Chapter 2 - Medical/Legal and Ethical Issues Flashcards
What is abandonment?
Leaving a patient before properly turning over w/ follow on providers and staff.
What is an advanced directive?
DNR; instructions written in advance.
What is an assault?
Placing a person in fear of bodily harm.
What is battery?
Causing bodily harm or restraining a person.
What is confidentiality?
Obligation to keep patient information private, unless needed by other health care professional.
Can also be broken by subpoena or when patient has signed a release of confidentiality.
What is consent?
Permission from the patient for care by EMT.
What is a Do Not Resuscitate order?
A legal document, signed by patient and provider.
States that patient has terminal illness and does not wish to undergo resuscitative efforts.
What is a duty to act?
An obligation to provide care to a patient.
More professional than personal.
What is expressed consent?
Consent given by adults who are mentally competent in regards to their medical well-being.
What are Good Samaritan laws?
Laws that provide limited legal protection to those who render care in emergencies.
Varies state to state.
What is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act?
Federal law protecting privacy of patient information.
Provide patient control of how their information is used.
What is implied consent?
The idea that if a person were conscious they would want care.
Or in the case of children when a parent is not immediately available.
What is in loco parentis?
In place of a parent.
The person who can give consent on behalf of a parent.
What is the difference between libel and slander?
Both project false information.
Libel: Written
Slander: Spoken
What is negligence?
1) EMT had duty to patient (duty to act)
2) Care that would normally be given, wasn’t given (breach of duty).
3) Harm was caused to patient (proximate causation).
