Ethics review questions DARBY, 302 ch.7

A dental hygienist does not adequately review the client's medical history resulting in an allergic reaction to the anesthesia used during dental hygiene procedure causing client harm, thus violating the standard of care. The dental hygienist may be guilty of dental hygiene negligence.

Both statements are true. - The failure to meet the standard of care can include the following: an act of omission (i.e., not doing something) and an act of commission (i.e., performing an act inappropriately). Negligence is a failure of one owing a duty to another to do what a reasonable and prudent person would ordinarily have done under the circumstances.

if a dental hygienist commits a civil action error during client care and a jury or a judge is 51% sure that this error caused harm to the client, the dental hygienist will be found liable based on a preponderance of evidence. a. first statement is true, second statement is false b. first statement is false, second statement is true c. both statements are true d. both statements are false

c. both statements are true

libel and slander are examples of a. sexual harassment b. tort c. defamation d. discrimination

c. defamation

an obligation to keep implied or explicit promises to the clients is a demonstration of which ethical principle? a. veracity b. beneficence c. nonmaleficence d. fidelity

d. fidelity

a dental hygienist who refuses to provide care to individuals on medicaid is violating the ethical standard that suggests dental hygienists should not discriminate. this unethical behavior has legal consequences. a. first statment is false, second statement is true b. both statements are false c. both statements are true d. first statement is true, second statement is false

d. first statement is true, second statement is false (a professional who violates an ethical code may frustrate a client or lose the respect of professional colleagues, but there may or may not be legal consequence to an ethical violation)

when a dental hygienist is responsible for all the legal principles that influence client care and is responsibile for knowledge of labor and employment laws, discrimination issues, tax laws, and related business obligations he or she is referred to as a/an a. dependent practitioner b. independent contractor c. dependent contractor d. independent practitioner

d. independent practitioner

what type of act occurs when a client declines dental advice and their refusal is documented to protect the practitioner? a. quid pro quo b. informed consent c. contractual agreement d. informed refusal

d. informed refusal

when a dental hygienist provides treatment for which she is not qualified and increasing the risk of potential harm to the client, what ethical principle is being violated? a. beneficence b. justice c. autonomy d. nonmaleficence

d. nonmaleficence (above all, do no harm)

a code of ethics recognizes three relationships. which of the following is not recognizable relationship? a. professional and client b. professional and society c. professional and professional d. professional and self

d. professional and self (in dental hygiene, ethics focuses on moral duties and obligations of the professional to clients, colleagues, and society)

what occurs if a practitioner performs a procedure on a client without informed consent? a. abandonment b. defamation c. negligence d. techinal battery

d. technical battery

all of the following are characteristics of the american dental hygienists' associations code of ethics except one. which one is the exception? a. the code describes basic beliefs on the importance of oral health b. the code assists dental hygienist in achieving high levels of ethical consciousness, decision making, and practice c. the code contains categories of standard of professional responsibilities d. the code guides dental hygienists in how to handle malpractice accusations

d. the code guides dental hygienist in how to handle malpractice accusations

Dr. M recently joined the private practice as a partner. He repeatedly makes comments about the female employee's appearance, clothing, and anatomy, often in a crude manner. The behaviors described would be considered: carpe diem. hostile environment. quid pro quo. b and c.

hostile environment. Unwelcome, demeaning verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature creates a hostile, intimidating, or offensive work environment.

Case Study A dental hygienist is aware that some of the patients in the office receive treatment that is not necessary and other patients receive less than the standard of care in the restorative or dental hygiene services provided. Often patients ask the dental hygienist her opinion about the quality or necessity for treatment. The dental hygienist is uncertain how to answer the patient's questions. In evaluating the alternatives noted in Question No. 28, what are the risks that may occur? -If the dental hygienist is truthful, the client may be upset about the quality of care and the dentist may fire the dental hygienist. -The patient will sue the dental hygienist because the dental hygienist did not tell the patient about poor quality care. -The dental hygienist is violating the dental practice act of a state or province and may lose her license. -The state dental hygiene society may sanction the dental hygienist.

