Chapter 4 - Medical, Legal, and Ethical Issues

Question 1

Authority granted to a teacher or other adult by a child’s parents to make treatment decisions in their absence is called:

Answer 1

in loco parentis.

Question 2

Mentally competent adults of legal age who accept care from an EMS crew are said to give:

Answer 2

expressed consent.

Question 3

EMS personnel can treat unconscious patients because the law holds that rational patients would consent to treatment if they were conscious; this principle is known as:

Answer 3

implied consent.

Question 4

Minors who are married or of a certain age and who are legally able to give consent for medical care are known as:

Answer 4

emancipated.

Question 5

When a patient refuses care, he or she must sign a(n):

Answer 5

release form.

Question 6

Refusal to go to a hospital may be a form of ___ , or unwillingness
to accept the idea of illness.

Answer 6

denial

Question 7

If an EMT forces a competent patient to go to the hospital against his or her will, the EMT may be charged with:

Answer 7

assault.

Question 8

A legal document, usually signed by the patient and his physician, stating that the patient has a terminal illness and does not wish to prolong life through resuscitative efforts is called a(n):

Answer 8

DNR order.

Question 9

A person whom the signer of a document names to make health-care decisions in case the signer is unable to make such decisions for himself or herself is called a(n):

Answer 9

proxy.

Question 10

Legislative measures intended to provide legal protection for citizens and some health-care personnel who administer emergency care are known as:

Answer 10

Good Samaritan laws.

Question 11

An EMT’s obligation in certain situations to provide care to a patient is referred to as a(n):

Answer 11

duty to act.

Question 12

If a jury finds that an EMT had a duty to a patient, that he failed to carry out that duty properly, and that his action caused harm to the patient, the EMT would be guilty of:

Answer 12

negligence.

Question 13

Statutes that allow a person to abandon his or her parental duties and legally drop off a child to an EMS station or other public safety building are called:

Answer 13

safe haven laws.

Question 14

A DNR order is one example of a(n):

Answer 14

advance directive.

Question 15

The principle that information about a patient’s history, condition, or treatment must not be shared with unauthorized parties is called:

Answer 15

confidentiality.

Question 16

If you discover that a critically injured patient is an organ donor, as an
EMT you should:

Answer 16

notify the staff at the hospital.

Question 17

Once police have made the scene safe, the priority of the EMT at a crime scene is to:

Answer 17

provide patient care.

Question 18

Leaving a patient after care has been initiated and before the patient has been transferred to someone with equal or greater medical training is known as:

Answer 18

abandonment.

Question 19

The extent and limits of the job that the EMT does are refe1Ted to as:

Answer 19

scope of practice.

Question 20

Simply stated, liability means:

Answer 20

legal responsibility.

Question 21

In the case of a(n) __________ patient, consent to treat may be assumed.

Answer 21

unconscious

Question 22

When dealing with children and mentally incompetent adults, the __________ and__________ have the legal authority to give consent.

Answer 22

parents; guardians

Question 23

__________ minors are those who are married or granted legal adult status to provide consent.

Answer 23

Emancipated

Question 24

Failure to provide the standard of care is one of three elements that must be proved in a case involving a charge of __________ against an EMT.

Answer 24

negligence

Question 25

If all efforts fail and the patient does not accept your care or transportation, you must have the patient sign a(n) __________

Answer 25

refusal form

Question 26

To refuse care, a patient must be __________ __________ and understand the risks of rejecting treatment.

Answer 26

mentally competent

Question 27

A __________ __________ is an advance directive that prevents unwanted resuscitation.

Answer 27

DNR order

Question 28

An EMT who is on an ambulance and is dispatched to a call clearly has a(n) __________ __________ __________

Answer 28

duty to act

Question 29

In many states, an off-duty EMT has no legal obligation to provide __________

Answer 29

care

Question 30

If the EMT is off duty and begins care, then leaves the patient before other trained personnel arrive, he may be considered to have __________ the patient.

