Exam category: Patient Care → Ethical and Legal Aspects
Why it matters: Consent, confidentiality, and confirming the patient's identity are part of every exam you perform, and getting one wrong can make you legally liable. The registry tests patient rights, the legal terms for each kind of wrong, and the ARRT Standards of Ethics.
The patient is a person with rights, and you are legally accountable for how you treat them. Every rule below exists to protect either the patient's right to control what happens to their body and information, or to define what happens legally when something goes wrong.
Informed consent means a patient has been told what will happen, why, what the risks and alternatives are, and has agreed to it before it happens. Three types:
| Type | What it looks like |
|---|---|
| Written | Signed document (e.g. a contrast-enhanced exam consent form) |
| Oral (verbal) | Spoken agreement, often witnessed/documented |
| Implied | Patient's actions show agreement (e.g. positioning themselves for the exam without objection) |
Consent for the medical procedure itself is generally obtained by the physician or ordering provider, not the radiographer. The radiographer's job is to explain the radiographic procedure itself — what will happen in the room, positioning, breathing instructions — and verify the patient understands. A patient can refuse any part of an exam at any time, even after starting it; refusal must be documented and reported to the ordering provider.
Answer this to keep going. 13 more sections unlock below.
A patient asks who will explain the medical procedure's risks and alternatives and obtain their consent. Whose duty is that?
Section 1 of 14. Answer the check to keep going.