...Bagwell Week 2 HCS 335 Ethics Case Study-Medical Law & Ethics Jerry McCall is Dr. William’s office assistant. He has received professional training as both a medical assistant and a LPN. He is handling all the phone calls while the receptionist is at lunch. A patient calls and says he must have a prescription refill for Valium, an antidepressant medication, called in right away to his pharmacy, since he is leaving for the airport in thirty minutes. He says that Dr. Williams is a professional friend and always gives him a small supply of Valium when he has to fly. No one except Jerry is in the office at this time. What should he do? First before we get into the matter we need to describe what a medical assistant’s job is and what tasks that they perform. A medical assistant’s roll is to complete the administrative and clinical tasks in the office for physicians, podiatrists, chiropractors, and other health practitioners to help make their jobs just a little bit easier. The jobs for a medical assistant will vary due to the location of a practice, the specialty of the practice, and size of the practice. A medical assistant’s job is to help a doctor with the administrative part in the office and the clinical duties so that a doctor will be able to see and receive patients a whole lot faster. A medical assistant must have graduated from an accredited program and they also have to pass a national certification exam. Does Jerry’s medical training qualify him to issue...
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... In the case study, the nurse is facing ethical as well as professional dilemma regarding the patient’s rights. The nurse’s role in this case study is to, work according to the Maryland state regulations and nursing standards; But as per Maryland nursing standards, she is not working as an advocate for her patient, Mr. E at this situation (Code of Ethics - the Division of State Documents, 10.27.19.02). The patient already signed advanced directive against life saving measures almost seven years ago, at the time of admission to a nursing home, with the help of patient advocate; but Dr G. is planning patient care in opposition to Mr.E’s active advance directive and his expressed objections to the medical care. There are numerous issues to consider in this case study. The nurse has to review her professional role according to code of ethics and nursing standards in relation to advance directives and medical power of attorney. The nurse also has to consider the patient’s right to privacy and confidentiality according to HIPPA Policy. The issues in contemporary healthcare facilities are sometimes the statues can be vague, and issues can be in conflict with own personal beliefs in most areas. A) State Regulations and Nursing Standards of practice There are specific Maryland state regulations and nursing standards regarding patient rights in this case study. However, the most relevant regulation is that, the nurse...
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...principles. 1.3 Describe problem-solving methodologies. Readings Read Ch. 1 of Health Care Ethics. Read Ch. 1 & 2 of Medical Law and Ethics. Read this week’s Electronic Reserve Readings. Read the Week One Read Me First. Participation Participate in class discussion. 4/10/2014 1 Discussion Questions Respond to weekly discussion questions. 4/10/2014 1 Nongraded Activities and Preparation Ethics Case Study Begin working on the Ethics Case Study due in Week Two. Learning Team Instructions Begin working on the Code of Ethics Paper due in Week Three. Review the Week One objectives and discuss additional insights and questions that may have arisen Individual Health Care Ethics Matching Exercise Complete the Health Care Ethics Matching Exercise, located on your student website. Match keywords commonly used in health care ethics to the definitions on the page. Discuss the exercise in class and turn in your answer sheet to your facilitator. 4/10/2014 15 Week Two: Application of Ethics Within Individual Organizations Details Due Points Objectives 2.1 Describe ethical principles used in health care organizations. 2.2 Explain the relationship between an organization’s culture and ethical decision-making. 2.3 Recognize the role and importance of ethical values within an organization. Readings Read Ch. 3 & 5 of Health Care Ethics. Read Ch. 8 of Medical Law and Ethics. Read this week’s Electronic Reserve Readings. Read the Week Two Read Me First. ...
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...Business Ethics in a Hospital Setting Darlene V Nickerson Columbia Southern University Abstract Business ethics in a hospital setting includes a review of many areas. Ethical considerations include the areas of patient care, nursing ethics, physician ethics, patient privacy, and medical billing practices. This paper will touch on ethical concerns for each of these topics. Keywords: hospitals, ethics, patient care, nursing, physicians Business Ethics in a Hospital Setting When beginning a discussion of business ethics in a hospital setting it is important to take a broad approach. Because a hospital is a business and also a treatment facility, the ethical concerns must be considered not only for areas such as billing and privacy but also for ethics related to the appropriate care of patients, nursing ethics, and physician ethics. The ethics of the treatment methods employed based on the patient’s condition must also be considered. Ethics and Patient Care I believe that when discussing the ethical implications of patient care it is helpful to review a real-world scenario. One highly publicized case involved Terri Schiavo and her husband’s fight to stop her tube feedings as there was no hope for her recovery (VandeKieft, 2005). One reason for the high visibility of this case in the media occurred because the patient's husband and the patient's family disagreed on the diagnosis (VandeKieft, 2005). Terri suffered a cardiac arrest due to severe hypokalemia (low potassium...
