What Would You Do? Insurance, Patient S Bill of Rights, and Medical Ethics Scenarios

What would you do? Insurance, Patient’s Bill of Rights, and Medical Ethics Scenarios

1. A patient is not sure he understands his new insurance policy. He is going to have a colonoscopy procedure, which will cost $1,350. There is a co-pay of $30 and the co-insurance is 20%. The annual deductible is $1,000, of which the patient has met $325. What amount will the patient have to pay?

2. A patient visits a doctor for her annual physical. Describe how she pays her bill to the health care provider and how her third-party payer is involved with her health insurance. Use the following terms: co-payment, deductible, co-insurance

3. Mrs. Rodriguez is admitted to the hospital and told that she requires a surgical procedure. She was unconscious during the procedure and wants to know the doctor who performed it and her qualifications.

The doctor prefers not to interact with patients. What will you do, and why?

4. Mr. McDonnell wants you to mail a letter to his family for him. Your supervisor tells you to read the letter before you send it because she doesn’t want him to complain. What will you do, and why?

5. Your day has been busy and you are short on time. You run into a coworker in an elevator and decide to quickly discuss Mrs. Henderson’s hysterectomy scheduled for the following day. How might this compromise confidentiality?

6. A 65-year-old man has a heart attack and is admitted to the hospital with a poor prognosis. He asks you not to share his medical information with his wife because he thinks she will be overwhelmed by the news. His wife then sees you in the hall and asks about her husband’s prognosis. Should you tell her?

7. A mentally ill woman is admitted to the hospital with a severe injury. While you are changing bandages, she tells you that she plans to kill her ex-boyfriend when she is released. She tells you that you cannot tell anyone. What should you do?

8. A surgeon is operating on a patient’s liver. While the operation is going on, the patient dies of a heart attack. The patient had a very advanced case of heart disease, but the surgeon was unaware of that problem.

Do you think this is malpractice? Explain your answer. 9. A nurses’ aide working in a nursing home is caring for a woman who is 95 years old and in reasonably good health. While the aide is bathing the patient, the patient has a heart attack and dies. Do you think this is malpractice? Explain your answer.

10. While doing your rounds, you find a patient in mild distress. After checking their chart, you realize that the wrong dosage of a medication was administered. You know that this is easily corrected. What do you do?

11. A famous actress is in the hospital under an assumed name for elective surgery. The next day, a tabloid carries the story of her admission for a fatal ailment, citing an “inside” hospital source. You know who was responsible. What do you do?

12. A health care worker at a hospital is found to have the HIV virus. Should patients at the hospital be informed of this? Why or why not?

13. An organ donor organization has determined that the organs will be sold to the highest bidder.

Should this be allowed to happen? Should people be allowed to sell their organs for donation?

14. You and a friend attended nursing school together. You share an apartment near your place of employment.

One day, you happen to notice that your friend is rushing to measure doses of medicine. As a result, some patients receive an incorrect dosage. Discuss your ethical responsibility as well as your loyalty to your friend.

15. While collecting medicine for a patient, you observe a coworker placing pain medication from the hospital pharmacy in his pocket. When you confront him, he explains he has an old knee injury and does not have time to have it checked out. Discuss what course of action you should take.

16. You have developed a great working relationship with a doctor at your health care facility. Your communication is always professional and productive. However, the doctor does not have the same relationship with another co-worker. The doctor constantly speaks to your co-worker in a critical and demeaning manner. You do not want to hurt your relationship with the doctor, but you have observed the harassment on many occasions. Discuss how you should handle this situation.