Chapter 2: Wellbeing of EMT

Question 1

What is PTSD?
- When can it develop
- What percent of EMTs are affected by it
- What are the symptoms

Answer 1

Definition: Anxiety disorder that can develop after experiencing shocking or dangerous events
- Symptoms can arise within 3 months of the event
- 20-55% of EMS providers will experience PTSD symptoms

Question 2

What is Duty to Act
- What are the conditions on and off duty

Answer 2

Duty of Act is a legal requirement to take action that will prevent harm to another person or general public
- On duty, an EMT has a due to act on any ill or in cured patient dispatched to or encountered
- Off duty, if an EMT encounters an ill or injured person, there is no mandate duty to act since there is limited liability coverage

Question 3

What is the general accepted legal principle of patient consent?

Answer 3

That a competent individual age 19 or older has the right to permit or refuse any specific medical procedure

Question 4

What are the three types of consent and what are their conditions?

Answer 4

Expressed consent: verbal agreement to treatment by competent patient

Implied consent: Patient who is unconscious, inebriated (drunk), and unable to express consent would reasonably agree to treatment that would be given to anyone in their situation.

In loco parentis: Used for underage or pediatric patients whose guardians are not present but would reasonably agree to treatment of their child in an emergency

Question 5

How would competency be determined?

Answer 5

Determining the competency of the person means determining if they are able to reasonably express consent.

Since there is no level of standard to define the level of inebriation that creates incompetence, EMTs can determine this through AVPU.

If they’re not in the alert stage of AVPU they’re considered incompetent

Question 6

What is AVPU scale?

Answer 6

Scale that determines patient’s level of consciousness

Stands for Alert, Verbal, Pain and Unresponsive

Alert:
The patient is awake, aware, and can respond appropriately to questions or commands.

Verbal:
The patient responds to verbal stimuli, such as speaking, but may not be fully alert or oriented.

Pain:
The patient only responds to painful stimuli, such as pinching or a trapezius squeeze.
Unresponsive:

The patient does not respond to any stimuli, either verbal or painful.

Question 7

Good Samaritan Law

Answer 7

Provides immunity against liability for an off duty EMT who who performed an emergency medical procedure for which they are trained and licensed/certified.

Question 8

Negligence

Answer 8

Failure to use reasonable care that result in damage or injury to another.

• to sue an EMT, it must be provable that the EMT’s actions caused harm to the patient.

Question 9

What is Medical direction
- What is the first line of defense before medical control
- What are the two forms of medical control

Answer 9

Provides direction to an EMT in times when they’re doubtful whether or not they should perform a particular procedure they’re certified to do.

• The first line of defense before medical control is state protocols
• The two types of medical control is
  1. online medical control which transfers patient care to the online physician with the EMT acting as eyes and ears
  2. Following standard orders or preapproved, written guidelines that allow paramedics, EMT-Bs, and other prehospital providers to administer care to patients without the need for immediate contact with a medical director or physician.

Question 10

What is patient confidentiality?
- What is HIPPA and what information is most closely protected

Answer 10

Patient confidentiality is the requirement that what is told to by an EMT is confidential and only told to those who the EMT transfers patient care too.

• HIPAA secures legal requirement by all health professionals to handle protected patient confidentiality by not discussing patient history or care with anyone outside the medical community without a legal order.
• Some protected information is
  First and last name
  Addresss or phone number
  SSN and DOB
  Medical record number

Question 11

What is a situation when an EMT must notify law enforcement officials if they become aware of certain situations?

Answer 11

If an EMT suspects a child has been physically, emotionally or sexually abused, you must notify proper agencies to escape the cost of civil and criminal penalties.

Question 12

What are Kuber-Ross 5 stages in dealing with death?

Answer 12

Denial and isolation
Anger
Bargaining
Depression
Acceptance