- Knocking and waiting for a response before entering a resident's room (Correct answer)
- Discussing a resident's condition in the hallway to save time
- Choosing meal times based solely on staffing schedules
Correct answer: Knocking and waiting for a response before entering a resident's room
Knocking and awaiting permission respects the resident's right to privacy and dignity in their personal living space.
Question 7: A resident files a grievance about cold food. Under federal regulations, the facility must:
- Resolve the grievance within 90 days
- Respond promptly and provide a written decision within a reasonable timeframe (Correct answer)
- Involve the state survey agency in every grievance
- Allow only the ombudsman to handle food-related complaints
Correct answer: Respond promptly and provide a written decision within a reasonable timeframe
Federal regulations require facilities to acknowledge and resolve grievances promptly and provide a written decision, though specific timeframes may vary by state.
RCA Resident Rights & Advocacy 2
A resident's family member demands to see the resident's medical chart without the resident's consent.
What is the administrator's correct response?