Medical Negligence Flashcards

Questions and Answers

Which of the following MOST accurately defines negligence?

Deviation from the standard of care that may result in further injury (correct)

Performing a procedure without patient consent

Consent granted by a patient

Lack of documentation in patient care

If an action or procedure that was performed on a patient is not recorded on the written report, it was not performed in the eyes of the law.

True

What should you do if a child's mother refuses treatment after a suspected leg fracture?

Try to persuade the mother that treatment is needed.

An EMT would MOST likely be held liable for abandonment if they:

Did not make provisions for continued care of an injured patient. Signup and view all the answers

In order for a do not resuscitate (DNR) order to be valid, it must:

Clearly state the patient's medical problem. Signup and view all the answers

What is the manner in which the EMT must act or behave when caring for a patient called?

Standard of care. Signup and view all the answers

When developing EMS agency's institutional standards, what is important to consider?

Be reasonable and realistic to avoid overburdening your personnel. Signup and view all the answers

What section of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) MOST affects EMS personnel?

Protecting patient privacy. Signup and view all the answers

A mentally competent adult can withdraw his or her consent to treat at any time.

True Signup and view all the answers

What should you do if a patient with a closed head injury becomes verbally abusive?

Proceed with treatment and utilize law enforcement if necessary. Signup and view all the answers

What should you do in case a 16-year-old female experiencing an asthma attack is conscious but in severe respiratory distress?

Provide treatment up to your level of training and transport the child at once. Signup and view all the answers

What action should you take when a patient has terminal brain cancer and a DNR order is mentioned but cannot be found?

Begin treatment and contact medical control as needed. Signup and view all the answers

What should you do when faced with a patient in cardiac arrest without a valid DNR order?

Begin resuscitation at once. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following scenarios MOST accurately depicts informed consent?

An EMT advises a patient of the risks of receiving treatment. Signup and view all the answers

What should you do if you give a diabetic patient oral glucose despite her high blood glucose level?

Contact medical control and notify them of the error. Signup and view all the answers

The performance of your duties as an EMT will be compared to that of:

Another EMT. Signup and view all the answers

To minimize the risk of litigation, what should an EMT always do?

Provide competent care that meets current standards. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following components are needed to prove negligence?

Breach of duty Signup and view all the answers

When performing their duties, what is the general expectation for an EMT?

Exercise reasonable care and act prudently. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following general statements regarding consent is MOST correct?

A patient can consent to transport but can legally refuse to be treated. Signup and view all the answers

At a mass-casualty incident, if you identify a patient as an organ donor, what should you do?

May have to assign the donor patient a lower triage priority. Signup and view all the answers

An incomplete or untidy patient care form indicates inadequate patient care was administered.

True Signup and view all the answers

What should you do when arriving at the scene of a motor vehicle versus pedestrian accident with an unconscious patient?

Transport the child immediately and have the parents meet you at the hospital. Signup and view all the answers

The EMT's scope of practice within their local response area is defined by the:

Medical director. Signup and view all the answers

Maintaining the chain of evidence at a crime scene should include:

Not cutting through holes in clothing that were caused by weapons. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following types of consent allows treatment of a patient who is unconscious or mentally incapacitated?

Implied Signup and view all the answers

What 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 Signup and view all the answers

Putrefaction is defined as:

Decomposition of the body's tissues. Signup and view all the answers

What type of consent is a pregnant 16-year-old girl’s agreement for treatment after explaining your intention to splint her leg considered?

Expressed consent. Signup and view all the answers

In many states, under what condition may a minor be treated as an adult for consenting to or refusing medical treatment?

If the minor is self-supporting and lives by him- or herself. Signup and view all the answers

Which situation requires you to notify the appropriate authorities?

Attempted suicide. Signup and view all the answers

Your BEST protection against legal liability when a competent patient refuses EMS care and transport is to:

Thoroughly document the entire event. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT considered to be protected health information (PHI)?

Location of the call Signup and view all the answers

While transporting a stable patient with chest pain, what is your MOST appropriate action when you come across a major motor vehicle crash?

Continue transporting your patient and notify the dispatcher of the crash. Signup and view all the answers

During a quality improvement (QI) meeting, discussing patient care reports (PCRs), what violation occurs if patient PHI is not removed beforehand?

You violate patient privacy Signup and view all the answers

When you recognize a patient in cardiac arrest as the drunk driver who previously killed your brother, what should you do?

Begin two-rescuer CPR and apply the automated external defibrillator (AED) as soon as possible. Signup and view all the answers

The Good Samaritan law will not protect the EMT in cases of gross negligence.

True Signup and view all the answers

What is your first priority when you arrive at a potential crime scene with a critically injured patient?

Provide immediate patient care. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following scenarios MOST accurately depicts abandonment?

A paramedic transfers patient care to an EMT. Signup and view all the answers

In which of the following situations does the EMT NOT have a legal duty to act?

Response to a motor vehicle crash while off duty. Signup and view all the answers

What should you do when dispatched to a shooting scene with law enforcement personnel present?

Quickly move the coffee table so you can access and treat the patient. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Legal and Ethical Considerations

Negligence is defined as deviation from the standard of care that may lead to further injury.
Documentation: If an action is not recorded in the written report, it is considered not performed legally.
Abandonment occurs if the EMT fails to ensure continued care for an injured patient.

