Professional, Ethical, and Legal Aspects of Practice
Domain 10: Professional, Ethical, and Legal Aspects of Practice
This domain tests scope of practice, consent, confidentiality, advocacy, and accountability in vascular access.
Core rules
- Practise only within your training and authorisation. Know when to escalate to a more experienced clinician, anaesthetist, radiologist, or surgeon.
- Informed consent is a process: capacity, information, voluntariness, and documentation. For children, seek assent and parental consent per law. Respect refusal even when you disagree.
- Maintain confidentiality. Do not share patient images or identifiers on social media; use secure systems.
- Be accountable: report errors and near misses honestly, document facts, and participate in review.
- Stewardship: avoid unnecessary devices, reduce waste, and consider cost without compromising care.
- Advocacy: recognise power imbalance, use interpreters, and support patients who cannot advocate for themselves.
Worked example
A competent patient refuses a PICC needed for long-term antibiotics. Reasoning: explore concerns, correct misinformation, discuss alternatives and risks, but do not coerce. Document the discussion, the refusal, and the plan. If the patient lacks capacity, follow the legal framework and involve the appropriate decision-maker.
Traps
Signing consent for a doctor; exceeding scope; discussing patients in public areas; posting images; and documenting opinions rather than observed facts.