Answer 30

abandoned

Question 31

__________ __________ laws have been developed in most states to provide immunity to individuals trying to help others in emergencies.

Answer 31

Good Samaritan

Question 32

The only time that confidential information about a patient may be disclosed is when the patient has signed a(n) __________ __________

Answer 32

written release

Question 33

A(n) __________ __________ is a patient who has completed a legal document that allows for that patient’s organs and tissues to be used by others in the event of his or her death.

Answer 33

organ donor

Question 34

Many lawsuits that allege negligence often involve claims __________ __________ during involuntary transports.

Answer 34

improper restraint

Question 35

A(n) __________ __________ is a place where a crime has been committed or any place that evidence relating to a crime may be found.

Answer 35

crime scene

Question 36

The term __________ __________ describes a wide range of things usually invisible to the naked eye that can be found by investigators at a crime scene.

Answer 36

microscopic evidence

Question 37

Many localities have __________ for reporting child, elderly, or domestic abuse.

Answer 37

hotlines

Question 38

Consent given by adults who are of legal age and mentally competent to make a rational decision in regard to their medical well-being is called __________ __________.

Answer 38

expressed consent

Question 39

The primary __________ consideration within the EMT’s scope of practice is to make patient care and well-being a priority.

Answer 39

ethical

Question 40

When an unconscious patient is so severely injured that his condition is life threatening, the EMT may treat the patient under the doctrine known as __________ __________.

Answer 40

implied consent

Question 41

T/F: Within the scope of practice of an EMT, the primary ethical consideration is to make patient care and well-being a priority, even if this requires some personal
sacrifices.

Answer 41

True

Question 42

T/F: Consent, or permission from the patient, is required for any treatment or action by the EMT.

Answer 42

True

Question 43

T/F: An unconscious patient must regain consciousness before consent can be granted and treatment can begin.

Answer 43

False

Question 44

T/F: Expressed consent must be obtained from patients who are physically or mentally able to give it.

Answer 44

True

Question 45

T/F: It is not legally necessary to explain all procedures to the conscious patient.

Answer 45

False

Question 46

T/F: Emergency care for a patient identified as an organ donor should not differ from the care provided to any other patient..

Answer 46

True

Question 47

T/F: Children and mentally incompetent adults are legally allowed to provide consent for their treatment.

Answer 47

False

Question 48

T/F: Patients who are mentally competent have the right to refuse medical care.

Answer 48

True

Question 49

T/F: A release form is designed to protect health-care providers from liability arising from the patient’s informed refusal of treatment and transport.

Answer 49

True

Question 50

T/F: If an EMT follows the appropriate steps when treating patients who refuse care, it is a guarantee that he will be free from liability.

Answer 50

False

Question 51

T/F: An EMT may be able to “arrest” a patient who refuses care in order to provide necessary treatment.

Answer 51

False

Question 52

T/F: In all cases of refusal, the EMT should advise the patient to feel free to call back at any time if he has a problem or wishes to be cared for or transported .

Answer 52

True

Question 53

T/F: A DNR order is an actual legal document.

Answer 53

True

Question 54

T/F: It is better to be criticized or sued for saving a life than for letting a patient die.

Answer 54

True

Question 55

T/F: In most cases the oral requests of a family member are a sufficient reason to withhold care.

Answer 55

False

Question 56

T/F: Patient refusal is a major cause of legal actions against EMS systems or EMTs.

Answer 56

True

Question 57

T/F: Lawsuits against EMTs are actually quite common.

Answer 57

False

Question 58

T/F: An EMT’ s duty to act continues throughout the call.

Answer 58

True

Question 59

T/F: The duty to act is always clear in the situations that EMTs face.

Answer 59

False

Question 60

T/F: Good Samaritan laws do not prevent someone from initiating a lawsuit, nor will they protect the rescuer from being found liable for acts of gross negligence and other violations of the law.

Answer 60

True