Ethics Issues Unit 1.docx - Running head Ethics 1 Ethics...

Running head: Ethics 1
Ethics Issue – Unit 1
Tracy Wright
Herzing Unitversity

Ethics Issue Unit 1 2
A physician assistant in a medical practice with several physicians contacts his professional
association, the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA), to report that one of his
employing physicians often recommends chiropractic treatment for patients with persistent back
pain issues that have resisted medical solutions. The PA knows it is legal to refer a patient for
chiropractic treatments, but he adamantly opposes the practice, considering it “bogus medicine.”
The physician declines to discuss the matter.
Discussion Questions
1. If a Physician’s Assistant (PA) has a problem with a physician within his organization
referring patients to a chiropractor, he is within his right to report the “incident” but also
has to be accepting of the AAPA’s decision to do nothing about the referral. Even if the
PA considers referral to a chiropractor to be “bogus medicine”, that is his opinion and
not grounds for legal or ethical resolution from the AAPA.
2. It is ethical but may not be wise for the PA to continue employment within an office in
which he does not agree with the referral system. Since the act of referring a patient to a
chiropractor is not unethical, it is not an ethical matter.
Ethics ISSUE 2:
A registered nurse calls her professional organization's ethics consultant to ask for resources she
can present to her employing medical clinic to support her intention to quit working with a
physician she feels is providing sloppy and possibly dangerous care.
Discussion Questions
1. The most important thing for a registered nurse to do when considering to announce her
intentions to work with a specific physician due to possible ethics violations is make
sure she has her facts straight. It is important, when reporting someone of an ethics
violation, to make sure the accusation is accurate as it may result in expulsion from the
organization or even a loss of license or prosecution for the offending physician.
2. If the nurse is correct about the physician providing sloppy care and possibly dangerous
care, there can be several different types of legal ramifications. Some of those
ramifications could be:
a. Expulsion from the organization
b. Loss of license
c. Lawsuit for malpractice

Ethics Issue Unit 1 3
Ethics ISSUE 4:
Family members of a certified medical assistant (CMA) (AAMA) employed by a medical clinic
in a small community often ask the CMA for medical advice. Two of her family members have
asked her to bring antibiotic samples home for them.
Discussion Question
1. In my opinion, it would be unethical for the CMA to both give medical advice and to
provide medication samples for family members. The most a family member (CMA,
MMA, PA, RN, physician, etc…) should do is refer their family to contact a doctor or
call 911.