Chapter 2: Legal & Ethical Principles of Energency care

What are Good Samaritan Laws?

Laws designed to reduce liability and encourage people to provide emergency care.

What does “Duty” mean?

A legal or moral obligation to provide care.

What is Standard of Care?

The care that should be provided based on your training, laws, guidelines, and protocols.

What is Scope of Practice?

What you are legally permitted to do based on your training and/or laws.

What is the difference between Scope of Practice and Standard of Care?

Scope = what you are allowed to do. Standard of care = what you should do in a situation.

What is Ethics?

The study of principles that define behavior as right, good, and proper.

What are an EMR’s ethical responsibilities?

Put the patient’s needs before your own when safe, treat everyone equally, provide the highest standard of care, maintain skills, and continue learning.

What are the five EMS core values?

Integrity, Compassion, Accountability, Respect, Empathy.

What is Consent?

Formal permission for something to happen.

What is capacity?

A patient’s legal right and ability to make decisions about their medical care.

What is Competence?

The mental ability to understand the situation and make rational medical decisions.

What is expressed consent?

A competent adult’s decision to accept emergency care, usually verbally, but it can also be shown through actions like nodding yes.

What is Informed Consent?

Consent given after the patient is properly informed about the proposed care and its consequences.

What must a patient be told for informed consent?

Your training level, why care is needed, what care you plan to provide, and consequences of accepting or refusing care.

What is Implied Consent?

Consent assumed when a patient cannot provide consent themselves, such as when they are unconscious or lack capacity.

What is an Emancipated Minor?

A minor whose parents have surrendered their legal rights and responsibilities regarding the minor.

Can an alert, oriented adult refuse care?

Yes. Adults have the right to refuse care.

What should you do when a patient refuses care?

Stay calm, explain the situation, explain dangers of refusal, identify their reason, use someone they trust if helpful, and document the refusal.

What is an Advance Directive?

A document stating a patient’s wishes for medical care if they become incapacitated.

What can an Advance Directive address?

A healthcare representative, DNR, prolonging life, pain relief, and organ donation.

What does DNR mean?

Do Not Resuscitate.

What is POLST?

Physician’s Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment—instructions for immediate care.

What is Negligence?

Failure to provide the expected standard of care.

What are the four elements needed for a negligence lawsuit?

Duty to act → Breach of duty → Damages → Causation.

What is Abandonment?

Leaving a sick or injured patient before someone with equal or higher training takes over care.

What is confidentiality?

Keeping patient information private and not sharing it with unauthorized people.

What law protects patient health information?

HIPAA- Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.

What are examples of reportable events?

Certain infectious diseases, crime-related injuries, child/elder abuse, domestic violence, and rape.

What is a medical identification device?

Jewelry or a card that alerts EMS to a medical condition such as heart problems or diabetes.

What should you do at a crime scene?

Do not enter until it is safe. Preserve evidence and report anything you moved or touched to officers.

Scope

Allowed

Standard of care

Should do

Negligence

D-B-D-C

• Duty

• Breach

• Damages

• Causation

Expressed

Patient says/shows yes

Informed

Patient understands what you’re doing.

Implied

Patient can’t give consent

I C A R E

Integrity, Compassion, Accountability, Respect, Empathy