- If the dental hygienist is truthful, the client may be upset about the quality of care and the dentist may fire the dental hygienist. -> The dental hygienist takes the appropriate step to implement the chosen alternative to resolve the conflict or dilemma. Codes of ethics, dental practice acts, state or provincial laws serve as guideposts for the decision-making process and final choice.

the length of time an aggrieved person has to enter lawsuits against another for an alleged injury is referred to as a. informed consent b. statue of limitations c. contractual agreement d. quid pro quo

b. statue of limitations

Your child patient, Fred Fidgety, is not cooperating at his dental hygiene appointment. Your reaction is to yell and wave your handpiece in a threatening manner. Fred becomes frightened and reports your actions to his parents. Which of the following intentional torts might you be accused of committing? Assault Battery Mental distress Misdemeanor Misrepresentation

An assault occurs when one intends to cause apprehension in someone without touching him or her. An example of an assault may be threatening someone with a raised hand. A practitioner that threatens to harm someone or causes fear may be guilty of assault, as in the example, "If you do not sit still, I am going to stick you with the needle."

Following graduation you are employed at Woodred Dental Clinic. The employment terms were clear and you had not received any negative feedback about your performance. As you get ready to leave the office one evening, Dr. Z calls you into her office. She informs you that effective tomorrow, you are no longer employed at Woodred. She asks for your key, requests you to collect your personal belongings, and indicates your last check will be mailed to your home address. This situation describes which of the following type of termination?

At will termination - Dental hygienists may have their employment terminated for little or no reason, defined as "at will." The small business atmosphere of dental practice allows the "at will termination" by either party to exist. Given the "at will" termination process, notice of termination is a courtesy but not a requirement to end employment

The dental hygienist assesses the client and is developing a dental hygiene treatment plan to discuss with the patient and get permission to proceed. She outlines the benefits and risks of the treatment plan. She discusses her findings and takes time to understand the client's needs, specific desires for their oral health, and ability to pay for treatment. Which ethical principle supports the dental hygienist's actions?

Autonomy - Recognizing autonomy occurs when the dental hygienist involves the client in decision making and obtains informed consent. The caregiver provides clients with enough information to make judgments about their care. All clients should be provided with understandable information about their oral health status and treatment options. To meet this obligation, a dental hygienist uses communication that is appropriate for the client's comprehension and competence level.

A mentally compromised person is assigned to you as a patient. Based on the patient's status, it is clear that they do not fully understand what type of treatment they are receiving. As part of the patient's treatment, you are expected to complete a prophylaxis. The office manager tells you to "rush through" the procedure because the "patient won't know the difference." If you compromise the quality of care you provide to the patient, by doing a "quick prophy" instead of the appropriate level of care, which of the following ethical principle do you violate?

Autonomy and justice - Autonomy is based on the principle of respect for persons. All clients should be provided with understandable information about their oral health status and treatment options. To meet this obligation, a dental hygienist uses communication that is appropriate for the client's comprehension and competence level. Justice relies on fairness and equality. All clients receiving care should be treated equally. A dental hygienist who provides substandard care to persons in a nursing home because they are institutionalized is not treating all clients equally.

Dental hygiene students are discussing their initial experience in the preclinical dental hygiene course. Before lunch, the students completed a health history for a student partner. One student served as the operator, and one student acted as the patient. The health history is the standard form used for all patients in the dental hygiene clinic. One of the students at the lunch table begins talking about the health information that he solicited from his "student-patient." Which of the following ethical principles is the student violating?

Autonomy is based on the principle of respect for persons. Individuals have a right to self-determination, that is, freedom to make their own judgments based on their own evaluations. It is the belief that independent actions and choices of an individual should not be constrained by others.

The two major categories of civil law that a dental hygienist could allegedly violate include:

Contract and Tor - A legal definition states that a contract is an agreement between two or more consenting and competent parties to do or not to do a legal act for which there is sufficient consideration. A tort is an interference with another's right to enjoy person, property, or privacy. Categories of torts are as follows: intentional torts and unintentional torts. Intentional torts are committed with intent on the part of the person. Unintentional torts are not intended by the person accused of committing the tort.

Your employer hires Peggy Pyramid as a dental hygienist for the practice. She is scheduled for and provides dental hygiene treatment to the patients in the office. Subsequently, it is discovered that Peggy is not a registered dental hygienist, but rather a registered dental assistant. Which of the following is the contract violation of the provider-client contractual relationship? Breach of patient trust Breach of confidentiality Improperly licensed and registered personnel providing care Lack of informed consent

Improperly licensed and registered personnel providing care - The assistant did not harm the patient; however, the dentist warranted, based on the contractual relationship between the dentist and patient, that employees within the office were properly licensed and that the staff would never exceed the scope of practice.

the ability to answer for one's actions is referred to as a. accountability b. beneficence c. veracity d. fidelity

a. accountability

Each of the following is a client contractual responsibility once a provider-client relationship is established EXCEPT one. Which is the EXCEPTION? Uncooperative in care Failing to pay fees for services Lying about their health status Failing to provide updated health history information Failing to check the license status of the dental staff

Failing to check the license status of the dental staff - The patient has contractual duties, including cooperating in care, providing accurate information, paying fees, and keeping appointments.

