Healthcare Law and Ethics Report: Analysis and Code of Ethics

This report focuses on the code of ethics within the healthcare field, particularly for lab technicians. It begins by emphasizing the importance of ethical conduct and then outlines several key principles. These include the prohibition of self-analysis of samples, the proper handling of unidentified samples, and the maintenance of patient confidentiality by directing results back to the physician. The report also suggests the ethical obligation to report new or unexpected findings to the physician, even if not initially requested. It then compares these principles to the actual professional code of ethics for lab technicians, highlighting similarities and differences, such as the handling of new microorganisms, and the importance of isolating them for further research and taxonomic classification. Overall, the report emphasizes the significance of ethical behavior in maintaining accuracy, professionalism, and patient well-being in a healthcare setting.

Running head: HEALTHCARE LAW AND ETHICS 1
Health Care Law and Ethics
Name of Student
Name of Institution

HEALTHCARE LAW AND ETHICS 2
Health Care Law and Ethics
Every field of study has a Code of Ethics that they must adhere to. As a lab technician,
there are a few key principles that I believe should fall under the Code of Ethics. These
factors govern how I should conduct normal routine lab work, the various procedures
undertaken while still maintaining good morals and authenticity. Without the Code of
Ethics, it will be difficult for me to progress in the field of research. In the last course, we
analysed the Personal Code of Ethics. It is through this that I will develop a Professional
Code of Ethics. This code is not the actual Professional Code of Ethics for lab technicians
and their assistants. It is merely a guiding principle or rules that I think should be
followed in the health care field.
The first principle in the Code of Ethics is that lab technicians or their assistants should
not analyse their own body specimens. In the event that, I as a lab technician is ill, I
should follow the normal hospital procedure and not skip to analysing my body samples.
Taking my own samples to the lab and analysing them could result in under diagnosis,
biasness or over diagnosis
Secondly, unnamed samples should not be analysed. If a sample is brought to the lab with
no name tag or unique identification, the sample should be discarded appropriately. This
is to ensure that there is accountability in the laboratory area. It will also ensure that there
is order since all samples brought to the lab will require a tag
In addition, I believe the Code of Ethics should state that after analysing the results of
the patient, the lab technician or their assistant should not disclose the results to the
patient. Instead the patient should be sent back to the physician who had initially
requested a. Lab report. This rule helps to maintain the patient doctor confidentiality.
Another principle that I can include in the Code of Ethics is that, if a new micro organism
is identified in the sample of the patient, the lab technician should submit this findings to

HEALTHCARE LAW AND ETHICS 3
the physician even though it was not requested. For example, the physician may have
requested a stool analysis for a patient complaining of diarrhoea. Upon microscopy, it is
revealed that the patient has more than one micro organism in the stool some of which are
new micro organisms that are yet to be identified. As the lab technician analysing, I
should report this to the physician in charge.
The Professional Code that I have outlined above is almost similar to the actual Code of
Ethics for lab technicians. In the actual code, all lab technicians are not allowed to handle
their own specimens or specimens of their family members or friends. This is to reduce
biasness in the results. They are also not allowed to reveal or explain to the patient the
results of the lab analysis. However, this code that I outlined above is slightly different
from the actual Code of Ethics. If I discover a new micro organism during my lab
analysis, the sample should be isolated and sent to a research lab for proper isolation and
analysis of the new micro organism. It is in the research lab that I will be assisted by
other researchers to classify the organism taxonomically.