Informed consent process US Medical PG Practice Questions and MCQs
Practice US Medical PG questions for Informed consent process. These multiple choice questions (MCQs) cover important concepts and help you prepare for your exams.
Informed consent process US Medical PG Question 1: A 16-year-old girl comes to the physician for a regular health visit. She feels healthy. She lives with her parents at home. She says that the relationship with her parents has been strained lately because they ""do not approve"" of her new boyfriend. She recently became sexually active with her boyfriend and requests a prescription for an oral contraception. She does not want her parents to know. She smokes half-a-pack of cigarettes per day and does not drink alcohol. She appears well-nourished. Physical examination shows no abnormalities. Urine pregnancy test is negative. Which of the following is the most appropriate next step in management?
- A. Recommend an oral contraceptive pill
- B. Discuss all effective contraceptive options (Correct Answer)
- C. Conduct HIV screening
- D. Inform patient that her smoking history disqualifies her for oral contraceptives
- E. Ask patient to obtain parental consent before discussing any contraceptive options
Informed consent process Explanation: ***Discuss all effective contraceptive options***
- It is crucial to discuss all available and **effective contraceptive options** with the patient, including their benefits, risks, and suitability for her lifestyle, before recommending a specific method.
- This ensures **informed consent** and shared decision-making, empowering the patient to choose the best method for her needs.
*Recommend an oral contraceptive pill*
- Recommending only one method without discussing alternatives limits the patient's choices and does not provide a **comprehensive approach** to contraception.
- While oral contraceptives are effective, other methods like **long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs)** may be more suitable or preferred by the patient.
*Conduct HIV screening*
- While **HIV screening** is important for sexually active individuals, it is not the immediate next step in management when the patient's primary concern is contraception.
- Addressing the patient's immediate request for contraception takes precedence, though **STI/HIV counseling** should be part of comprehensive sexual health discussions.
*Inform patient that her smoking history disqualifies her for oral contraceptives*
- A smoking history in adolescent patients **does not automatically disqualify** them from all types of oral contraceptives, especially progestin-only pills.
- The risk of **thromboembolism** with combined oral contraceptives is increased in smokers over 35, but a 16-year-old's risk needs careful assessment and discussion, not an outright disqualification.
*Ask patient to obtain parental consent before discussing any contraceptive options*
- In many jurisdictions, including the US, minors have the right to **confidential reproductive healthcare services**, including contraception, without parental consent.
- Requiring parental consent would violate her **confidentiality rights** and could deter her from seeking necessary care, potentially leading to unintended pregnancy.
Informed consent process US Medical PG Question 2: A 29-year-old man is admitted to the emergency department following a motorcycle accident. The patient is severely injured and requires life support after splenectomy and evacuation of a subdural hematoma. Past medical history is unremarkable. The patient’s family members, including wife, parents, siblings, and grandparents, are informed about the patient’s condition. The patient has no living will and there is no durable power of attorney. The patient must be put in an induced coma for an undetermined period of time. Which of the following is responsible for making medical decisions for the incapacitated patient?
- A. The spouse (Correct Answer)
- B. An older sibling
- C. Physician
- D. Legal guardian
- E. The parents
Informed consent process Explanation: ***The spouse***
- In the absence of a **living will** or **durable power of attorney**, the law typically designates the **spouse** as the primary decision-maker for an incapacitated patient.
- This hierarchy is established to ensure decisions are made by the individual most intimately connected and presumed to understand the patient's wishes.
*An older sibling*
- Siblings are generally further down the **hierarchy of surrogate decision-makers** than a spouse or parents.
- They would typically only be considered if higher-priority family members are unavailable or unwilling to make decisions.
*Physician*
- The physician's role is to provide medical care and guidance, not to make medical decisions for an incapacitated patient when family surrogates are available.
- Physicians only make decisions in **emergency situations** when no surrogate is immediately available and treatment is immediately necessary to save the patient's life or prevent serious harm.
