Question 1

If a patient suffered a burn as a result of improper application of the ESU dispersive (grounding) pad, the individual team member responsible may be found guilty in a lawsuit of which of the following?

Accepted Answer

The situation described is an example of negligence, which is the failure to take reasonable care that results in harm to another person. The team member responsible for the improper application of the dispersive pad did not intentionally cause harm (eliminating options A and C), but their actions were careless or reckless, resulting in injury to the patient. Therefore, the team member may be found guilty of negligence in a lawsuit.

Question 2

According to the Joint Commission's definition regarding consent to surgical intervention, which party has "autonomy"?

Accepted Answer

According to the Joint Commission's definition, autonomy refers to the patient's right to make their own decisions regarding their healthcare, including the decision to consent to or refuse surgical intervention. Therefore, the patient has autonomy in this situation. Anesthesia providers, circulating RNs, and surgeons all play important roles in the surgical intervention, but they do not have autonomy over the patient's decision to undergo the procedure.

Question 3

For which of the following processes are identification and reporting of unsafe conditions and hazards MOST critical?

Accepted Answer

Risk management involves identifying, assessing, and prioritizing risks, and implementing strategies to mitigate them. Identifying and reporting unsafe conditions and hazards is critical in this process to prevent negative outcomes and potential harm to patients and staff. The other options listed do not involve as much focus on identifying and reporting unsafe conditions and hazards.

Question 4

Which legal doctrine would be MOST applicable in a case involving failure by the RN and CST to do proper surgical counts resulting in retention of a foreign object and the surgeon being found not liable?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which legal doctrine would be MOST applicable...

Question 5

Which of the following terms describes the system of principles that become standards of conduct for professionals?

Accepted Answer

Ethics refers to the system of principles that become standards of conduct for professionals. Doctrines are a set of beliefs or principles that guide a person's actions or behavior. Morals refer to a person's individual beliefs about right and wrong. Precedents are previous rulings or decisions that guide future actions or decisions.

Question 6

The best assurance of safe and individual professional behavior by the CST or CSFA is a well-developed, unyielding:

Accepted Answer

A surgical conscience is the professional behavior that a healthcare worker must have to ensure patient safety. It consists of the ethical and moral principles that guide behavior in the operating room, from maintaining a sterile environment to prioritizing the patient's needs. A well-developed and unyielding surgical conscience is essential for the CST or CSFA to provide safe, individual, and ethical patient care. The other options, such as liability insurance and scope of practice, are important but do not necessarily ensure individual professional behavior. The core curriculum is also necessary, but it is only one aspect of a successful surgical practice.

Question 7

Which part of the patient's medical record documentation would contain pre-op and post-op diagnoses, positioning, skin prep, start and stop times, counts, and dressings?

Accepted Answer

The intraoperative record documents all the details of the surgical procedure, including pre-op and post-op diagnoses, positioning, skin prep, start and stop times, counts, and dressings. The anesthesia record would only contain information related to anesthesia administration, while advance directives and informed consent are not specific to the surgical procedure itself.

Question 8

The legal term that identifies the knowledge and skills required for a profession and describes a health care provider's core accountability, based on education, experience, and credentialing is:

Accepted Answer

The legal term that describes a health care provider's core accountability based on education, experience, and credentialing is called scope of practice. It identifies the knowledge and skills required for a profession and outlines the boundaries of what health care providers can and cannot do within their field. Professional liability refers to the responsibility of health care providers to maintain a standard of care and be accountable for any harm or injury caused to a patient. Policies and procedures and recommended standards of practice are important tools for health care providers to ensure quality and consistency in care delivery, but they do not address the legal scope of practice for individual providers.

Question 9

Which of the following terms meets the following definition: a voluntary and informed act in which one party gives permission to another party to "touch"?

Accepted Answer

Consent is the act in which one party gives permission to another party to perform a specific action, such as touch or treatment. A is incorrect because an advance directive is a legal document that specifies a patient's preferences for medical treatment if they are unable to make decisions for themselves. B is incorrect because battery is the intentional harmful or offensive touching of another person without their consent. D is incorrect because a time-out is a temporary break in a medical or therapeutic procedure.

