CH 4: Medical, Legal and Ethical Issues - Critical Thinking Flashcards
You and your partner are in your ambulance on the way back from a call when you come upon a motor-vehicle crash. It is in an adjoining ambulance district. Do you have a duty to act? Do you have a moral or ethical obligation?
This may not fit the strict definition of “duty to act” because you were not officially dispatched to this call, but you still have a moral and ethical obligation to render aid since you are on duty and you are trained providers. In general, if you follow your conscience and provide care, you will incur less liability than if you do not act. Always follow local protocols and laws.
You are transporting a patient who was seriously injured when he was ejected from his vehicle in a high speed collision. You talk to another member of your crew who tells you the patient died the next day. That crew member is worried about getting sued over the death. Do you think that a lawsuit against you is likely? Why or why not?
Think back about your care of the patient and your actions on the call. Were the actions of your crew so obviously responsible for the patient’s death that a lawsuit is in order? Does res ipsa loquitur apply? If not, evaluate your care and actions on the call against the three tests of negligence?
1 - Did you have a duty to act?
2 - Did you provide the standard of care or commit a breach of duty?
3 - If you failed to provide the standard of care, did your actions cause harm?
You respond to a motor-vehicle crash and find a seriously injured patient. You find he has no pulse and are about to begin CPR when someone tells you, “He’s got cancer and a DNR, don’t do that man!” No one has the DNR order at the scene. Do you do CPR and transport?
A critical decision like withholding CPR should not be made based on hearsay; it should be based on an actual legal document. Without the actual DNR present, you should continue CPR and consider making contact with medical direction for further guidance.