*Legal guardian*
- A legal guardian is usually appointed by a **court** when there is no appropriate family member available or when there is a dispute among family members.
- In this scenario, with a spouse and other close family members present, a legal guardian would not be the first choice.
*The parents*
- While parents are close family members, they are typically considered **secondary to the spouse** in the hierarchy of surrogate decision-makers for an adult patient.
- They would usually only be the decision-makers if the patient were unmarried or the spouse were unavailable.
Informed consent process US Medical PG Question 3: A 15-year-old teenager presents to the emergency department via emergency medical service (EMS) after a motor vehicle accident. The patient is in critical condition and is hemodynamically unstable. It becomes apparent that the patient may require a blood transfusion, and the parents are approached for consent. They are Jehovah’s Witnesses and deny the blood transfusion, saying it is against their beliefs. However, the patient insists that she wants the transfusion if it will save her life. Despite the patient’s wishes, the parents remain steadfast in their refusal to allow the transfusion. Which of the following is the most appropriate course of action?
- A. Obtain a court order to give blood products. (Correct Answer)
- B. Give the patient the blood transfusion.
- C. Give intravenous fluids to attempt to stabilize the patient.
- D. Do not give blood transfusion due to the parents’ refusal.
- E. Consult the hospital ethics committee.
Informed consent process Explanation: ***Obtain a court order to give blood products.***
- In situations where a minor's life is at risk and parents refuse life-saving treatment, seeking a **court order** is the most appropriate action to protect the child's best interests.
- This step allows the medical team to proceed with the necessary treatment despite parental objections, balancing the parents' religious freedom with the state's interest in protecting children.
*Give the patient the blood transfusion.*
- Directly proceeding with the transfusion without legal intervention against parental wishes for a minor could lead to **legal ramifications** and accusations of battery or lack of informed consent.
- While the patient expresses a wish for the transfusion, due to her minor status, parental consent or a court order is generally required before proceeding against parental refusal.
*Give intravenous fluids to attempt to stabilize the patient.*
- While supportive measures like **intravenous fluids** are important, they may not be sufficient to stabilize a hemodynamically unstable patient requiring a blood transfusion.
- Delaying definitive, necessary treatment in a critical situation can worsen the patient's condition and is not a substitute for addressing the need for blood products.
*Do not give blood transfusion due to the parents’ refusal.*
- Refusing to provide life-saving treatment to a minor when a less invasive alternative is unavailable, solely based on parental religious beliefs and despite the child's expressed wishes, could be considered **medical neglect** and runs contrary to the medical obligation to preserve life.
- Even if the parents are steadfast, the healthcare team has an ethical and legal obligation to advocate for the minor's well-being, especially when the minor explicitly requests the treatment.
*Consult the hospital ethics committee.*
- While an **ethics committee** consultation is valuable for complex ethical dilemmas, it is typically a time-consuming process that may not be feasible for a critically ill, hemodynamically unstable patient requiring immediate intervention.
- In urgent, life-threatening situations involving minors, the immediate priority is to secure the necessary treatment, often through direct legal channels, rather than waiting for an ethics committee review.
Informed consent process US Medical PG Question 4: A 32-year-old man visits his primary care physician for a routine health maintenance examination. During the examination, he expresses concerns about not wanting to become a father. He has been sexually active and monogamous with his wife for the past 5 years, and they inconsistently use condoms for contraception. He tells the physician that he would like to undergo vasectomy. His wife is also a patient under the care of the physician and during her last appointment, she expressed concerns over being prescribed any drugs that could affect her fertility because she would like to conceive soon. Which of the following is the most appropriate action by the physician regarding this patient's wish to undergo vasectomy?
- A. Explain the procedure's benefits, alternatives, and potential complications (Correct Answer)
- B. Refer the patient to a psychotherapist to discuss his reluctance to have children
- C. Discourage the patient from undergoing the procedure because his wife wants children
- D. Insist that the patient returns with his wife to discuss the risks and benefits of the procedure together
- E. Call the patient's wife to obtain her consent for the procedure
Informed consent process Explanation: ***Explain the procedure's benefits, alternatives, and potential complications***
- The physician's primary ethical obligation is to the individual patient, ensuring informed consent for any medical procedure. Providing comprehensive information about **vasectomy benefits, alternatives, and risks** allows the patient to make an autonomous decision.
