Law and Ethics for Medical Careers » (4th Edition)

Law and Ethics for Medical Careers, 4th edition, provides an overview of the laws and ethics you should know to help you give competent, compassionate care to patients that is within acceptable legal and ethical boundaries. The text can also serve as a guide to help you resolve the many legal and ethical questions you may reasonably expect to face as a student and, later, as a health care practitioner. The text features pertinent legal cases, anecdotes, and sidebars related to health-related careers. Content has been updated and special attention has been paid to legislation affecting health care.

Doody Review Services

Reviewer:Kevin J Watson, BA, RRT(William Beaumont Hospitals)
Description:This book continues to provide an overview of the laws and ethics students should know. Divided into three parts comprising 12 chapters, part 1 is an introduction that covers the foundations of law and ethics. Part 2 deals with legal issues for healthcare practitioners, and part 3 deals with the ethical issues that healthcare practitioners face. The previous edition was published in 2003.
Purpose:It is apparent the purpose is to inform healthcare students of the legal and ethical issues they will face in the workplace and in everyday life. These are topics about which every healthcare practitioner should be aware when on the job as well as off the job in our litigious society.
Audience:Anyone with a stake in healthcare, be it those delivering it or receiving it, would enjoy reading this book. It is informative and easy to read. The three authors bring years of experience and teaching in writing this textbook and are experts in their fields.
Features:The book covers many legal and ethical issues that healthcare practitioners are sure to face. Genetic engineering, death and dying, HIPAA, malpractice, and employment law in the workplace are just a few topics healthcare practitioners are sure to encounter in working with patients, patients' families, coworkers and superiors that are covered in detail. The authors devote an entire chapter to HIPAA that includes frequently asked questions. Childhood vaccinations are also covered, but the book lacks information about what parents' options are, given the public school requirement of vaccination, if they do not want their children vaccinated.
Assessment:This well written book contains relevant legal cases for many of the legal and ethical issues. The legal cases are real world and inform healthcare practitioners how violating patient privacy and trust can lead to monetary penalties as well as possible jail time.

Part 1 The Foundations of Law and Ethics

1 Introduction to Law and Ethics

2 Working in Health Care

3 Law, the Courts, and Contracts

Part 2 Legal Issues for Working Health Care Practitioners

4 Professional Liability and Medical Malpractice

5 Defenses to Liability Suits

6 Medical Records and Informed Consent

7 Privacy Law and HIPAA

Part 3 Professional, Social, and Interpersonal Health Care Issues

8 Physicians' Public Duties and Responsibilities

9 Workplace Legalities

10 The Beginning of Life and Childhood

11 Death and Dying

12 Ethics for Health Care Practitioners