Question

Negligence occurs if a dental hygienist harms a patient by administering an overdose of a drug. Breach of confidentiality is an intentional tort that can be filed if the dental hygienist discusses the specific patient's history with a third person without the patient's permission.

a. Both statements are true
b. Both statements are false
c. The first statement is true; the second is false
d. The first statement is false; the second is true

Answer 1

Both statements regarding negligence in administering an overdose and the breach of confidentiality by discussing a patient's history are true, in line with principles of nonmaleficence and HIPAA regulations. Option a is correct.

Step-by-step explanation:

Negligence occurs if a dental hygienist harms a patient by not exercising the competence and level of care that is expected in their profession, such as by administering an overdose of a drug. This is grounded in the principle of nonmaleficence, which dictates that healthcare providers should act in ways that do not cause harm to their patients.

On another note, breach of confidentiality is indeed an intentional tort, and it may be claimed if a healthcare provider, like a dental hygienist, divulges a patient's private medical history to a third party without the patient's explicit permission. This could violate laws like the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which aims to safeguard patient privacy.

In conclusion, both statements presented in the question are correct. Thus, the correct choice is: a. Both statements are true.