Informed Consent involves advising a patient of treatment risks; a solid example is an EMT explaining procedures before administering care.
A Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order must clearly state the patient's medical condition to be valid.
Consent Withdrawal: A competent adult can refuse treatment at any time, which must be respected even if the EMT believes treatment is necessary.

Emergency Response Protocols

Treat a patient experiencing an asthma attack with urgency, providing care up to the EMT's training level.
In cases where a patient's family stated a DNR but it cannot be located, the EMT should begin treatment and contact medical control.
During a mass-casualty incident, organ donors may be assigned a lower triage priority based on available resources.

Professional Standards and Liability

Standard of Care is the expected behavior of an EMT when caring for patients, determined by what another EMT would do in similar circumstances.
Consent Types: Implied consent applies to unconscious patients, while expressed consent involves mentally competent patients requesting treatment.
Documenting all interactions with competent patients who refuse care is crucial for legal protection.

Handling Sensitive Situations

Ensure proper handling of the chain of evidence at crime scenes by not altering or cutting evidence unnecessarily.
In emergencies involving minors, consideration is given to their independence; self-supporting minors can consent to treatment.
Some situations, such as attempted suicide, require notifying appropriate authorities to ensure patient safety.

Risk Management

To minimize litigation risks, consistently provide competent care aligning with current standards.
Failure to protect patient privacy can lead to violations under HIPAA; this includes discussing identifiable patient information without proper safeguards.
EMTs must be prepared to show immediate care is the highest priority when arriving at a scene with a critically injured patient.

Situational Awareness

In case of encountering a crime scene or critical incident while off duty, EMTs are not required to act legally.
Rapid movement of obstacles may be necessary to access injured patients, especially in confined spaces where immediate medical intervention is crucial.

Understanding Patient Rights

Patients can consent to transportation while legally refusing treatment, reflecting their autonomy in medical decisions.
Recognizing the nuances of abandonment and duty to act in various scenarios is essential for EMTs to navigate legal and ethical responsibilities correctly.

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Test your knowledge of medical negligence with these flashcards. Each card presents essential definitions and scenarios related to patient care and legal standards. Ideal for students in healthcare or medical law.

Medical Negligence Flashcards

Questions and Answers

Which of the following MOST accurately defines negligence?

If an action or procedure that was performed on a patient is not recorded on the written report, it was not performed in the eyes of the law.

What should you do if a child's mother refuses treatment after a suspected leg fracture?

An EMT would MOST likely be held liable for abandonment if they:

In order for a do not resuscitate (DNR) order to be valid, it must:

What is the manner in which the EMT must act or behave when caring for a patient called?

When developing EMS agency's institutional standards, what is important to consider?

What section of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) MOST affects EMS personnel?

A mentally competent adult can withdraw his or her consent to treat at any time.

What should you do if a patient with a closed head injury becomes verbally abusive?

What should you do in case a 16-year-old female experiencing an asthma attack is conscious but in severe respiratory distress?

What action should you take when a patient has terminal brain cancer and a DNR order is mentioned but cannot be found?

What should you do when faced with a patient in cardiac arrest without a valid DNR order?

Which of the following scenarios MOST accurately depicts informed consent?

What should you do if you give a diabetic patient oral glucose despite her high blood glucose level?

The performance of your duties as an EMT will be compared to that of:

To minimize the risk of litigation, what should an EMT always do?

Which of the following components are needed to prove negligence?

When performing their duties, what is the general expectation for an EMT?

Which of the following general statements regarding consent is MOST correct?

At a mass-casualty incident, if you identify a patient as an organ donor, what should you do?

An incomplete or untidy patient care form indicates inadequate patient care was administered.

What should you do when arriving at the scene of a motor vehicle versus pedestrian accident with an unconscious patient?

The EMT's scope of practice within their local response area is defined by the:

Maintaining the chain of evidence at a crime scene should include:

Which of the following types of consent allows treatment of a patient who is unconscious or mentally incapacitated?

What 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?

Putrefaction is defined as:

What type of consent is a pregnant 16-year-old girl’s agreement for treatment after explaining your intention to splint her leg considered?

In many states, under what condition may a minor be treated as an adult for consenting to or refusing medical treatment?

Which situation requires you to notify the appropriate authorities?

Your BEST protection against legal liability when a competent patient refuses EMS care and transport is to:

Which of the following is NOT considered to be protected health information (PHI)?

While transporting a stable patient with chest pain, what is your MOST appropriate action when you come across a major motor vehicle crash?

During a quality improvement (QI) meeting, discussing patient care reports (PCRs), what violation occurs if patient PHI is not removed beforehand?

When you recognize a patient in cardiac arrest as the drunk driver who previously killed your brother, what should you do?

The Good Samaritan law will not protect the EMT in cases of gross negligence.

What is your first priority when you arrive at a potential crime scene with a critically injured patient?

Which of the following scenarios MOST accurately depicts abandonment?

In which of the following situations does the EMT NOT have a legal duty to act?

What should you do when dispatched to a shooting scene with law enforcement personnel present?

Study Notes

Legal and Ethical Considerations

Patient Consent and Treatment

Emergency Response Protocols

Professional Standards and Liability

Handling Sensitive Situations

Risk Management

Situational Awareness

Understanding Patient Rights

Studying That Suits You

Description

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