1.

The Children’s Act 38 of 2005, implemented on the 1 st July 2007, provides for all of the
following EXCEPT:

a. 12 years for surgical treatment.

b. 12 years for contraceptive advice
c. 12 years for HIV counselling and testing.
d. 12 years for termination of pregnancy

2. Dr. Naidoo suffers a needlestick injury in a provincial hospital. She promptly performs a
blood draw on the patient for an HIV test without asking the patient’s consent.

a. She may face civil liability due to invasion of privacy.

b. She will be struck off the roll by the HPCSA.
c. She may face charges for violating the Human Tissue Act.
d. Her conduct is ethically and legally acceptable.

3. In terms of the Mental Health Act 17 of 2002, a mental health care user must be provided with
care, treatment and rehabilitation services without his consent if:

1. He is at risk of inflicting harm to himself.

2. He may spend all his pension funds at the casino.
3. He requires protection from damage to his reputation.
4. He is incapable of making an informed decision about his care.
a.1, 2, 3, 4
b. 1 and 2
c. 2 and 3
d. 1 and 4

4. Sister Green learns of a patient’s HIV status when he is diagnosed in the hospital. She
knows her neighbour, Florence, is dating the patient and wants to share this information
with Florence so that she can protect herself against becoming infected. Legally, Sister
Green could breach confidentiality under the following circumstances EXCEPT :

a. A court of law orders her to make the disclosure.

b. An Act of Parliament requires her to make the disclosure.
c. There is a moral or legal obligation on her to make a disclosure to a person that has a reciprocal
moral or legal obligation to receive the information.
d. If patient refuses such disclosure, the principle of autonomy would justify her action.

5. A Sharps container is defined as a container that has the following properties EXCEPT :

a. Is sturdy enough to resist puncture under usage conditions and to the

point of disposal.
b. Is clearly identified as containing sharps, e.g. by the use of the word
SHARPS or a symbol recognised by the facility.
c. Must contain a plastic bag with no less than 40 microns.
d. If used for containing cytotoxic wastes, has the cytotoxic hazard symbol
displayed clearly and visibly.

6. In terms of the HPCSA guidelines the following would be considered to be a

patient’s health record. (Choose the single best answer from a to d)

1. Laboratory results and other laboratory evidence such as histology sections,

cytology slides and printouts from automated analyzers.
2. Audiovisual records such as photographs, videos and tape-recordings.
3. Clinical research forms and clinical trial data.
4. Forms completed during the health interaction such as insurance forms, disability
assessments and documentation of injury on duty.
a. 3 and 4
b. 1 and 4
c. 1, 2 and 4
d. 1, 2, 3 and 4

7. Miss Nxumalo, a 16 year girl comes to see you complaining of a sore

ear. After your examination you prescribe analgesia and antibiotics. Regarding
HPCSA guidelines on medical records, choose the single best statement.

a. Her records can be stored on the office computer so that others in the practice
can attend to her during follow up visits.
b. The practice must keep a hard (printed) copy of the consultation.
c. Her records must be kept for a minimum of 3 years after the consultation.
d. As she is a minor her records must be kept until she is 21 years of age

8. Joseph (1 year old) developed cerebral palsy after treatment for TB

meningitis. His medical records

a. Must be kept until he is a legal adult (18 years of age).

b. Must be destroyed 5 years after your last consultation.
c. Must be destroyed only after he dies.
d. Must be kept only with permission from the Director General of Health.

9. Mrs Ngobo died following an anaesthetic incident at the district hospital where
you are working. You were involved in the unsuccessful resuscitation. At the
maternal death enquiry you may make available the notes because:

a. The anaesthetist was negligent and needs to be identified and disciplined.

b. You are being sued by the patient.
c. A maternal enquiry is a statutory requirement following a maternal death.
d. A maternal enquiry is part of the HPCSA disciplinary proceedings against doctors
involved in a maternal death.

10. You completed the notification for Mrs GM who was diagnosed with multiple
drug resistant TB (MDRTB). The clerk told her employer and she subsequently
lost her job. Mrs GM wants to sue you for breach of confidentiality and loss of
income. Your defence for disclosing the information on the notification form
would be:

a. Notification of MDRTB is a statutory requirement.

b. Notification of MDRTB would be instructed by the court.
c. Notification is in the public interest as she has MDRTB.
d. Notification is part of records keeping for the incidence of MDRTB.

11. Sexual offence Act is talking about the following, Except:

a. 12 years old accuse of having sexual attachment without penetration with another 12 years. They
are talking about rape.
b. 9 years old accuse of having sexual penetration with 12 years old. They accused of rape
c. 16 years old and 12 years had sex with consent. They accused of rape.
d. 12 years old and 12 years old having sexual penetration, they have been accused of sexual
assault.

