Ethical and Legal Implications for Healthcare Practitioners Discussion Paper

Ethical and Legal Implications for Healthcare Practitioners Discussion Paper

Ethical and Legal Implications for Healthcare Practitioners Discussion Paper

Ethical and Legal Implications for Healthcare Practitioners.

This case study explores potential ethical and legal implications within a primary care practice, focusing on the actions of a medical assistant and the responsibilities of the nurse practitioner,direct medicator, and the practice itself. The purpose of this paper is to analyze potential ethical and legal implications and propose strategies for positive change in a primary care practice.

Potential Ethical and Legal Implications

Medical Assistant-The potential ethical and legal implications for Stephanie, the medical assistant, are significant. By accepting the patient’s request for a refill without consulting the nurse practitioner or the physician, Stephanie has potentially violated legal and ethical boundaries (Rubio-Navarro et al., 2019). Providing medication without proper authorization from a licensed prescriber is illegal and can lead to serious consequences, such as loss of licensure, civil lawsuits, or criminal charges.

Nurse Practitioner- As a nurse practitioner, there may be ethical and legal implications to consider. If the nurse practitioner had authorized the refill request without documenting it or informing the medical assistant, it could be seen as a violation of professional standards and ethical guidelines (Waibel et al., 2022). Prescribing medication without a proper assessment, evaluation, or documentation can lead to patient harm and is considered substandard practice

The medical director holds a leadership role within the practice and is responsible for overseeing the ethical and legal aspects of patient care. In this scenario, the medical director should ensure that the practice has clear policies and procedures in place regarding medication prescribing and renewal processes. Furthermore, the medical director should review and reinforce the importance of proper delegation of tasks, communication protocols, and adherence to legal and ethical standards within the practice.

Strategies to Implement to Prevent Further Episodes of Illegal Behavior

The practice as a whole may face legal and reputational implications due to the actions of the medical assistant and the potential oversight in the prescription renewal process. If it is determined that there were inadequate policies and procedures in place or a lack of supervision, the practice could be held liable for any harm caused to the patient. To prevent further episodes of potentially illegal behavior, several strategies can be implemented within the primary care practice. One crucial strategy is to provide comprehensive education and training to all staff members. This includes medical assistants, nurse practitioners, and other healthcare providers. By ensuring that everyone understands legal and ethical boundaries, the practice can promote a culture of compliance.

Effective communication channels play a vital role in preventing illegal behavior. Staff members, including medical assistants, should have clear and open lines of communication with nurse practitioners or physicians (Raine et al., 2022). Encouraging an environment of collaboration and open dialogue allows for questions, concerns, or uncertainties to be addressed promptly and effectively.

Leadership Qualities to Effect a Positive Change

To effect a positive change in the practice and shape its culture, several leadership qualities can be applied. Firstly, a leader should be visionary, having a clear vision for the practice and effectively communicating it to inspire and motivate the team towards a common goal. This vision can encompass a commitment to patient-centered care, continuous improvement, and a culture of ethical and legal compliance. A collaborative approach is essential to foster a positive culture within the practice. A leader should encourage teamwork, mutual respect, and shared responsibility (Haahr et al., 2020). By valuing input from all team members and promoting a sense of ownership, the leader creates an environment that encourages collaboration, innovation, and collective problem-solving.Accountability is a vital quality for driving positive change. A leader should hold themselves and others accountable for their actions and outcomes. Establishing clear expectations, providing constructive feedback, and recognizing achievements reinforce a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.

Conclusion

 By addressing the potential ethical and legal implications and implementing strategies such as education, clear policies, effective communication, supervision, monitoring, and accountability, positive change can be fostered within the practice, promoting a culture of compliance, patient safety, and ethical practice.

References

Haahr, A., Norlyk, A., Martinsen, B., & Dreyer, P. (2020). Nurses experiences of ethical dilemmas: A review. Nursing ethics, 27(1), 258–272. https://doi.org/10.1177/0969733019832941

Raine, A., Ling, S., Streicher, W., & Liu, J. (2022). The conduct and oppositional defiant disorder scales (CODDS) for disruptive behaviour disorders. Psychiatry research, 316, 114744. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2022.114744

Rubio-Navarro, A., Garcia-Capilla, D. J., Torralba-Madrid, M. J., & Rutty, J. (2019). Ethical, legal and professional accountability in emergency nursing practice: An ethnographic observational study. International emergency nursing, 46, 100777. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ienj.2019.05.003

Waibel, A. K., Seifert, N., & Swoboda, W. (2022). Ethical, Legal and Social Implications in a Nursing Field Study in Bavaria. Studies in health technology and informatics, 295, 187–188. https://doi.org/10.3233/SHTI220693

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You are a family nurse practitioner employed in a busy primary care office. The providers in the group include one physician and three nurse practitioners. The back office staff includes eight medical assistants who assist with patient care as well as filing, answering calls from patients, processing laboratory results and taking prescription renewal requests from patients and pharmacies. Stephanie, a medical assistant, has worked in the practice for 10 years and is very proficient at her job. She knows almost every patient in the practice, and has an excellent rapport with all of the providers.

Mrs. Smith was seen today in the office for an annual physical. Her last appointment was a year ago for the same reason. During this visit, Mrs. Smith brought an empty bottle of amoxicillin with her and asked if she could have a refill. You noted the patient’s name on the label, and the date on the bottle was 1 week ago. You also noted your name printed on the label as the prescriber. The patient admitted that she called last week concerned about her cough and spoke to Stephanie. You do not recall having discussed this patient with Stephanie nor do the other providers in the practice.

Case Study Questions:

What are the potential ethical and legal implications for each of the following practice members?

Medical assistant

Nurse Practitioner

Medical Director

Practice

What strategies would you implement to prevent further episodes of potentially illegal behavior?

What leadership qualities would you apply to effect a positive change in the practice?  Be thinking about the culture of the practice.

A scholarly resource must be used for EACH discussion question each week. scholarly sources from last 5 years that I can access online thanks.