California RCPs have a requirement for a course on California law and ethics. This course satisfies the requirement for the Respiratory Care Board of California. 

This course will introduce and discuss basic ethical principles applicable to the delivery of healthcare and review the laws and regulations governing the practice of respiratory care in the state of California. After reviewing background information for each topic, the learner will apply the principles presented by studying scenarios and responding to questions that assess his/her mastery of the content. The learner will then document his/her content mastery by passing a summative examination to complete the course requirements.

The welcome video is approximately 5 minutes in length.

At the end of this presentation, the learner will be able to:

• Differentiate between morals and ethics
• Distinguish between ethical problems, distress, and dilemma
• Identify the three components of an ethical problem

The video for this module is approximately 7 minutes in length. This module also contains a 6-question post-module quiz.

At the end of this presentation, the learner will be able to:

• Identify the six steps in the analysis of an ethical problem
• Identify and define deontological theories, teleological theories, virtue ethics, ethics of care, and principles-based ethics
• Describe the benefits of evaluation in future decision-making situations

The video for this module is approximately 17 minutes in length. This module also contains a 5-question post-module quiz.

At the end of this presentation, the learner will be able to:

• Define decisional capacity
• Differentiate between informed consent and implied consent
• Identify how informed consent is applied to minors and those who lack decisional capacity
• Define and explain advance directives, to include living wills, power of attorney, and do not attempt resuscitation/limitation of treatment orders

The video for this module is approximately 13 minutes in length. This module also contains a 3-question post-module quiz.

At the end of this presentation, the learner will be able to:

• Define and explain confidentiality and the release of information
• Define HIPAA and understand its impact on the health care environment
• Identify what information is confidential and how it relates to the patient's right to privacy
• Explain truthful disclosure and its impact on the health care environment

The video for this module is approximately 5 minutes in length. This module also contains a 3-question post-module quiz.

At the end of this presentation, the learner will be able to:

• Define and relate professional ethics to healthcare organizations
• Explain the purpose of a scope of practice
• Recognize consequences of practicing outside scope of practice

The video for this module is approximately 13 minutes in length. This module also contains a 6-question post-module quiz.

At the end of this presentation, the learner will be able to:

• Relate the need for continuing education to the maintenance of clinical competency
• Identify the role continuing education plays in patient safety

The video for this module is approximately 8 minutes in length. This module also contains a 3-question post-module quiz.

At the end of this presentation, the learner will be able to:

• Define conflict of interest
• Define real and perceived conflicts of interest
• Recognize situations in which a conflict of interest exists

The video for this module is approximately 6 minutes in length. This module also contains a 4-question post-module quiz.

At the end of this presentation, the learner will be able to:

• Identify common unethical or illegal acts that result in disciplinary action
• Identify the three basic elements of fraud
• Identify the consequences of committing fraud

The video for this module is approximately 4 minutes in length. This module also contains a 5-question post-module quiz.

At the end of this presentation, the learner will be able to:

• Relate relevant history regarding biomedical research to current research practice
• Identify directives for biomedical research
• Identify the role of the Institutional Review Board in biomedical research

The video for this module is approximately 8 minutes in length. This module also contains a 3-question post-module quiz.

At the end of this presentation, the learner will be able to cite the requirements of the laws and regulations governing the practice of respiratory care in the state of California, including:

• Continuing education requirements; approved CE programs; criteria for acceptability of courses; and audit and sanctions for noncompliance
• Causes for denial or, suspension of, revocation of, or probationary conditions upon the license
• Procedure on conviction of felony or other offense relating to professional qualifications
• Crime involving sexual misconduct
• Report on suspension or termination for cause
• Unauthorized practice or use of title
• Filing of address

The video for this module is approximately 51 minutes in length. This module also contains a 6-question post-module quiz.

This module utilizes checkpoints to apply the module's information to case studies. There are eight (8) checkpoints.