Medical Ethics and Communication Flashcards
7 cards from real UWorld practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Medical Ethics and Communication flashcards as text
A 40-year-old Jehovah's Witness with decision-making capacity refuses a blood transfusion for life-threatening GI bleeding after being informed of the risks. What is the most appropriate action?
Answer: Respect the refusal and offer alternative treatments
Competent adults may refuse any treatment, including life-saving care, after informed refusal.
A 16-year-old pregnant girl requests prenatal care but does not want her parents informed. What is the most appropriate response?
Answer: Provide prenatal care confidentially
In most US states, minors can consent to prenatal care without parental involvement.
A Spanish-speaking patient arrives with her bilingual 12-year-old son for discussion of a new cancer diagnosis. What is the best approach?
Answer: Use a professional medical interpreter
Professional interpreters ensure accuracy and confidentiality; children should not interpret medical information.
When delivering a new diagnosis of metastatic disease, what should the physician do first after ensuring privacy?
Answer: Ask what the patient already understands about the condition
Assessing the patient's perception (SPIKES) guides how information is delivered.
An unconscious patient has no advance directive or healthcare power of attorney. His wife, adult daughter, and brother are present. Who is typically the surrogate decision-maker?
Answer: Wife
Most state hierarchies place the spouse first, followed by adult children, parents, and siblings.
A surrogate is asked to make decisions based on what the patient would have chosen if able. This describes which standard?
Answer: Substituted judgment
Substituted judgment applies the patient's known values and wishes rather than the surrogate's own.
The family of a 75-year-old woman with newly diagnosed pancreatic cancer asks the physician not to tell her the diagnosis. What is the best next step?
Answer: Ask the patient how much information she wants to know
The patient has the right to information, and asking her preference respects autonomy while exploring family concerns.
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