which statement made by an instructor to a class of students is true of the roles and responsibilities of a medical assistant?
The medical assistant should provide equal respect and courtesy to all patients.
Rationale:
Medical assistants play an important role in the healthcare system. Medical assistants should treat all patients with equal respect and courtesy. Personal ethics and morals will influence the work of a medical
assistant depending on the situation. At times, the medical assistant should assume the role of a patient advocate and speak up for the rights of the patient in situations that will benefit or potentially harm the patient's state if health. It is the responsibility of the medical assistant to separate personal and professional ethics in the workplace.
p. 97
Test-Taking Tip:
If you are unable to answer a multiple-choice question immediately, eliminate the alternatives that you know
are incorrect and proceed from that point. The same goes for a multiple-response question that requires you to choose two or more of the given alternatives. If a fill-in-the-blank question poses a problem, read the situation and essential information carefully and then formulate your response.
which ethical principle does the medical assistant follow the refraining from harming another person?
nonmaleficence
Rationale:
Nonmaleficence means refraining from harming oneself or another person. Justice means to treat patients fairly and give them care that is due and appropriate. Discipline is a branch of knowledge, learning, or instruction. Beneficence is promoting health in patients.
p. 97
which ethical obligation involves doing or producing good?
Beneficence
Rationale:
Beneficence is the act of doing
or producing good. For healthcare professionals, this refers to promoting health in patients. Autonomy is the freedom to determine one's own actions and make one's own decisions. Nonmaleficence means do no harm. Healthcare professionals are obligated to not intentionally harm their patients. Justice means to treat patients fairly, giving them appropriate and due care.
p. 97
Test-Taking Tip:
Read the question carefully before looking at the answers:(1) Determine what the question is
really asking by looking for key words; (2) read each answer thoroughly and se if it completely covers the material asked by the question; and (3) narrow the choices by immediately eliminating answers you know are incorrect.
The Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs (CEJA) is a part of which group?
American Medical Association (AMA)
Rationale:
The AMA services physicians as a national organization
that provides various types of information and support. The CEJA is one of the councils within the AMA, and its role is to analyze ethical issues in healthcare and develop ethical policies and recommendations. The AAMA supports the medical assistants through a variety of different activities and has developed the Medical Assisting Code of Ethics. The AMT is a national certifying board for laboratory professionals and administers the Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) examination. The AJA
supports judges.
p. 95
Test-Taking Tip:
If you are unable to answer a multiple-choice question immediately, eliminate the alternative that you know are incorrect and proceed form that point. The same goes for a multiple-response question that requires you to choose two or more of the given alternatives. If a fill-in-the -blank question poses a problem, read the situation and essential information carefully and then formulate your response.
Which ethical principle involves refraining from doing intentional harm to a patient?
Nonmaleficence
Rationale:
Nonmaleficence is an ethical principle that requires healthcare professionals to refrain from inflicting intentional harm on their patients. Autonomy is the freedom to determine one's own actions and make one's own decisions. Beneficence is promoting health in patients. Justice means to treat patients fairly and give them care that is due and
appropriate.
p. 97
Which issues are related to a person's concept of right or wrong?
moral
Rationale:
Moral issues are internal principles that help a person distinguish between right and wrong. Legal issues are related to statutes that affect medical practice. Ethical issues can be personal or professional and affect one's personal beliefs demonstrated in the workplace. Financial issues concern
financial issues concern finances and money, not a person's concept of right or wrong.
p. 94
Which type of donation is a patient undergoing when donating a kidney to a relative?
directed
Rationale:
A direct donation is one in which the donor specifically names the person to receive the donation. A paired donation involves at least two pairs of living kidney donors. Although the transplant candidates
do not match the donor they know but match the other donor, the organs are swapped or donated there is not a type of donation referred to as nonpaired; however, there is nondirected organ donation in which the donor does know the person and is not related to the person.
p. 103
Which value would the medical assistant adhere to for a patient who refuses vaccinations?
Patient's Bill of Rights
Rationale:
A
Patient's Bill of Rights supports the patient's decision to refuse treatment or any procedure and should be respected by the medical assistant. Morals are internal principles that distinguished between right and wrong. Personal ethics are doing what one considers right. Professional ethics are codes of conduct stated by an employer or professional association.
p. 101
Which ethical issue is associated with the use of adult stem cells?
The risks of using the cells have not been determined.
Rationale:
The risk for the use of adult stem cells is still being evaluated. The rate of adult stem cell rejection is not necessarily high, the stem cells do not contain mutated genes, and the benefit of using the cells is not unpredictable. The variations of stem cells are limited, and they could become cell types similar to their tissues of origin.
p. 98
Which ethical concern is associated with research trials?