A recently hired dental hygienist is offended by Dr. M's actions. The associate should do which of the following?

Firmly express unhappiness directly to Dr. M. - If faced with sexual harassment, one should do the following: directly inform the harasser that the conduct is unwelcome, and specifically identify the conduct. Directly inform the harasser that the conduct is to stop.

all of the following organizations deal with discrimination except one. which one is the exception? a. at will employment termination b. equal employment opportunity commission c. americans with disabilities act d. sexual harassment

a. at will employment termination

what type of ethical principle occurs when a dental hygienist provides a client with information about their oral health status, discusses their treatment options, and involves the client in the decision making of their treatment? a. autonomy b. beneficence c. nonmaleficence d. justice

a. autonomy

One of your staff members is not performing his job responsibilities. As a supervisor you outlined the issues at his last evaluation and allowed an additional 3 months of employment to correct his deficiencies. To date, he has made no progress, so you terminated him. He is 33 years old. He threatens to sue you under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. Assume all factors required to sue under the federal law are met. Which of the following applies to this situation? He meets the age requirement to sue under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. He does not meet the age requirement to sue under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. He does not meet the requirement to sue under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act because of his gender. He does meet the requirement to sue under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act because of his gender.

He does not meet the age requirement to sue under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act: The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA) is a federal law that affects employers with 20 or more employees. The act prohibits discrimination on the basis of age between 40 and 70 years.

Case study dental hygienist is aware that some of the patients in the office receive treatment that is not necessary and other patients receive less than the standard of care in the restorative or dental hygiene services provided. Often patients ask the dental hygienist her opinion about the quality or necessity for treatment. The dental hygienist is uncertain about how to answer the patient's questions. Each of the following is a possible ethical alternative to solve the dilemma EXCEPT one. Which is the EXCEPTION? Speak to the dentist about the dental hygienist's concerns concerning the quality of care provided. Honestly answer the patient's questions about the quality of care provided. Report the dentist to the state dental association peer review committee. Ignore the situation.

Ignore the situation. - The one choice that is not acceptable is to ignore the situation. This does nothing to resolve the dilemma. In selecting the course of action, one may weigh which actively promotes the best balance between the negative and positive aspects of the situation. The dental hygienist may also be at risk for an allegation of negligence, a legal risk.

truth telling or integrity is critical to meaningful communication between the dental hygienist and the client. dishonest behavior of the dental hygienist is a violatoin of what ethical principle? a. fidelity b. veracity c. beneficence d. nonmaleficence

b. veracity

A patient hires an attorney and accuses you of dental hygiene negligence. The case goes to trial. Each of the following is one of the things the patient's attorney has to prove EXCEPT one. Which is the EXCEPTION? Intent by the dental hygienist to cause the negligent act. A duty or standard of care exists. The duty or standard of care was breached by the dental hygienist. A harm resulted from the breach of the duty or standard.

Intent by the dental hygienist to cause the negligent act. - The defining characteristics of negligence are the following: a duty or standard exists (e.g., health history taking, assessing blood pressure levels, assessing periodontal health, recording oral health status, referral), a breach or failure to exercise requisite care occurs (e.g., failing to assess the patient, treat the patient; failing to meet the standard of care for the practice of dental hygiene; incorrectly using anesthesia), a harm results (e.g., medical emergency occurs; periodontal status declines; paresthesia develops), and the harm is directly caused by the breach of duty.

Following graduation, you become very active in the state dental hygiene association as a member of the governmental affairs committee. Your interest is to work with the dental hygiene association and state legislators to identify funds that support a mobile dental van and be staffed to provide care to patients in rural areas where there are few dental providers, thus increasing access to care. Which of the following ethical principles supports your actions? Autonomy Beneficence Fidelity Justice Veracity

Justice - relies on fairness and equality. A person is treated justly when given what he or she is due, owed, deserves, or can legitimately claim. All clients receiving care should be treated equally. A dental hygienist who provides substandard care to persons in a nursing home because they are institutionalized is not treating all clients equally.

