Legal scenarios in healthcare

A medication is ordered to be mixed in 1000 cc of IV fluid for administration. If a

nurse injects the medication directly into a patient’s vein in error, he/she could be

guilty of:

• Malpractice

• Assault

• Negligence

• Physical Abuse

Mr. Jones goes to a medical office with chest pain. The physician orders an antacid

and does not do an EKG. That night, Mr. Jones dies from a heart attack. The doctor

could be charged with:

• Slander

• Defamation

• Negligence

• Battery

An EMT is charged with battery. What did the EMT do?

• Posted on social media about a victim's condition

• Treated a victim, even though the victim refused treatment

• Failed to splint a broken leg and then moved the victim

• Used inappropriate words to describe a victim’s nationality

As a medical assistant in Dr. Reed’s office Shonda knows there are boxes of sample

medications left by pharmaceutical representatives. Mrs. Dunning, a patient says shecan’t afford the cost of her and her husband’s medications. Shonda gives her some samples. Why should Shonda not do this?

• This is slander by Shonda

• This is robbery by Shonda

• This is a misdemeanor by Shonda

• This is a breach of Shonda’s scope

A dental assistant tells her friends that a hygienist she works with has a drinking

problem. If this is not true, the assistant could be guilty of:

• Slander

• Malpractice

• Battery

• Libel

Jan Shevlin goes to the laboratory for blood work. She cooperates with the

phlebotomist by extending her arm to have blood drawn. What kind of agreement did the phlebotomist have with this patient?

• Informed consent

• Formal consent

• Expressed contract

• Implied consent

An angry patient writes a letter to the newspaper editor about a local psychologist.

The allegations in the letter are clearly untrue and damaging to the psychologist’s

practice. The letter writer could be guilty of:

• Assault

• Battery

• Slander

• Libel

Don is caring for his elderly mother. He could be charged with psychological abuse if he:

• Threatens to lock her in her room

• Uses profanity when he talks to her

• Does not give her enough to eat and drink

• Hits her

What safeguard should be used to protect the confidentiality of computerized

medical records?

• Daily virus scan

• Weekly emptying of recycle bin

• Use of passwords

• Use of a firewall

Rob, an EMT, is called to an accident scene where a famous TV star has been

injured. After work, Rob’s girlfriend asks Rob about the star’s injuries. If Rob tells her this information, he is in violation of what?

• OBRA

• Nursing home reform act

• HIPAA

• ACLU