Legal 76-100

Question 1

You arrive at the scene of a major motor vehicle crash. The patient, a 29-year-old man, is in cardiac arrest from a severe head injury and has been receiving bystander CPR for approximately 10 minutes. A law enforcement official advises you that the patient’s driver’s license identifies him as an organ donor. You should:
Choose one answer.
A. recognize that none of the patient’s vital organs are appropriate for donation and ask the bystanders to stop CPR.
B. continue to attempt resuscitation of the patient because his liver, kidneys, and heart are likely viable for harvesting.
C. begin full resuscitative efforts and transport the patient to a trauma center because certain tissues may be viable for harvesting.
D. continue basic life support only until law enforcement can notify a family member of the patient and obtain consent for organ donation.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

If a patient experiences prolonged hypotension or requires prolonged CPR, his or her \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ would be inappropriate for organ or tissue donation.
Choose one answer.
	 A. skin  	
	 B. corneas  	
	 C. bones  	
	 D. kidneys

Answer 2

D

Question 3

If a mentally competent adult refuses emergency medical treatment, your FIRST action should be to:
Choose one answer.
A. call medical control and seek further guidance.
B. determine if his or her condition is life-threatening.
C. assume the refusal is from fear and begin treatment.
D. try to determine why he or she is refusing treatment.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

When an ambulance collides with a citizen’s vehicle at an intersection:
Choose one answer.
A. it is because the citizen failed to yield the right of way.
B. the driver of the ambulance may be charged criminally.
C. most state laws provide immunity to the EMS vehicle.
D. EMS providers are rarely found at fault in civil lawsuits.

Answer 4

B

Question 5

A reasonable paramedic should follow the same \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ that another paramedic in a similar situation would.
Choose one answer.
	 A. scope of practice  	
	 B. standard of care  	
	 C. wishes of the family  	
	 D. medical practice act

Answer 5

B

Question 6

Prior to administering nitroglycerin to a patient with chest pain, the patient denies the use of erectile dysfunction (ED) drugs when asked, even though he took an ED drug a few hours earlier. After being given the nitroglycerin, the patient experiences severe hypotension and almost dies. Which of the following could the paramedic use as a potential defense if the patient attempts to sue?
Choose one answer.
	 A. Patient incompetence  	
	 B. Contributory negligence  	
	 C. Plausible deniability  	
	 D. Qualified immunity

Answer 6

B

Question 7

While on duty, a paramedic unit stops at the scene of a traffic accident to which it has not been dispatched. During the course of providing patient care, one of the paramedics purposely manipulates the patient’s neck to elicit a painful response. This paramedic:
Choose one answer.
A. is protected by the Good Samaritan law because he was not officially dispatched to the scene of the accident.
B. is not a Good Samaritan and did not perform as any other paramedic with similar training would have performed.
C. is not protected by the Good Samaritan law but provided treatment that is consistent with the accepted standard of care.
D. cared for the patient in a manner consistent with his scope of practice and is not liable for the patient’s injury or injuries.

Answer 7

B

Question 8

While en route to a call for an emotionally disturbed patient, law enforcement notifies you by radio that the patient has become extremely violent. You should:
Choose one answer.
A. continue to the scene and assist law enforcement in restraining the patient.
B. wait for law enforcement to advise you that they have the patient under control.
C. carefully enter the scene and administer a benzodiazepine to sedate the patient.
D. advise law enforcement to handcuff the patient and transport him to the hospital.

Answer 8

B

Question 9

EMS-enabling legislation:
Choose one answer.
A. defines how EMS is structured.
B. appoints a system’s medical director.
C. defines a physician’s scope of practice.
D. develops local or regional EMS protocols.

Answer 9

A

Question 10

You arrive at the scene of a shooting. The patient, a 19-year-old man, has a gunshot wound to the side of his head with a large amount of exposed brain matter. Further assessment reveals that the patient is apneic and pulseless. Law enforcement personnel advise you that the person who shot the patient is in their custody. You should:
Choose one answer.
A. begin resuscitative measures at once and contact the patient’s family to determine if he is an organ donor.
B. begin CPR immediately, cover the wound with a bulky dressing, and prepare to transport the patient.
C. avoid unnecessary contact with the patient and document the findings of your visual assessment of the patient and scene.
D. place plastic bags over the patient’s hands, apply a cardiac monitor to confirm asystole, and notify the coroner’s office.

Answer 10

C

Question 11

If you must deviate from your protocols because of unusual circumstances, you should FIRST:
Choose one answer.
	 A. advise the patient.  	
	 B. document the event.  	
	 C. notify medical control.  	
	 D. apprise the receiving hospital.

