EMT Chapter 3
Which of the following gives surrogates the right to make decisions for patients regarding their health care in the event that the patient is incapacitated and unable to make such decisions?
A durable power of attorney for health care
An obvious sign of death caused by discoloration of the body from pooling of the blood to the lower parts of the body is called what?
Dependent lividity
Where would you MOST likely find information regarding a patient's wishes to be an organ donor?
Driver's license
Once your ambulance is dispatched to an emergency, you have an obligation to respond. What is this called?
Duty to act
Which of the following components are needed to prove negligence?
Duty to act, breach of duty, injury/damages, and causation
When performing his or her duties, the EMT is generally expected to
Exercise reasonable care and act prudently
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
Expressed
You arrive at the scene of a call to find an elderly man complaining of chest pain. You introduce yourself and ask permission to examine him. He nods and extends his arm. Which type of consent is this?
Expressed consent
You have responded to a vehicle accident call. Initially, the male patient allows you to splint his broken arm and complete a primary assessment. However, he rescinds consent during transport and demands to be let out of the ambulance. If you refuse, which of the following might you be charged with?
False imprisonment
As an EMT, the standards of emergency care are often partially based on
It is difficult to prove actions were performed if they are not included on the report
In which of the following circumstances can the EMT legally release confidential patient information?
The patient is competent and signs a release form
When is forcible restraint permitted?
When the patient poses a significant threat to self or others
In which of the following situations does a legal duty to act clearly exist?
A call is received 15 minutes prior to shift change
Which of the following general statements regarding consent is correct
A patient can consent to transport but can legally refuse to be treated
To help protect patients, EMS agencies are required to have
A privacy offer to answer question
While evaluating a noncritical patient in the field, you receive a call from dispatch regarding a serious four-car accident. You inform the patient you are treating to have someone take him to his doctor to get checked out before leaving to attend to the more seriously injured people. This is an example of what?
Abandonment
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:
Confirm the patient identity and then confirm the DNR by calling the MedicAlert Foundation number on the bracelet
You belong to a small volunteer EMS company and are treating a patient with chest pain, and you feel that the administration of aspirin is indicated. You ask the patient if he is allergic to aspirin and he says no. Shortly after you administer the aspirin, the patient develops signs and symptoms of a severe allergic reaction. Later in the hospital, the doctor advises you that the patient's medical history indicates that the patient has an allergy to aspirin. The patient later sues you. Which of the following is your best defense strategy?
Contributory negligence
Putrefaction is defined as
Decomposition of the body's tissues
Which of the following statements about the patient care report is correct?
It is difficult to prove actions were performed if they are not included on the report
The EMT's scope of practice within his or her local response area is defined by the
Medical director
Which of the following describes a code of conduct that can be defined by society, religion, or a person, affecting character and conscience?
Morality
Maintaining the chain of evidence at the scene of a crime should include
Not cutting through holes in clothing
The right of a patient to make decisions concerning his or her health is called what?
Patient autonomy
Which aspect of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) MOST affects EMS personnel?
Protecting patient privacy
You arrive at the scene of a motor vehicle versus pedestrian accident. The patient, a 13-year-old male, is unconscious and had multiple injuries. As you are treating the child, a law enforcement officer advises you that the child's parents will be at the scene is approximately 15 minutes. What should you do?
Transport the child immediately and have the parents meet you at the hospital
During your monthly internal quality(QI) improvement meeting, you review several patient care reports(PCRs) with the staff of your EMS system. You identify the patient's name, age, and sex, and then discuss the treatment that was provided by the EMTs in the field. By taking this approach to the QI process, you:
are in violation of HIPPA because you did not remove from the PCR beforehand
You respond to the home of a 59-year-old man who is unconscious, has slow, shallow breathing, and has 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; however, they are unable to locate it. You should:
begin treatment and contact medical control as needed
What is the best way to care for your patient once he tells you he does not want to go to the hospital?
encourage him to call 9-1-1 again if his condition worsens.
You and your partner arrive at the scene of a 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:
have your partner check for a pulse to confirm that the patient is deceased