- While patient-physician confidentiality generally prohibits disclosing specific details of one spouse's medical history to the other, the general knowledge that his wife desires children creates an important backdrop for the discussion. It is the patient's responsibility to consider this and convey this information to his wife.
*Refer the patient to a psychotherapist to discuss his reluctance to have children*
- It is **not appropriate** to assume the patient has a psychological issue solely based on his desire for a vasectomy, even with his wife's conflicting wishes. This action could be seen as judgmental and dismissive of the patient's autonomy.
- A patient's preference for sterilization, even if contrary to a partner's desires, does not inherently indicate a need for psychiatric evaluation unless there are other concerning psychological symptoms.
*Discourage the patient from undergoing the procedure because his wife wants children*
- **Discouraging** the patient based on his wife's wishes infringes upon the patient's **autonomy and reproductive rights**. The physician's role is to provide information and support the patient's informed decisions, not to act as a relationship counselor or impose personal values.
- Medical decisions, especially concerning fertility, are deeply personal, and a physician should not pressure a patient into a decision they do not want based on a partner's separate, yet relevant, wishes.
*Insist that the patient returns with his wife to discuss the risks and benefits of the procedure together*
- While open communication between spouses about reproductive decisions is beneficial, **insisting** on the wife's presence for the consultation undermines the patient's **confidentiality and individual autonomy**. The patient has the right to make medical decisions independently.
- The physician should encourage the patient to discuss this with his wife, but it is ultimately the patient's decision whether to involve her in the consultation for his procedure.
*Call the patient's wife to obtain her consent for the procedure*
- This action would be a **breach of patient confidentiality**. The physician cannot disclose information about the patient's decision or medical discussions with a third party, even a spouse, without the patient's explicit consent.
- A spouse's consent is **not legally or ethically required** for an individual to undergo a vasectomy in most jurisdictions, as it is a decision pertaining to the individual's body and reproductive rights.
Informed consent process US Medical PG Question 5: A 43-year-old male is transferred from an outside hospital to the neurologic intensive care unit for management of a traumatic brain injury after suffering a 30-foot fall from a roof-top. He now lacks decision-making capacity but does not fulfill the criteria for brain-death. The patient does not have a living will and did not name a specific surrogate decision-maker or durable power of attorney. Which of the following would be the most appropriate person to name as a surrogate decision maker for this patient?
- A. The patient's 67-year-old mother
- B. The patient's 22-year-old daughter (Correct Answer)
- C. The patient's girlfriend of 12 years
- D. The patient's older brother
- E. The patient's younger sister
Informed consent process Explanation: **The patient's 22-year-old daughter**
- Most jurisdictions prioritize next of kin in a specific order, typically **spouse**, adult children, parents, and then siblings if no advanced directives exist.
- An **adult child** ranks higher in most default surrogate decision-making hierarchies than parents, siblings, or unmarried partners.
*The patient's 67-year-old mother*
- While a close family member, a **parent** is typically lower on the hierarchy of surrogate decision-makers than an adult child.
- The goal is often to find someone who best understands the patient's wishes, and adult children are generally assumed to have this insight more than parents in many legal frameworks.
*The patient's girlfriend of 12 years*
- An **unmarried partner or girlfriend**, regardless of relationship length, typically holds no legal standing as a surrogate decision-maker unless explicitly named in an advanced directive.
- Legal frameworks prioritize **blood relatives** or legally recognized unions (marriage) when no formal documentation exists.
*The patient's older brother*
- A **sibling** is usually further down the hierarchy of surrogate decision-makers after adult children and parents.
- While a family member, they would not be prioritized over a child in the absence of other directives.