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...Ethics Case Study Heather Holcomb University of Phoenix Ethics: Health Care and Social Responsibility HCS 335 Deborah Laughon RN BSN MS DBA January 23, 2012 Ethics Case Study Case Study Jerry McCall is Dr. William’s office assistant. He has received professional training as both a medical assistant and a LPN. He is handling all the phone calls while the receptionist is at lunch. A patient calls and says he must have a prescription refill for Valium, an antidepressant mediation, called in right away to his pharmacy, since he is leaving for the airport in thirty minutes. He says that Dr. Williams is a personal friend and always gives him a small supply of Valium when he has to fly. No one except Jerry is in the office at this time. What should he do? (Fremgen, 2009). Overview Health care providers are faced with making difficult ethical decisions everyday. Moral and value systems influence the ethical decision process, but the law and licensure regulations do as well. This case study is an example of a potential ethical dilemma and a possible breach of the law. The following questions will be explored: 1. Does Jerry’s medical training qualify him to issue this refill order? 2. Would it make a difference if the medication is for controlling high blood pressure that the patient critically needs on a daily basis? 3. If Jerry calls in the refill and the patient has an adverse reaction while flying, is Jerry protected from a lawsuit under the doctrine of respondent...
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...Title: Medical Ethics: History and Guiding Principles Author: Alan J. McGoldrick Course: Medicine, Disease and History Instructor: Professor Foss Date: June 15, 2012 Medical ethics are the moral guidelines and ethical laws that help to prioritize a medical professional's work responsibilities. The code of medical ethics outlines the proper conduct between medical professionals and their patients, communities, and colleagues. Each country has a different code of medical ethics, though most contain the same basic principles, and all share the same history of evolution, according to the World Medical Association. Medical ethics refers to the discussion and application of moral values and responsibilities in the areas of medical practice and research. While questions of medical ethics have been debated since the beginnings of Western medicine in the fifth century B.C., medical ethics as a distinctive field came into prominence only since World War II. (Porter, 1998) This change has come about largely as a result of advances in medical technology, scientific research, and telecommunications. These developments have affected nearly every aspect of clinical practice, from the confidentiality of patient records to end-of-life issues. Moreover, the increased involvement of government in medical research as well as the allocation of health care resources brings with it an additional set of ethical questions. Emerging Medical Ethics Through the Ages Ancient Medical Texts ...
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...technology have provided patients with an array of treatment options as well as assumed or possible increased chance of survival. As a result, nurses are met with a rise in ethical decision making. This paper will discuss the legal, ethical, social, and personal factors that can impact our decision making process, with the focus on two specific case studies. American Nurses Association Code of Nursing Ethics Role in Practice The American Nursing Association (ANA) has created a set of ethical standards for the profession of nursing to abide by, which is entitled the ANA Nursing Code of Ethics. The ANA Code of Ethics states that collaboration is central to the care nurses deliver and to their ethical commitment to the patient (Garity, 2005). In the end-of-life case study, the nurse (she) has an unwritten obligation to the patient; the family appears to be in conflict with how to proceed with the patient's medical treatment. The medical team has an obligation to give the family all of their options and possible outcomes. If the family remains in conflict, it would then be appropriate for her to refer the family to the Patient’s Ethics Committee. Referring the family to the committee allows the family to make the final decision of what would be the most favorable outcome for the patient. The critical thinking exercise, however has more of an individual ethical dilemma. This includes the ethical principles of justice and veracity. She should reflect on her own values to determine...
