Question

Explain the legal and ethical considerations for work role boundaries and limitations. Provide an example to illustrate your answer.

Answer 1

In the health-care environment, a medical assistant needs to be professional and fulfill the professional requirements, but they should be aware of their self-boundaries. Physical space between the people is one of the self-boundary, but it also applies to communication in a way that influences interpersonal relationships.

Determining workplace boundaries is most important for medical professionals, which have personal importance. For example, using first or last names during communication, off-the-clock interactions with supervisors and co-workers, sharing the inappropriate materials via e-mails and by other means. Breaching the workplace boundaries and limitations can lead to ethical and legal issues. For example, a nurse should not prescribe the medications, and all the medical professionals should never disclose the patient's personal information to others without the patient consent.

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) established several privacy rules and regulations for healthcare professionals about the patient confidentially and transferring their information through electronic communications. Branching the rules of patient confidentiality results in immediate termination of the employee.