Exploitation of volunteers
Rationale:
Potentially, research trials place some people at risk of harm for the good of others, resulting in exploitation of the volunteers. The principles for ethical research such as scientific validity protect against unclear scientific objectives. Independent review protects against the potential for conflict of interest. Per the principle of
respect, potential and enrolled subjects' personal information must be kept confidential.
p. 101
In the event of a tragedy where a patient cannot make his or her own decisions, what is the first responsibility of a provider?
Identify the directives provided through the patient's living will.
Rationale:
In the event of a tragedy, it is usually the living will of the patient that must be followed to
carry out the patient's wishes for treatment. If there is no living will, then the surrogate decision maker must decide on treatment. When no such option is available, the provider's choice is considered. The provider must always work in a way that would best benefit the patient. According to the Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs (CEJA), an ethics committee can be consulted if a patient lacks advanced directives and is unable to communicate.
p. 102
Test-Taking Tip:
In this
question type, you are asked to prioritize (put in order) and respond with the first action that should be taken.
Which statement reflect the CEJA's position on the ethical practice on elective abortions?
"Providers are not prohibited from performing an abortion in situations in which it does not violate the law."
Rationale:
The CEJA's statement on the ethical practice on elective abortions is
"Providers are not prohibited from performing an abortion in situations in which it does not violate the law." CEJA does not provide a statement on performing an abortion beyond the first trimester, when there are documented chromosomal defects, or when it has been determined the fetus has life-threatening genetic conditions.
p. 99
Which ethical issue surrounds embryonic stem cell research?
The embryo is destroyed in the process.
Rationale:
Harvesting stem cells from an embryo means the embryo is destroyed. Stem cell gene mutations are not copied; stem cells can differentiate or develop into specialized cells based on where they are located so chromosomal issues can be identified; and the cells are harvested in the embryonic stage.
p. 98
Which statement reflects the CEJA's position on the ethical practice on elective abortions?
"Providers are prohibited from performing abortions beyond the first trimester of pregnancy."
Rationale:
The CEJA's statement on the ethical practice on elective abortions is "Providers are not prohibited from performing an abortion beyond the first trimester, when there are documented chromosomal defects, or when it has been determined the fetus has life-threatening genetic conditions.
p.99
Which type of euthanasia has occurred when a family has decided to withhold a feeding tube to allow a terminally ill patient to die?
Passive
Rationale:
Withholding a lifesaving treatment such as a feeding tube is an example of passive euthanasia. Active euthanasia is killing another using an active means. Voluntary euthanasia occurs with patient consent to the act. When a patient does not consent to euthanasia, this is termed involuntary.
p. 103
Which phrase defines the term passive euthanasia?
withholding a lifesaving treatment and letting a person die
Rationale:
Passive euthanasia is withholding a lifesaving treatment and letting a person die. Killing a person using active means, such as with an injection, is active euthanasia. The patient taking his or her own life is called self-administered euthanasia. A provider making the means available for a patient
to end his or her own life is called physician-assisted suicide.
p. 103
Which ethical concern surfaces when a Physicians Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) is used?
It can supersede a patient's advance directives.
Rationale:
A POLST is used to when a patient is diagnosed with an advanced illness or frailty and should be based on an advanced directive and patients' wishes. Concern has been
expressed that a POLST can supersede a document healthcare providers order specifying the care the patient should receive. The document does not require the need for the healthcare staff to contact the provider frequently.
p.102
Test-Taking tip:
Have confidence in you initial response to an item because it more than likely is the correct answer.
Which scientific technique is currently being used to address the lack of available organs and tissues needed for donation?
Xenotransplantation
Rationale:
Xenotransplantation is currently being used and studied due to the lack of available organs and tissues needed for donation. Pig heart valves are being used to replace a human heart valve issues. Gene therapy is an experimental technique that uses genes to prevent or treat diseases. Genetic engineering is the manipulation transplantation is used to repair and replace damaged
tissue.
p.104
Which information about palliative care will the medical assistant include when reinforcing the concept of hospice care with patient?
Reduce symptoms of illness
Rationale:
Palliative care is used to help relieve symptoms of a serious illness. Palliative care does not offer a cure. Hospice care is appropriate when a patient is close to death, and the goal of hospice care is to promote
dignity, comfort, and peace.
p. 101
Test-Taking Tip:
Once you have decided on an answer, look at the stem again. Does your choice answer the question that was asked? If the question stem ask "why," be sure the response you have chosen is a reason. If the question stem is singular, be sure the option is singular, and the same for plural stems and plural responses. Many times, checking to make sure that the choice makes sense in relation to the stem will reveal the correct answer.