*The patient's younger sister*
- Similar to the brother, a **sibling** is generally lower on the hierarchy than an adult child or parent.
- Family relationships are important, but legal protocols follow specific orders of precedence.
Informed consent process US Medical PG Question 6: A 28-year-old male presents to his primary care physician with complaints of intermittent abdominal pain and alternating bouts of constipation and diarrhea. His medical chart is not significant for any past medical problems or prior surgeries. He is not prescribed any current medications. Which of the following questions would be the most useful next question in eliciting further history from this patient?
- A. "Does the diarrhea typically precede the constipation, or vice-versa?"
- B. "Is the diarrhea foul-smelling?"
- C. "Please rate your abdominal pain on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the worst pain of your life"
- D. "Are the symptoms worse in the morning or at night?"
- E. "Can you tell me more about the symptoms you have been experiencing?" (Correct Answer)
Informed consent process Explanation: ***Can you tell me more about the symptoms you have been experiencing?***
- This **open-ended question** encourages the patient to provide a **comprehensive narrative** of their symptoms, including details about onset, frequency, duration, alleviating/aggravating factors, and associated symptoms, which is crucial for diagnosis.
- In a patient presenting with vague, intermittent symptoms like alternating constipation and diarrhea, allowing them to elaborate freely can reveal important clues that might not be captured by more targeted questions.
*Does the diarrhea typically precede the constipation, or vice-versa?*
- While knowing the sequence of symptoms can be helpful in understanding the **pattern of bowel dysfunction**, it is a very specific question that might overlook other important aspects of the patient's experience.
- It prematurely narrows the focus without first obtaining a broad understanding of the patient's overall symptomatic picture.
*Is the diarrhea foul-smelling?*
- Foul-smelling diarrhea can indicate **malabsorption** or **bacterial overgrowth**, which are important to consider in some gastrointestinal conditions.
- However, this is a **specific symptom inquiry** that should follow a more general exploration of the patient's symptoms, as it may not be relevant if other crucial details are missed.
*Please rate your abdominal pain on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the worst pain of your life*
- Quantifying pain intensity is useful for assessing the **severity of discomfort** and monitoring changes over time.
- However, for a patient with intermittent rather than acute, severe pain, understanding the **character, location, and triggers** of the pain is often more diagnostically valuable than just a numerical rating initially.
*Are the symptoms worse in the morning or at night?*
- Diurnal variation can be relevant in certain conditions, such as inflammatory bowel diseases where nocturnal symptoms might be more concerning, or functional disorders whose symptoms might be stress-related.
- This is another **specific question** that should come after gathering a more complete initial picture of the patient's symptoms to ensure no key information is overlooked.
Informed consent process US Medical PG Question 7: A 69-year-old woman with acute myeloid leukemia comes to the physician to discuss future treatment plans. She expresses interest in learning more about an experimental therapy being offered for her condition. After the physician explains the mechanism of the drug and describes the risks and benefits, the patient then states that she is not ready to die. When the physician asks her what her understanding of the therapy is, she responds "I don't remember the details, but I just know that I definitely want to try it, because I don't want to die." Which of the following ethical principles is compromised in this physician's interaction with the patient?
- A. Patient competence
- B. Patient autonomy
- C. Decision-making capacity (Correct Answer)
- D. Information disclosure
- E. Therapeutic privilege
Informed consent process Explanation: ***Decision-making capacity***
- This refers to a patient's ability to **understand information relevant to a medical decision**, appreciate their situation, reason through options, and communicate a choice. The patient's statement indicates a lack of understanding of the details of the complex treatment, despite being explained.
- While she expresses a choice, her inability to recall details suggests she cannot adequately **weigh risks and benefits**, which is central to capacity.
*Patient competence*
- **Competence is a legal determination** made by a court, not by a physician in a clinical setting.
- Physicians assess **decision-making capacity**, which is a clinical judgment, whereas legal competence has broader implications.