Question 10

Specimen loss, mislabeling, and improper preparation are examples of which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Specimen loss, mislabeling, and improper preparation are all examples of medical errors that result from negligence, or the failure to exercise reasonable care. Battery refers to physical harm caused by intentional touching without consent. Defamation refers to false statements that harm a person's reputation. Intentional torts involve deliberate harm or interference with a person's rights.

Question 11

Which of the following terms describes the principles such as benevolence, trustworthiness, and honesty for the care and well-being of others in society?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following terms describes the...

Question 12

Which type of legal action is MOST likely in cases involving tort law and operating room personnel?

Accepted Answer

Tort law generally involves civil disputes between individuals or entities where one party seeks compensation for harm or damages caused by the other party's actions or negligence. Operating room personnel are likely to be involved in cases of medical malpractice, which is a type of tort law. Criminal, federal, and statutory actions may also occur in certain cases, but civil action is the most likely in cases involving tort law and operating room personnel.

Question 13

In a common adage, what is the "best medicine" in health care?

Accepted Answer

The common adage states that "laughter is the best medicine" in health care. However, in the context of actual medical care, prevention is often considered the best medicine as it can help avoid or mitigate the need for treatment in the first place.

Question 14

Surgical team members who fail to monitor and protect a medicated patient from falling could be charged with:

Accepted Answer

Abandonment in the medical field refers to the failure of a healthcare provider to continue treating or monitoring a patient without proper notification or without arranging for an equivalent care replacement. In the context of a surgical team not monitoring and protecting a medicated patient from falling, this could be seen as a failure to provide the necessary ongoing care, thus constituting abandonment.

Question 15

Graduates of CAAHEP or ABHES programs are eligible to sit for the CST or CSFA examinations administered by:

Accepted Answer

Graduates of CAAHEP or ABHES programs are eligible to sit for the CST or CSFA examinations administered by NBSTSA (National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting).

Question 16

Verification that educational programs meet minimum accreditation standards is done by:

Accepted Answer

Accreditation of educational programs in a number of health science fields is handled by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). Therefore, choice B is the correct answer. The other options do not have a role in accrediting educational programs. AST is the Association of Surgical Technologists and provides professional development opportunities for surgical technologists. HIPAA is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and governs the privacy and security of patient health information. NBSTSA is the certifying organization for surgical technologists.

Question 17

Which of the following is NOT a form of individual professional credentialing that protects the public from unqualified health care providers?

Accepted Answer

Accreditation is a process used to evaluate and improve the quality of education and training programs, but it is not a form of individual professional credentialing. Certification, licensure, and registration are forms of individual professional credentialing that protect the public by ensuring that health care providers meet certain standards of competence and ethical behavior.

Question 18

Which of the following would NOT be considered an example of a potential ethical dilemma?

Accepted Answer

Patient privacy is not an ethical dilemma in itself; it is a principle that healthcare providers are expected to uphold. Ethical dilemmas arise when there are conflicting values or principles, such as in the cases of genetic engineering, elective abortion, and the right to die, where different ethical principles may conflict.

Question 19

Which legal doctrine would be MOST applicable in a case involving injury to a patient as a result of a hospital employee's lack of proper training or credentialing?

Accepted Answer

The doctrine of corporate negligence holds healthcare organizations liable for the negligent acts of their employees, including those related to inadequate training or credentialing. This doctrine recognizes that healthcare organizations have a duty to ensure that their employees are properly trained and credentialed to perform their duties safely and effectively, and that failure to do so can lead to patient harm. The other options do not specifically address the issue of inadequate training or credentialing.

Question 20

Which of the following forms of consent is defined by the Joint Commission as "agreement or permission accompanied by full notice about what is being consented to"?

Accepted Answer

Informed consent is defined by the Joint Commission as "agreement or permission accompanied by full notice about what is being consented to". General consent is a broader form of consent that applies to routine or standard procedures, while implied consent is assumed based on the patient's actions or behavior. Special consent is usually required for more invasive or risky procedures.

Quiz 2: Legal Concepts, Risk Management, and Ethical Issues