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...The Tuskegee Syphilis Study: Some Ethical Reflections 75 The Tuskegee Syphilis Study: Some Ethical Reflections Adebayo A. Ogungbure Department of Philosophy University of Ibadan, Nigeria philosopher.bayo@yahoo.com Thought and Practice: A Journal of the Philosophical Association of Kenya (PAK) New Series, Vol.3 No.2, December 2011, pp.75-92 thoughtandpractice@gmail.com http://ajol.info/index.php/tp/index Abstract There are established ethical principles to protect human participants in biomedical research from undue exploitation by researchers. However, in the “Tuskegee Study” in the US, these principles were grossly violated. The task of this paper is to critically examine the ethical implications of that study on future practices in biomedical research, and to suggest ways of ensuring that such practices comply with appropriate ethical values. Key Words Bioethics, Biomedical research, clinical research, Tuskegee Study, paternalism, morality Introduction From time to time human beings experience health challenges, whether physical or mental. On its part, medical practice has made considerable progress towards combating or controlling many of these challenges. It is through research that the nature, symptoms and effects of ailments can be ascertained and remedies discovered. Medical researchers engage in both therapeutic and non-therapeutic research. Therapeutic research is that carried out with the purpose of treating disease. On the other hand, non-therapeutic...
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...Ethics Case Study Jessica Bamsey HCS 335 March 19, 2012 Robert Vella Ethics Case Study The case study described below is one of different opinions. The views explained are those of mine. Someone else may have a different view, which is perfectly normal. This is a case of legal issues and ethical issues. Knowing how to handle oneself in this scenario is critical so that they will not make mistakes when they are put into this situation. The situation involves a medical assistant who is the only person in the office when a patient calls and wants a refill called into the pharmacy. The prescription was for Valium so that he could get on an airplane. The assistant should not call in the order. Jerry’s medical training does not qualify him to refill this order. There are several reasons he is not qualified. One reason is because he is not a doctor. Doctors are the only ones that can prescribe and order refills on prescriptions. Another reason is because is the guy a patient of Dr. Williams or just a personal friend whom he gives medications to. When a person is a medical assistant or an LPN they are there to assist the doctor with taking vitals, discovering why the patient has come to the office, answer phones when necessary, and give shots. They cannot write prescriptions or call them in. It does not matter if it is for a blood pressure medication needed on a daily basis or not. The same rules apply. There are reasons only a doctor can prescribe medication. The reasons...
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...Administrative Ethics: A Case Study Social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, have professional uses. However, there is increasing concern over misuse of social media. In The New York Times article “When Med Students Post Patient Pictures” Cohen (2011) describes a situation in which a medical student posts a comical picture of a patient with rebar in his abdomen. The student uploads the picture to Facebook with the caption “a 5-foot-9 Hispanic male walks into a bar” (para. 1). Additionally, the article states that battlefield humor is a common response by many medical professionals, but this does not diminish the doctor-patient privilege of confidentiality. Even though no identifiable patient information is on display, Cohen (2011) indicates that “the chances of that happening increase as the injuries depicted grow more grotesque and less commonplace” (para. 2). Although one can easily surmise the medical student’s actions are both illegal and unethical, his or her actions have further-reaching implications. Facts Legality Like Cohen, Hernandez (2011) agrees “the weirder and more specific the facts, the greater the chances are of identifying who’s involved” (para. 3), and the poster violates the AMA Code of Medical Ethics “which these future physicians ought to emulate” (para. 5). The American Medical Association (AMA) has many Opinions in its Code of Ethics in regard to the protection of patient privacy. However, there are three Opinions that exemplify the need...
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...Jerry McCall Ethics Case Study Overview This is an USA pseudo-case diverged from the following Medical and Ethics Textbook case study in Ch. 4 of Medical Law and Ethics that gives insight to medical – ethics and their applications (Fremgen, 2010, p. 85). Jerry McCall is Dr. Williams’s office assistant. He has received professional training as both a medical assistant and an LPN. He is handling all the phone calls while the receptionist is at lunch. A patient calls and says he must have a prescription refill for Valium and that the provider, a friend, calls in the medication prior to any flights. This type of request happens often and in slightly different scenarios, but the outcome should remain the same to avoid ethical and legal issues. This paper will review the case study to help resolve the problem, the ethics involved, and the medical responsibility to refilling a prescription without provider authorization. Qualified Medical Training Understanding the definitions of a licensed practical nurse, LPN, and a medical assistant, MA is the first step to making a factual conclusion for this case study. Support staff to the provider cannot make decisions about medication refills for patients without a direct order from the provider. This action is outside the scope of practice for an LPN or MA. Licensed Practical Nurse An LPN is a role in support of the nurse or RN, a registered Nurse usually in a skilled nursing setting such as a hospital or long-term care facility...
