ethical responsibilities
What term describes a system of principles a society develops to guide decisions about what is right and wrong?
Ethics
What term means threatening to touch someone without permission whether carried out or not?
Assault
What legal document allows an adult to state in advance what treatments they want if they become unable to speak for themselves?
Living will
What is the legal duty to keep a patient's private information secret?
Confidentiality
What term means acting with careful judgment and keeping secrets safe?
Discreet
What concept refers to a patient's right to make their own independent decisions about their healthcare without interference?
Autonomy
What legal term describes professional negligence or providing substandard care that results in injury to a patient?
Malpractice
What document names a specific person to make healthcare decisions if the patient cannot?
Durable power of attorney for health care
What is an intentional deception or trickery used to gain an unauthorized benefit, such as fake billing?
Fraud
What is another term for "mercy killing," meaning the painless ending of life for someone with an incurable disease?
Euthanasia
What situation occurs when there is a conflict between two or more ethical principles, where no easy solution exists?
Ethical dilemma
What legal term describes providing substandard care that results in injury to a patient?
Malpractice
What term describes minors under 18 who are legally married or living independently, giving them adult rights?
Emancipated minors
What term describes a broken legal agreement between a provider and a patient?
Breach of contract
A nurse speaks loudly about a patient's private chart in a public hallway, breaking the rule of keeping things private. What core duty was broken?
Confidentiality
Professional organizations publish formal statements of expected standards of behavior for workers. What are these documents called?
Codes of ethics
A nurse forcefully keeps a patient confined to a bed using unauthorized physical restraints without a doctor's order or patient consent.
False imprisonment
What type of permission is given by a patient after they fully understand the risks of an invasive procedure?
Informed consent
What type of legal contract is created by the actions and conduct of the people involved rather than written words?
Implied contract
A doctor performs surgery and makes a major mistake because they did not follow standard safety rules. What legal term covers this professional mistake?
Malpractice
A healthcare worker faces an ethical dilemma when deciding whether to report a coworker who broke the rules, balancing their duty to the rules with loyalty to a peer. What term describes the moral guide they must follow?
Ethics
What legal word refers to the money awarded by a court to a patient who suffered harm due to a breach of contract or malpractice?
Damages
What type of agreement happens through a patient's actions, such as holding out an arm for a test, rather than speaking words?
Implied consent
What type of legal contract is clearly stated in spoken or written words?
Express contract
A patient appoints a trusted family member to act as their agent to make medical choices if they fall unconscious. What legal document was created?
Durable power of attorney for health care (or adult advance directives)