Ethics and Safety

VALUES AND ETHICS

 Values
 Moral Values
 Ethics
 Ethical Dilemma
 Legal Rights
 PROFESSIONAL ETHICS
 ARRT Standards of Ethics

 Responsibility and Accountability

 Resolving Ethical problems

 Resolving Ethical problems

 List everyone involved and identify

perceptions
 Presume everyone has patient’s best
interest in mind
 Gather relevant information
 Clarify ethical issues
 Determine strengths of each resolution
 Use best resolution
 7 Biomedical Ethics
 Autonomy
 Nonmaleficence
 Beneficence
 Justice
 Fidelity
 Veracity
 Confidentiality
 LEGAL CONSIDERATION
 State Licensing
 Standards of Care: Professional, Clinical,
Quality Performance Standards
 Informed Consent
 Incident Reports
 Good Samaritan Laws
 Patient Rights
 BASIC LEGAL CONCEPTS
 Criminal Law
 Civil Law
 Negligence and Malpractice
 Assault and Battery
 Invasion of Privacy
 False Imprisonment
 Defamation of Character
 CRIMINAL
 Individual who threatens society
 Misdemeanors or felonies
 Result is punishment of person accused
 CIVIL
 Precedents and principles
 Torts
 Intentional and Unintentional
 Compensates client, not to punish accused
 NEGLIGENCE
 When a healthcare professional provides
substandard care.
 MALPRACTICE
 Result of professional misconduct
 Patient must prove:
 Tech owed a duty to the patient
 Tech didn’t carry out duty
 Patient was injured
 Patient’s injury was a result of tech’s failure
to carry out the duty
 Lack of Communication
 Most common cause for malpractice

 “A patient fell and was injured in the radiology

department of a hospital. The radiologist’s
defense was that the nurse had not filled out the
requisition adequately; therefore, he had had no
knowledge of the patient’s history of being unable
to walk for 6 months. However, the court held the
Radiologist liable for negligence in not remaining
alert to the reasonable possibility that the patient
might faint and fall.”
Doctrine of Respondeat Superior
 Employer will be held liable for an
employee’s negligent act.
– Employer-employee relationship
– Employee must be functioning under the
authority of employer
 Master-servant relationship: right to control
employee’s activities, supervise, pay wage,
discharge employee
 LEGAL CONCEPTS CONT…
 Assault
 Battery
 Invasion of Privacy
 False Imprisonment
 Defamation of Character
 SAFETY
Emergency Preparedness
 Weather Alerts

 Bomb Threats

 Disaster Plan
 Safety Guidelines
 Walk, don’t run  Use locks and good
 Obey warnings body mechanics
 Move cautiously  Never leave patient
 Do not obstruct vision unattended on an x-ray
table
 Never use hands to
compress trash  Keep floors and
hallways unobstructed
 Clean spills quickly
 MECHANICAL/ELECTRICAL
SAFETY
 Visual Inspection

 Medical Device Reporting

 Electrical Safety Guidelines
 Never attempt repair
 Never pull on cords
 Do not use multiple adapters or ext cords
 Always use 3-pronged plugs
 Avoid contact with water; hands dry
 Do not use equipment with frayed cords
 Keep cords out of doorways and walkways
 HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
 OSHA Hazardous Communication Rules

 Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)

 PREVENTION OF FALLS
 Learn condition of patient
 Keep floors clear
 Side rails always up
 Wheelchairs locked
 NEVER leave patient unattended
 FIRE SAFETY
 Pull alarm closest to you
 Remove persons in danger
 Turn off equipment and O2
 Close all doors and windows
 RACE Guidelines
 R – Remove and Rescue

 A – Alert, activate alarm and announce

 C – Contain by closing doors and windows

 E - Extinguish
 FIRE EXTINGUISHERS
 Paper and wood: Soda and acid water

 Rubbish or wood: Dry Chemical

 Grease or electrical: Carbon Dioxide

 Rubbish, wood, grease, anesthetic:

Antifreeze or water
 RADIATION SAFETY
 ALARA

 Time
 Distance
 Shielding

 Hang lead aprons