A small group of dental hygiene students gain access to an instructor's computer and obtain a copy of the final examination. The group does very well on the examination and each earns a high grade for the class. Which of the following ethical principle is violated in this scenario? Justice and veracity Autonomy only Fidelity and veracity Veracity only

Justice and veracity: Justice relies on fairness and equality. A person is treated justly when given what he or she is due, owed, deserves, or can legitimately claim. Veracity, truth telling or integrity, is critical to meaningful communication and therefore to relationships between individuals. Dental hygienists are obligated to be truthful with clients and associates.

Case Study A dental hygienist is aware that some of the patients in the office receive treatment that is not necessary and other patients receive less than the standard of care in the restorative or dental hygiene services provided. Often patients ask the dental hygienist her opinion about the quality or necessity for treatment. The dental hygienist is uncertain how to answer the patient's questions. Your patient's spouse calls you and requests that you update him about his wife's oral health status and care. You decline. Your actions respect which of the following obligations? Protecting the spousal privilege Protecting the provider-client relationship Protecting client confidentiality Protecting dental records confidentiality

Protecting client confidentiality - Confidentiality means that information about a patient's care is not to be shared without the patient's permission. To release confidential information without the patient's permission is an invasion of privacy. Invasion of privacy includes releasing patient information to an unauthorized person, such as a spouse, or discussing a patient's health history outside the scope of treatment.

Mr. Dan Dentin, RDH, graduated in 2018 from the Southwest School of Dental Hygiene. He had been working at Dr. Donna Forrester's office for 6 months and was due for his midyear evaluation. The evaluation occurred in Dr. Forrester's private office. She provided some feedback about his technical skills, patient interactions, and interpersonal style with staff. At the end of the evaluation she stated: "I like your looks and your style. The American Dental Association meeting will be in Hawaii next year. We could go together and enjoy ourselves. I would make it worth your while, especially in your paycheck." Which of the following types of sexual harassment is occurring in this situation?

Quid pro quo, which means something for something, involves a superior-subordinate relationship in which the offender has control over the working conditions of the victim. Examples of sexual harassment include demands for sexual favors in exchange for better working conditions or reviews, raises, or promotions.

A client says inappropriate things to the dental hygiene provider and makes her feel uncomfortable. She reports the situation to her employer who does not address the issue with the client. Which is the best next step for the dental hygienist?

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) deals with discrimination on any of the federally prohibited grounds. The EEOC assists by investigating or advising on appropriate agencies to contact. There are strict guidelines on the timeliness of the complaint, such as a requirement to bring a complaint within 180 days. If the EEOC is unable to obtain a solution, an individual may have the right to file a lawsuit.

Two dental hygienists are employed in a dental clinic with more than 25 employees. The hygienists have comparable training and work experience. One dental hygienist finds out that the colleague is paid a higher salary because he is married and needs the extra income. The dental hygienist earning the lesser salary may be able to file a lawsuit based on which of the following?

The Equal Pay Act - of 1963 protects men and women who perform substantially equal work in the same establishment from gender-based wage discrimination. The law would not allow an employer to reduce the wages of either a man or a woman to equalize inequities in pay.

Your father is seriously ill and requires hospice care. You are currently employed in a clinic with 60 employees. Which of the federal legislative mandates allows you to take time off from work?

The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) allows you to take time off from work.

Each of the following must occur when obtaining informed consent from a client to proceed with scaling and root planing with anesthesia EXCEPT one. Which is the EXCEPTION? -The client must be told in terms/words they understand. -The benefits and risks of the procedures must be explained. The client must be advised of alternative locations to get the treatment such as a dental hygiene educational program. -Client must be told of the prognosis if the procedure is performed or not performed. -An opportunity for questions by the client must be provided.

The client must be advised of alternative locations to get the treatment such as a dental hygiene educational program - To achieve informed consent, clients must be told, in a language that they understand, the following information: diagnosis of the condition, recommended procedure, nature and reasons for the procedure, benefits of the procedure, material risks in performing the procedure, prognosis if the procedure is performed or not performed, alternatives to the recommended procedure, risks and benefits of the alternative procedures, and potential consequences if patient does not choose the recommended procedure.