*Patient autonomy*
- **Autonomy is the right of a patient to make their own choices** about their medical care. While the patient is attempting to exercise a choice, the issue here is whether she is able to make an adequately informed choice.
- For autonomy to be truly upheld, the patient must have the **capacity to make an informed decision**, which is compromised by her stated lack of understanding.
*Information disclosure*
- The physician *did* disclose information about the drug's mechanism, risks, and benefits, indicating that the act of disclosure itself was performed.
- The problem is not that information was withheld, but that the patient **did not retain or understand the disclosed information** sufficiently.
*Therapeutic privilege*
- **Therapeutic privilege** is when a physician withholds information from a patient if they believe the disclosure would cause significant harm.
- In this scenario, the physician *did* explain the treatment, so information was not withheld under privilege.
Informed consent process US Medical PG Question 8: A 23-year-old woman presents to the emergency department with acute alcohol intoxication. Her blood alcohol level is 280 mg/dL. She becomes increasingly agitated and attempts to leave against medical advice. Which of the following determines her capacity to refuse treatment?
- A. Age of the patient
- B. Family's wishes
- C. Blood alcohol level
- D. Understanding of risks and benefits (Correct Answer)
Informed consent process Explanation: ***Understanding of risks and benefits***
- A patient's capacity to refuse treatment is primarily determined by their **ability to understand the nature of their condition**, the proposed treatment, and the **potential risks and benefits** of both accepting and refusing treatment.
- Even with intoxication, if a patient can demonstrate this understanding, they technically have the capacity to make decisions, though the intoxication itself often impairs this ability.
- Capacity assessment includes four key elements: understanding information, appreciating how it applies to their situation, reasoning through options, and communicating a choice.
*Age of the patient*
- While age is a factor in pediatric care (requiring parental consent for minors), for adults, it does not solely determine capacity; an adult of any age can be deemed to lack capacity for various reasons.
- The patient's age (23 years old) indicates she is legally an adult, but it does not automatically confer or deny treatment capacity, which is assessed based on mental status.
*Family's wishes*
- Family wishes are important for patients who **lack decision-making capacity** and have no advance directives, but they do not override the decisions of a fully capacitated patient.
- In situations where capacity is questionable, family input might be considered, but the direct assessment of the patient's understanding remains paramount.
*Blood alcohol level*
- A high blood alcohol level strongly suggests impaired judgment and cognitive function, making it a red flag for potential lack of capacity, but it is not a direct measure of capacity itself.
- Some individuals may maintain a degree of understanding even with high levels, so a direct assessment of their comprehension is still necessary, not just assuming based on the level alone.
Informed consent process US Medical PG Question 9: An 8-year-old boy and his 26-year-old babysitter are brought into the emergency department with severe injuries caused by a motor vehicle accident. The child is wheeled to the pediatric intensive care unit with a severe injury to his right arm, as well as other external and internal injuries. He is hemorrhaging and found to be hemodynamically unstable. He subsequently requires transfusion and surgery, and he is currently unconscious. The pediatric trauma surgeon evaluates the child’s arm and realizes it will need to be amputated at the elbow. Which of the following is the most appropriate course of action to take with regards to the amputation?
- A. Obtain an emergency court order from a judge to obtain consent to amputate the child’s arm
- B. Find the child’s parents to obtain consent to amputate the child’s arm
- C. Amputate the child’s arm at the elbow joint (Correct Answer)
- D. Wait for the child’s babysitter to recover from her injuries to obtain her consent to amputate the child’s arm
- E. Wait for the child to gain consciousness to obtain his consent to amputate his arm
Informed consent process Explanation: ***Amputate the child’s arm at the elbow joint***
- In an emergency situation where a child's life is at risk and a procedure is immediately necessary to save their life or prevent significant harm, **implied consent** allows for medical intervention without explicit parental consent. The child's **hemodynamic instability** and **severe hemorrhage** indicate an immediate threat to life.
- The decision to amputate to save the child's life is a **medically necessary emergency intervention**. Waiting for consent would cause a dangerous delay.
