CH3: Medical , Legal & Ethical Issues

abandonment

unilateral termination of care by the EMT without the patient’s consent and without making provisions for transferring care to another medical professional

advanced directive

written documentation that specifies medical treatment for a competent patient should the patient become unable to make decisions; also called a living will or health care directive

algor mortis

cooling of the body after death until it matches the ambient temperature

applied ethics

the manner in which principles of ethics are incorporated into professional conduct

assault

unlawfully placing a patient in fear of bodily harm

battery

unlawfully touching a patient or providing emergency care without consent

bioethics

the study of ethics related to issues that arise in health care

breach of confidentiality

disclosure of information without proper authorization

compensatory damages

damages awarded in a civil lawsuit that are intended to restore the plaintiff to the same condition that they were in prior to the incident

competent

able to make rational decisions about personal wellbeing