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...ones. There are several types of medication errors and prevention begins with recognizing the causes and developing possible solutions in order to limit the occurrences. Prevention of these errors is an immediate need considering the analysis that they are one of the leading causes of medical grievances in the United States. Infant Death In the case study, “Understanding the Causes and Costs of Medication Errors”, a medication error lead to the death of an infant who was one day old. There were more than fifty latent and active failures that occurred throughout the series of events that lead to the infant’s death that began with the pharmacists and ended with the nursing staff. The laws that were broken in this case weren’t in the hands of a single individual or component however; there were liable parties: nursing staff, pharmacist, manufacturer, physician, health department, and hospital administration. Laws Broken The administration of a medication act is when a single dose of a prescribed drug is given to a patient by an authorized person in accordance with the federal and state laws and regulations, (Pozgar, 2009). This law wasn’t adhered to by the nursing staff involved in this case. The unauthorized nurse practitioner altered the way the medication was prescribed to the patient by administering the medication through an IV instead of an IM injection in accordance to the pharmacist’s orders. This misconception began with the assumption that the medication prescribed...
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...The Tuskegee Syphilis Study: Some Ethical Reflections 75 The Tuskegee Syphilis Study: Some Ethical Reflections Adebayo A. Ogungbure Department of Philosophy University of Ibadan, Nigeria philosopher.bayo@yahoo.com Thought and Practice: A Journal of the Philosophical Association of Kenya (PAK) New Series, Vol.3 No.2, December 2011, pp.75-92 thoughtandpractice@gmail.com http://ajol.info/index.php/tp/index Abstract There are established ethical principles to protect human participants in biomedical research from undue exploitation by researchers. However, in the “Tuskegee Study” in the US, these principles were grossly violated. The task of this paper is to critically examine the ethical implications of that study on future practices in biomedical research, and to suggest ways of ensuring that such practices comply with appropriate ethical values. Key Words Bioethics, Biomedical research, clinical research, Tuskegee Study, paternalism, morality Introduction From time to time human beings experience health challenges, whether physical or mental. On its part, medical practice has made considerable progress towards combating or controlling many of these challenges. It is through research that the nature, symptoms and effects of ailments can be ascertained and remedies discovered. Medical researchers engage in both therapeutic and non-therapeutic research. Therapeutic research is that carried out with the purpose of treating disease. On the other hand...
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...Ethics Case Study Tina Marie Gaddie HCS 335 Edna Wilkerson June 20,2011 Ethics Case Study It is important to understand that in this case, valium is not an anti-depressant because it can actually cause or worsen the patient’s depression. Another issue to understand is that Jerry does not have any authority to provide medical prescriptions. According to medical law and ethics, the doctors or other authorizing people such as PA or LNP must approve all medication refills. What Jerry could do is to call Dr. Williams and inform him on what his client wants because doctors carry their cell phones because they are aware they might be needed in the office at any time. In case, Jerry will get approval from Dr. Williams, then he will go ahead and issue this refill order. In case, he will issue without consultation of Dr. Williams, then he will be in big trouble because it is against medical laws. Does Jerry’s medical training qualify him to issue this refill order? Why or why not? Actually, Jerry’s medical training does not qualify him to issue this refill order because he is not qualified to issue out the valium prescription. Being both assistant medical and LNP, means that he is not qualified to issue refill order. This is because it is not his work but the work of medical doctors who qualify to issue this refill. Even though Jerry may call Dr. Williams, it may be hard to be given prescription because there is what we call informed consent in medical ethics (Hall and Bobinski...
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...From time to time human beings experience health challenges, whether physical or mental. On its part, medical practice has made considerable progress towards combating or controlling many of these challenges. It is through research that the nature, symptoms and effects of ailments can be ascertained and remedies discovered. Medical researchers engage in both therapeutic and non-therapeutic research. Therapeutic research is that carried out with the purpose of treating disease. On the other hand, non-therapeutic research is aimed at 76 Adebayo A. Ogungbure furthering the frontiers of knowledge about human health. Furthermore, researchers and physicians often use human beings as objects of scientific investigation, raising certain ethical concerns, including the issue of informed consent and how consent is obtained, selection of participants in research, the welfare of human subjects involved in a research project, what the goals of research ought to be, and what ought to constitute proper procedure for an ethical research. These issues are central to an aspect of applied ethics which is now commonly referred to as research ethics. The aim of research ethics is to ensure that research projects involving human subjects are carried out without causing harm to the subjects involved. In addition, it provides a sort of regulatory framework which ensures that human participants in research are not exploited either physically or psychologically. The need for ethical guidelines...
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