A friend contacts you aware that you are a licensed dental hygienist and own your practice and asks if you can "stay late" and clean her teeth. You need to leave by 5:00 PM and ask your dental assistant to give her a "quick prophy." Which of the following describe this situation? The dental assistant may be practicing or offering to practice professional responsibilities which the licensee is not competent to perform. The dental assistant may be practicing or offering to practice without adequate supervision professional services which the licensee is authorized to perform under supervision Inappropriate delegation or assigning of responsibility a and b

The dental assistant may be practicing or offering to practice professional responsibilities which the licensee is not competent to perform. The dental assistant may be practicing or offering to practice without adequate supervision professional services which the licensee is authorized to perform under supervision Inappropriate delegation or assigning of responsibility

A dental hygienist informs her employer that she does not want to treat clients from a certain racial background. The situation is best described by which of the following statements

The dental hygienist may be violating state or provincial civil right laws where the practice is located. - Dental hygienists should obtain information about the rules and regulations governing the care of patients within their state to avoid charges of discrimination. Different jurisdictions (states, commonwealths, provinces) have defined special groups with certain statutory implications relating to civil rights and discrimination

A dental hygienist is attending a local component society meeting and discusses her employer's business practices specifically that she sells vitamins as part of her practice. The statement is true. The employer is informed of the conversation and accuses the dental hygienist of slander. Which of the following best describes this situation? The dental hygienist should not be accused of slander because the comment was a true statement and did not slander the dentist or harm the dentist's reputations. The dental hygienist made an unsubstantiated statement and thus committed slander. Slander is not the correct term for this situation, the dental hygienist may have committed libel. Dental hygienists should never talk about their employer.

The dental hygienist should not be accused of slander because the comment was a true statement and did not slander the dentist or harm the dentist's reputations. - To be libelous or slanderous, the defamatory comment must be false.

the meet proof beyond a reasonable doubt, a jury or judge must be absolutely convinced that the criminal act occurred to establish guilt. if one is not absolutely convinced, an individual must be found innocent. a. both statements are false b. both statements are true c. first statement is true, second statement is false d. first statement is false, second statement is true

b. both statements are true

a dental hygienist who violates the confidential relationship betweeen the dental hygienist and the client is committing an a. unintentiona tort b. intentional tort c. express contract d. implied contract

b. intentional tort (intentional torts are committed with intent on the part of the person. intentional torts include battery, assault, false imprisonment, mental distress, breach of confidentiality, interference with property, and misrepresentation or deceit)

standare of care is defined by the a. dental office b. profession c. courts d. state department

b. profession

You attend the homecoming weekend. It is a great 3 days that includes football, attending some parties, and not much sleep. By the time you get home on Sunday evening, you are exhausted and decided to call in sick the next day to catch up on all the studying that did not occur over the weekend. You are supposed to be a "patient" for your partner on Monday morning as part of a preclinical exercise and you had assured your partner you would be there "bright and early." You call in sick, indicating you have the flu. Which of the following ethical principles did you violate? Veracity Veracity and justice Veracity, justice, and fidelity None are applicable

Veracity, justice, and fidelity - Veracity, truth telling or integrity, is critical to meaningful communication and therefore to relationships between individuals. Dental hygienists are obligated to be truthful with clients and associates. Justice relies on fairness and equality. A person is treated justly when given what he or she is due, owed, deserves, or can legitimately claim. Fidelity is the obligation to keep implied or explicit promises

For Question No. 2, the client refuses to allow the dental hygienist to administer anesthesia. The dental hygienist emphasizes the needs for the anesthesia, the risks to declining the anesthesia, and potential impact on treatment. The treatment notes document the interaction between the provider and client and the client signs the note entry noting they do not want to be anesthetized. This best describes: informed communication. informed consent. informed refusal. informed treatment planning.

informed refusal: The rules for informed refusal follow those for obtaining informed consent to care. They include that the patient is told in understandable language the following information: the diagnosis and recommendation for treatment or referral, the reasons for the recommendation, and risks and possible consequences to patient's oral and general health. There must be discussion about the refusal and the effects as well as an opportunity to discuss the recommendation. During the discussion, if it appears that the patient refused care because of lack of understanding, the dental hygienist should again explain the recommendation.

A dental hygiene colleague is accused of dental hygiene malpractice. In her civil trial the level of proof the jury will use to determine guilt or innocence is

preponderance of evidence. - The requirement of a preponderance of evidence to prove guilt or innocence is weaker than a requirement of proof beyond a reasonable doubt. Professional malpractice suits filed against oral health professionals are usually in the civil arena; therefore the level of proof required is a preponderance of evidence.