Chapter 3 Quiz: Medical, Legal, and Ethical Issues
Which of the following general statements regarding consent is correct? Select one: A. A patient can consent to transport but can legally refuse to be treated. B. Patients who are intoxicated are generally allowed to refuse treatment. C. Expressed consent is valid only if given in writing by a family member. D. All patients older than 18 years can legally refuse treatment or transport.
A. A patient can consent to transport but can legally refuse to be treated.
Which of the following statements about the patient care report is correct? Select one: A. It is difficult to prove actions were performed if they are not included on the report. B. EMTs are not liable for any actions that are accurately documented. C. Patient care cannot be discredited based on poor documentation. D. Incomplete reports are common and accepted in EMS.
A. It is difficult to prove actions were performed if they are not included on the report. Correct
You respond to the home of a 59-year-old man who is unconscious; has slow, shallow breathing; and has a weak pulse. The family states that the patient has terminal brain cancer and does not wish to be resuscitated. They further state that there is a DNR order for this patient, but they are unable to locate it. You should: Select one: A. begin treatment and contact medical control as needed. B. honor the patient's wishes and withhold all treatment. C. transport the patient without providing any treatment. D. decide on further action once the DNR order is produced.
A. begin treatment and contact medical control as needed.
Putrefaction is defined as: Select one: A. decomposition of the body's tissues. B. profound cyanosis to the trunk and face. C. blood settling to the lowest point of the body. D. separation of the torso from the rest of the body.
A. decomposition of the body's tissues.
Definitive or conclusive signs of death that are obvious and clear to even nonmedical persons include all of the following, EXCEPT: Select one: A. profound cyanosis. B. dependent lividity. C. rigor mortis. D. putrefaction.
A. profound cyanosis.
In which of the following situations does a legal duty to act clearly exist? Select one: A. The EMT witnesses a vehicle crash while off duty. B. A call is received 15 minutes prior to shift change. C. The EMT hears of a cardiac arrest after his or her shift ends. D. A bystander encounters a victim who is not breathing.
B. A call is received 15 minutes prior to shift change.
You respond to a single-vehicle crash on the highway west of town. Upon arrival you find a 33-year-old man with an open forearm fracture who has self-extricated from his pickup, which is down the roadside embankment. He does not appear to have suffered any other injuries, is fully coherent, and refuses all medical care. In an effort to obtain consent to treat this patient, you should: Select one: A. summon law enforcement and request that the patient be placed into protective custody. B. clearly explain the consequences of not accepting medical treatment. C. proceed with treatment; consent is not required because the patient is not being rational. D. properly document the refusal of care.
B. clearly explain the consequences of not accepting medical treatment.
Which of the following components are needed to prove negligence? Select one: A. Abandonment, breach of duty, damages, and causation B. Duty to act, abandonment, breach of duty, and causation C. Duty to act, breach of duty, injury/damages, and causation D. Breach of duty, injury/damages, abandonment, and causation
C. Duty to act, breach of duty, injury/damages, and causation
At 2:00 AM, a 17-year-old boy, accompanied by his 19-year-old girlfriend, had driven to the bar to give his father (who had been drinking large amounts of alcohol) a ride home. On the way back, they were involved in a motor vehicle collision. The boy has a large laceration with profuse bleeding on his forehead. His girlfriend is unconscious in the front passenger floor. The father is standing outside the vehicle, appearing heavily intoxicated, and is refusing care. What is the best way to gain consent to begin care for the driver, considering that he is a minor and his father has an altered mental status? Select one: A. Call his mother for consent. B. Call his grandparents for consent. C. It is a true emergency, so consent is implied. D. You are covered under the Good Samaritan laws.
C. It is a true emergency, so consent is implied.
Which type of consent is involved when a 39-year-old mentally competent female with a severe headache asks you to take her to the hospital? Select one: A. Formal B. Implied C. Informed D. Expressed
D. Expressed
Which of the following is generally NOT considered confidential? Select one: A. Assessment findings B. A patient's mental condition C. A patient's medical history D. The location of the emergency
D. The location of the emergency
In which of the following circumstances can the EMT legally release confidential patient information? Select one: A. A police officer requests a copy to place on file B. The family requests a copy for insurance purposes C. A media representative inquires about the patient D. The patient is competent and signs a release form
D. The patient is competent and signs a release form
To help protect patients, EMS agencies are required to have __________. Select one: A. public forums with their medical director B. online access to patient records C. an anonymous reporting system D. a privacy officer to answer questions
D. a privacy officer to answer questions
The process by which an individual, an institution, or a program is evaluated and recognized as meeting certain standards is called: Select one: A. the standard of care. B. competency. C. the scope of practice. D. certification.
D. certification.
You are called to attend to an elderly patient with an extensive medical history who is now in cardiac arrest. The patient's family tells you that the patient has a DNR order. There is no paperwork available but the patient does have a MedicAlert bracelet indicating Do Not Resuscitate. You should: Select one: A. initiate resuscitation in the absence of paperwork. B. confirm the patient's identity and honor the DNR order. C. transport with minimal care. D. confirm the patient identity and then confirm the DNR by calling the MedicAlert Foundation number on the bracelet.
D. confirm the patient identity and then confirm the DNR by calling the MedicAlert Foundation number on the bracelet.
When performing his or her duties, the EMT is generally expected to: Select one: A. consistently exceed the standard of care. B. contact medical control on every EMS call. C. function above his or her scope of practice. D. exercise reasonable care and act prudently.
D. exercise reasonable care and act prudently
You and your partner arrive at the scene of a major motor vehicle crash. The driver, a young male, is severely entrapped in his car. He has an open head injury and massive facial trauma. He is unresponsive, is not breathing, and does not have a palpable carotid pulse. You should: Select one: A. stop any active bleeding and advise dispatch to send a paramedic crew. B. ventilate the patient for 5 minutes and then stop if there is no response. C. request the fire department to extricate the patient so you can begin CPR. D. have your partner check for a pulse to confirm that the patient is deceased.
D. have your partner check for a pulse to confirm that the patient is deceased.
Maintaining the chain of evidence at the scene of a crime should include: Select one: A. quickly moving any weapons out of the patient's sight. B. placing the patient in a private area until the police arrive. C. making brief notes at the scene and then completing them later. D. not cutting through holes in clothing that were caused by weapons.
D. not cutting through holes in clothing that were caused by weapons.
Negligence is based on the EMT's duty to act, cause, breach of duty, and: Select one: A. expressed consent. B. termination of care. C. mode of transport. D. real or perceived damages.
D. real or perceived damages.