Answer 11

C

Question 12

When determining the most appropriate hospital to which to transport a patient, the paramedic’s FIRST consideration should be:
Choose one answer.
A. the patient’s clinical condition.
B. the wishes of the patient or family.
C. traffic conditions and similar variables.
D. whether or not the patient has insurance.

Answer 12

A

Question 13

Which of the following scenarios reflects a violation of EMTALA?
Choose one answer.
A. A registration clerk asks you if the patient has insurance.
B. An emergency department provides stabilization care only.
C. A hospital transfers an unstable patient to another facility.
D. Paramedics transport a woman in labor to the closest hospital.

Answer 13

C

Question 14

Which of the following general statements regarding violent patients is correct?
Choose one answer.
A. You must rule out hypoglycemia before restraining a violent patient.
B. Ideally, violent patients should be restrained in a face-down position.
C. Benzodiazepines are acceptable to use as a means of chemical restraint.
D. Most patients become violent because of a severe psychiatric condition.

Answer 14

C

Question 15

Every decision regarding patient care that a paramedic makes should be based on the:
Choose one answer.
A. standards of good medical care.
B. patient’s perception of the problem.
C. patient’s family’s personal requests.
D. possible legal ramifications involved.

Answer 15

A

Question 16

A paramedic who was trained and certified to perform a surgical cricothyrotomy successfully performs the procedure on a patient in the field. However, because the EMS system’s medical director does not permit paramedics to perform a needle cricothyrotomy, the paramedic:
Choose one answer.
A. performed outside his or her scope of practice.
B. has committed an act of gross negligence.
C. will likely be sued by the medical director.
D. did not follow the national standard of care.

Answer 16

A

Question 17

If a physician insists that you perform an intervention that you are not properly trained to perform, it would be MOST appropriate to:
Choose one answer.
A. perform the ordered intervention to the best of your ability.
B. ask the physician if he or she can suggest another alternative.
C. refuse to perform the intervention and follow your protocols.
D. ask the physician to talk you through the procedure over the phone.

Answer 17

B

Question 18

While caring for an 80-year-old man with a possible fractured arm, you discover other injury patterns that are suggestive of abuse. The patient is conscious and alert. You should:
Choose one answer.
A. splint the patient’s arm, transport him to the hospital, and report your suspicions to the emergency department physician.
B. advise the patient that you suspect he has been abused and that you are required by law to report this to the authorities.
C. splint the patient’s arm and contact his family to determine if they are aware of the fact that he has been physically abused.
D. treat the patient’s injury appropriately and then obtain his consent to report your suspicions to the emergency department physician.

Answer 18

A

Question 19

Informed consent involves:
Choose one answer.
A. carefully explaining the potential ramifications of refusing emergency medical treatment.
B. ensuring that a patient understands the potential risks involved in performing a particular procedure.
C. a patient verbally expressing his or her wishes for you to proceed with emergency medical treatment.
D. explaining the rationale for an invasive procedure to a patient after you have already performed it.

Answer 19

B

Question 20

When determining whether or not a paramedic’s actions were consistent with the standard of care, the court would be LEAST likely to:
Choose one answer.
A. speak with other paramedics who have the same training.
B. talk to patients to whom the paramedic has provided care in the past.
C. subpoena the paramedic’s instructor and the text he or she used.
D. request a copy of the paramedic’s standard operating procedures.

Answer 20

B

Question 21

If an EMS agency’s call volume is too heavy to allow response within an appropriate time frame:
Choose one answer.
A. the agency no longer has a legal duty to respond.
B. the agency is obligated to use mutual aid resources.
C. off-duty personnel are legally obligated to respond.
D. all area hospitals must be made aware of the situation.

Answer 21

B

Question 22

Health care powers of attorney are also called “durable” powers of attorney because they:
Choose one answer.
A. must be in the patient’s possession at all times.
B. can only be revoked by the patient’s personal physician.
C. remain in effect once a patient loses decision-making capacity.
D. do not require anyone to make decisions on the patient’s behalf.

Answer 22

C

Question 23

Most states require the paramedic to report all of the following cases, EXCEPT:
Choose one answer.
	 A. injury to the elderly.  	
	 B. drug-related injuries.  	
	 C. prehospital childbirth.  	
	 D. domestic violence.

Answer 23

A

Question 24

General criteria for determining a patient’s mental competence include all of the following, EXCEPT:
Choose one answer.
A. the absence of cardiac dysrhythmias.
B. an appropriate response to questions.
C. blood glucose levels within normal limits.
D. the absence of a head injury or other trauma.

Answer 24

A

Question 25

Current bioethical guidelines regarding the decision not to initiate resuscitation efforts rely mainly on the use of:
Choose one answer.
A. flexible algorithms and protocols.
B. the personal beliefs of the paramedic.
C. common sense and reasonable judgment.
D. criteria established by the local coroner.

Answer 25

C