12. As a generalist doctor, you have been caring for Mr Smith, a 40 year old bus
driver who had a break through seizure following a weekend of drinking. He
has not had a fit in the last 5 years and is compliant on his medication. He
asks you not to tell anyone because he fears that he will lose his job. You have
a statutory obligation to:

a. Inform the HPCSA who are custodians of patients health care.

b. Maintain confidentiality and respect the patient’s request.
c. Inform his employer and breach confidentiality.
d. Inform the department of labour as required by the law.

13. After a patient dies, a doctor:

a. Has responsibility to keep information about the deceased confidential.

b. Cannot breach confidentiality by stating the cause of death on the death
notification without the permission of the next of kin.
c. Can breach confidentiality by stating the cause of death on the death
notification without the permission of the next of kin.
d. Can breach confidentiality by stating the cause of death on an insurance form
without the consent of the next of kin.

14. Regarding “Do not resuscitate” (DNR) orders, the following are applicable :

1. They are issued in situations where attempts to apply cardiopulmonary

resuscitation would be futile.
2. They are only issued in situations where attempts to apply cardiopulmonary
resuscitation is against the wishes of the patient or persons legally able to
consent on the patients behalf.
3. DNR orders are a form of passive euthanasia.
4. Such orders include withholding treatments such as pain relief, medicines or
nutrition.
5. It provides for patients with underlying fatal conditions that are incurable ( e.g.
terminal chronic illnesses).
a. 1, 2, 4, 5
b. 1 and 5
c. 1, 2, 3, 5
d. 2 and 4

15. Surgeon find a mass during an operation, which is a serious condition:

a. Ask for consent from the husband found on the waiting area.
b. Ask for consent from the chief surgeon.
c. Remove without consent.

16. Regarding emergency medical treatment, the following is applicable:

1. The Constitution of South Africa provides that nobody shall be refused

emergency treatment.
2. The National Health Act provides that nobody shall be refused emergency
medical treatment
3. Emergency medical treatment refers to acute episodes that can be rectified.
4. A patient at the end of a chronic illness, even though faced with the real
possibility of death, would still be entitled to emergency medical treatment.
a. 1 and 2
b. 3 and 4
c. 2, 3, 4,
d. 1, 2, 3

17. In term of South Africa Human Tissue Act, which of the following is not officially
authorise to give permission for lawful removal of tissue from a dead, Except.

1. The magistrate in whose district the deceased died or his body.

2. The medical practitioner in charge of the hospital in which deceased died.
3. The medical practitioner employed at the mortuary authorised by the medical practitioner in
charge.
4. The attending medical doctor who last treated the deceased before death.

18. In terms of the Patients’ Rights Charter, every patient has a right to:

a. Private health care

b. Renal Dialysis if they are in chronic renal failure
c. Water born sewage
d. Protection from all forms of environmental danger

19. Mrs. G, a 35 year old woman consented to a tubal ligation. While doing the
procedure the surgeon noted a suspicious mass on the left ovary and
removed both ovaries to ensure that Mrs G. did not develop cancer of the
ovaries. Choose the most appropriate statement.
a. As Mrs G was unconscious and could not consent it was reasonable for the
surgeon to extend the procedure in term of implied consent.
b. The doctor could justify this action as it was “in the best interests of the
patient” and prevented a second operative procedure.
c. A histological diagnosis of malignancy would absolve the surgeon of wrong
doing as his suspicions confirmed that he made the right decision.
d. Mrs G may seek legal recourse as she did not consent to the removal of her
ovaries even if malignancy is confirmed.

20. About surrogacy:

a. Need the writing consent of surrogate mother.

b. Termination of pregnancy is not allowed during surrogacy.
c. Need a consent of the husband.
d.

23. If a patient is no longer competent to give consent, health care

practitioners must respect any refusal of treatment given when the patient
was competent, provided the decision in the advance statement:

1. Is clearly applicable to the present circumstances.

2. There is no reason to believe that the patient has changed his or her mind.
3. Is in the best interest of the patient and the family
4. The advanced statement is authorized by a magistrate
a. 1 and 2 are correct
b. 1, 2, 3 and 4 are correct
c. 1, 3 and 4 are correct
d. 1, 2 and 3 are correct

24. The National Health Act makes provision for certain persons to consent on behalf of mentally
incompetent patients to an operation or medical treatment where such patients are unable to
give the necessary consent. The Act sets out a priority list of persons who may consent in such
circumstances:

a. In order of priority, the patients spouse, partner, parent, grandparent, major child, or brother or sister.
b. In order of priority, the patient’s spouse, parent, grandparent, partner, brother or sister or major child.
c. In order of priority, the patient’s spouse, parent, partner, grandparent, major child or brother or sister
d. In order of priority, the patient’s spouse, partner, parent, major child, grandparent, brother or sister.

25. The national Health Act of South Africa (No 61 of 2003) require health care practitioners to
provide patients with information about the following:

a. Their patients health status even in circumstances when the disclosure of the patients would be
contrary to the best interest of the patient
b. The cheapest diagnostic procedures and treatment option generally associated available to the
patient
c. The benefits, risks, costs and consequences generally associated with surgical condition
d. The patients right to refuse health services and explain the implications risk and obligations of such
refusal.