Chapter 3: Medical, Legal, Ethical Issues

Question 1

Emergency Medical Care

Answer 1

only immediate care/treatment prehospital

Question 2

Decision-Making Capacity

Answer 2

need to me mentally sound and competent to be able to consent or refuse treatment (ie. 18+)

Question 3

Expressed Consent

Answer 3

patient acknowledges that they want care or transport, can be verbal or nonverbal

Question 4

Informed Consent

Answer 4

explain treatment offered, risks, benefits, alternatives, and consequences of refusing treatment to patient so they can make decision

Question 5

Implied Consent

Answer 5

if patient is unconscious, emergency doctrine (only if emergency)

Question 6

Involuntary Consent

Answer 6

mentally ill, developmentally delayed, behavioral crisis patients, cannot give consent legally

Question 7

Emancipated Minors

Answer 7

minors that are married, in military, or are parents can consent for themselves

Question 8

In loco parentis

Answer 8

teachers or other adults in charge of children can consent for the child if parents can’t be contacted

Question 9

Forcible Restraint

Answer 9

for combative or a physical risk patient, get authorization to use, need 5 people (one for each limb), only use if patient has behavioral disorder or serious medical condition

Question 10

Right to Refuse Treatment

Answer 10

only conscious, alert, adults with decision-making capacity can refuse treatment, can be patient, guardian, or parent, need to sign a form that documents refusal`

Question 11

Breach of Confidentiality

Answer 11

reveal private patient information

Question 12

Protected Health Information (PHI)

Answer 12

medical/identifiable information, uses security measures to protect data, can be given to other health care providers involved in treatment, can give to others without identifying info

Question 13

Advance Directive (Health Care Directive)

Answer 13

document of medical treatment for competent patient in case they become comatose

Question 14

DNR Order

Answer 14

don’t perform CPR on patient if heart stops beating or stops breathing (otherwise treat as normal)

Question 15

Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care (Health Care Proxy)

Answer 15

patient names surrogate to make decision for them

Question 16

When to treat dead

Answer 16

if body is intact and no definitive signs of death, treat as normal

Question 17

Presumptive Signs of Death

Answer 17

unresponsive to painful stimuli, lack of heartbeat, no chest movement, no tendon or corneal reflexes, no blood pressure, decreased body temp

Question 18

Definitive Signs of Death

Answer 18

decapitation, dependent lividity (blood pooling), rigor mortis, algor mortis (cooling), putrefaction (decomposition)

Question 19

Medical Examiner

Answer 19

notify if scene is suspected criminal or unusual (ie. suicide, child, poisoning, violent), limit disturbance, not suspicions, cover body, leave

Question 20

Organ Donors

Answer 20

black heart on driver’s license, keep organs/patient alive, give oxygen

Question 21

Scope of Practice

Answer 21

things you are legally able to do at your level

Question 22

Standard of Care

Answer 22

manner you must behave as EMT, vary from law to institution to local custom

Question 23

Duty to Act

Answer 23

individual’s responsibility to provide patient care (ie. on duty, tasked with medical response, etc.)

Question 24

Negligence

Answer 24

failure to provide the same care that a person with similar training would provide, based on duty, breach of duty, damages, and causation of damage

Question 25

res ipsa loquitur

Answer 25

injuries caused by neglectful EMT, can sue even if patient wasn’t conscious then

Question 26

negligence per se

Answer 26

violating statute can result in lawsuit

Question 27

Torts

Answer 27

civil wrongs, all forms of negligence

Question 28

Abandonment

Answer 28

stop care without patient’s consent or handing over patient to someone else

Question 29

Assault

Answer 29

threatening verbally, place person in fear of harm

Question 30

Battery

Answer 30

unlawfully touching person, providing care without consent

Question 31

Kidnapping

Answer 31

illegally seizing patient without consent

Question 32

False Imprisonment

Answer 32

unlawful confinement of person, ie. patient rescinds consent during transport

Question 33

Defamation

Answer 33

false info that damages reputation of person

Question 34

Libel

Answer 34

written defamation

Question 35

Slander

Answer 35

spoken defamation

Question 36

Good Samaritan Laws

Answer 36

if you reasonably help others in good faith, aren’t on duty, and aren’t getting paid, you are protected when sued

Question 37

Gross Negligence

Answer 37

purposeful negligence

Question 38

Mandatory Reporting

Answer 38

abuse of children/elders, injury during committing felony, drug-related injuries, childbirth, suicides, dog bites, infectious disease, assault, domestic violence, sexual assault/rape

Question 39

Ethics

Answer 39

philosophy of right/wrong, moral principles, ideal professional behavior

Question 40

Morality

Answer 40

code of conduct, determine right vs wrong based on societal views

Question 41

Bioethics

Answer 41

issues while practicing health care (ie. life support, medical resources, assisted suicide)

Question 42

Statute of Limitations

Answer 42

court claim must be initiated within 3 years of event

Question 43

Governmental Immunity

Answer 43

for EMS systems operated by government, can’t be sued

Question 44

Contributory Negligence

Answer 44

legal defense for EMT, patient contributed to the negligent care

Question 45

Compensatory Damages

Answer 45

compensate plaintiff for injuries sustained

Question 46

Punitive Damages

Answer 46

damages awarded on top of compensatory damages