*Obtain an emergency court order from a judge to obtain consent to amputate the child’s arm*
- While court orders can be used in cases of parental refusal or unavailability for non-emergency procedures, the **urgent nature** of this life-threatening situation precludes waiting for a court order.
- The delay in obtaining a court order could significantly worsen the child's prognosis or lead to death.
*Find the child’s parents to obtain consent to amputate the child’s arm*
- Although parental consent is generally required for minors, the child's **critical condition** and **hemodynamic instability** mean delaying life-saving treatment to locate parents would be medically irresponsible.
- The principle of **beneficence** (acting in the best interest of the patient) and avoiding harm takes precedence in this emergency.
*Wait for the child’s babysitter to recover from her injuries to obtain her consent to amputate the child’s arm*
- A babysitter is generally not legally authorized to provide consent for major medical procedures for a child, especially an amputation.
- Even if the babysitter had some form of temporary custody, her own injury makes her an unreliable source of consent, and the delay would be critical.
*Wait for the child to gain consciousness to obtain his consent to amputate his arm*
- An 8-year-old child is generally not considered mature enough to provide **informed consent** for such a major medical decision.
- The child is **unconscious and hemodynamically unstable**, making it impossible to obtain consent and dangerously delaying a life-saving procedure.
Informed consent process US Medical PG Question 10: A 66-year-old man with severe aortic stenosis (valve area 0.7 cm², mean gradient 55 mmHg) and Class III heart failure requires emergent hemicolectomy for perforated diverticulitis with peritonitis. He is hemodynamically stable on pressors. Cardiology states he is high-risk for valve replacement but could undergo TAVR in 2-3 weeks. The surgeon believes he needs surgery within 6-8 hours. Evaluate the management approach.
- A. Delay surgery, perform urgent TAVR, then colectomy in 2-3 weeks
- B. Proceed with colectomy under invasive monitoring with cardiology backup (Correct Answer)
- C. Perform colostomy only under local anesthesia, defer resection
- D. Medical management of perforation with antibiotics pending TAVR
- E. Simultaneous TAVR and emergency colectomy in hybrid OR
Informed consent process Explanation: ***Proceed with colectomy under invasive monitoring with cardiology backup***
- Perforated diverticulitis with **peritonitis** is an immediate surgical emergency requiring intervention within hours to prevent **sepsis** and death.
- Management of **severe aortic stenosis** in non-cardiac emergencies involves **invasive hemodynamic monitoring** to maintain a fixed cardiac output, adequate **preload**, and stable **systemic vascular resistance**.
*Delay surgery, perform urgent TAVR, then colectomy in 2-3 weeks*
- Waiting 2-3 weeks for a **TAVR** is not feasible for a patient with **peritonitis**, as the risk of mortality from untreated perforation is nearly 100%.
- **TAVR** requires a recovery period and often **antiplatelet therapy**, which would further complicate and delay the necessary abdominal surgery.
*Perform colostomy only under local anesthesia, defer resection*
- **Local anesthesia** is insufficient for managing generalized **peritonitis** and would not allow for the necessary thorough abdominal washout and source control.
- A simple colostomy without **resection** of the perforated segment fails to eliminate the source of **fecal contamination**, leading to persistent sepsis.
*Medical management of perforation with antibiotics pending TAVR*
- Antibiotics alone are inadequate for **Hinchey III/IV peritonitis**; the lack of **source control** results in high mortality regardless of cardiac status.
- The patient is already on **pressors**, indicating that the septic process is advanced and requires mechanical/surgical correction rather than conservative medical therapy.
*Simultaneous TAVR and emergency colectomy in hybrid OR*
- Combining a **clean-contaminated** or dirty surgery (colectomy) with a sterile cardiac procedure (TAVR) carries an unacceptable risk of **prosthetic valve infection**.
- The physiological stress of both procedures simultaneously would likely exceed the patient's **hemodynamic compensatory** mechanisms in the setting of acute sepsis.
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