EMERGENCY

MEDICAL SERVICES
(PREPARATORY)
Lesson 1
EMERGENCY MEDICAL
SERVICE SYSTEM
KNOWLEDGE OBJECTIVES
1. Define emergency medical services (EMS) system.
2. Name the four levels of EMS practice.
3. Know the different roles and responsibilities of an EMS
personnel.
4. Describe the attributes an EMT is expected to possess.
EMERGENCY MEDICAL
SERVICE SYSTEM

a team of health care professionals who are

responsible for and provide emergency care and
transportation to the sick and injured
THE STAR OF LIFE
Adapted from the personal Medical Identification
Symbol of the American Medical Association,
each bar on the Star of Life represents an EMS
function:
1. Early Detection
2. Early Reporting
3. Early Response
4. On-scene care
5. Care in transit
6. Transfer to definitive care
THE STAR OF LIFE
THE SERPENT AND STAFF
– portray the staff of Asclepius, an
ancient Greek physician deified as
the god of medicine
– the staff represents medicine and
healing
– the skin-shedding serpent being
indicative of renewal.
COMPONENTS OF THE EMS SYSTEM
1. Public Access 8. Evaluation
2. Human Resource 9. System Finance
3. Medical Direction 10. Education System
4. Legislation and Regulation 11. Prevention and Public
5. Integration of Health Services Education
6. Mobile Integrated Health 12. EMS Research
Care and Community
Paramedicine
7. Information System
COMPONENTS OF THE EMS SYSTEM
1. Public Access
– an accessible line or communication for public in reporting
incidents or emergencies
– 911 hotline is the most common number
2. Human Resource
– deals with people who delivers care
3. Medical Direction
– a physician medical director who authorizes the EMTs in the
service to provide medical care in the field.
COMPONENTS OF THE EMS SYSTEM
4. Legislation and Regulation
– each state has different laws with regards to EMS
5. Integration of Health Services
– means that the prehospital care you administer is coordinated
with the care administered at the hospital.
6. Mobile Integrated Health Care and Community
Paramedicine
– method of delivering health care that utilizes the prehospital
spectrum of care resources.
COMPONENTS OF THE EMS SYSTEM
7. Information System
– allows EMS providers to efficiently document the care that
has been delivered.
8. Evaluation
– ensures the high quality of care
9. System Finance
– All EMS departments need a funding system that allows them to
continue to provide care
COMPONENTS OF THE EMS SYSTEM
10. Education System
– continuous education and training is necessary for every EMS
provider
11. Prevention and Public Education
– aspects of EMS where the focus is on public health.
12. EMS Research
– gathered data by the EMS are used in improving EMS care
FOUR (4) LEVELS OF EMS PRACTICE
1. Emergency Medical Responder (EMR)
– initiate immediate care and work with the EMTs on their arrival
– provide immediate care with limited equipment prior to the
arrival of an ambulance
– EMR courses are estimated to take approximately 50 to 80
hours
2. Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
– assume responsibility for the assessment and care of the
patient and follow the proper packaging and transport of the
patient to the ED, if appropriate
– EMT courses may require approximately 150 to 200 hours
FOUR (4) LEVELS OF EMS PRACTICE
3. Advance Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT)
– purpose of this level of EMS provider is to deliver an
expanded range of skills beyond the EMT
– AEMT course ranges between 200 and 400 hours

4. Paramedic
– completes an extensive course of education and training that
significantly increases knowledge and mastery of basic skills
and covers a wide range of ALS skills
– Paramedic course ranges from 1,000 to well over 2,000 hours,
divided between classroom and internship training
EMS ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Keep vehicles and equipment ready for an emergency.
2. Ensure the safety of yourself, your partner, the patient, and
bystanders.
3. Operate the emergency vehicle.
4. Be an on-scene leader.
5. Evaluate the scene.
6. Call for additional resources as needed.
7. Gain patient access.
8. Perform a patient assessment.
9. Give emergency medical care to the patient while awaiting the
arrival of additional medical resources.
EMS ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
10. Give emotional support to the patient, the patient’s family, and
other responders.
11. Maintain continuity of care by working with other medical
professionals.
12. Resolve emergency incidents.
13. Uphold medical and legal standards.
14. Ensure and protect patient privacy.
15. Give administrative support.
16. Constantly continue your professional development.
17. Cultivate and sustain community relations.
18. Give back to the profession.
EMS PROFESSIONAL ATTRIBUTES
Attribute Description
Consistent adherence to a code of honest
Integrity
behavior
Aware of and thoughtful toward the needs of
Empathy
others
Able to discover problems and solve them
Self-motivation
without direction
Uses persona to project a sense of trust,
Appearance and hygiene
professionalism, knowledge, and compassion
A state of being in which you know what you
Self-confidence know and know what you do not know; able to
ask for help
Able to perform or delegate multiple tasks,
Time management
ensuring efficiency and safety
Able to understand others and have them
Communications
understand you
Able to work with others and to know your
Teamwork and diplomacy place within a team; able to communicate while
giving respect to the listener
Places others in high regard or importance;
Respect understands others are more important than
self
Constantly keeps the needs of the patient at
Patient advocacy
the center of care
Pays att ention to detail; makes sure what is
Careful delivery of care being done for the patient is done as safely as
possible
EMS PROFESSIONAL ATTRIBUTES
Lesson 2
WORKFORCE SAFETY
and WELLNESS
KNOWLEDGE OBJECTIVES
1. Explain the steps that contribute to wellness and resilience and their
importance in managing stress.
2. Differentiate infectious disease and communicable disease.
3. State the routes of disease transmission.
4. Discuss the steps necessary to determine scene safety and to
prevent work-related injuries at the scene.
5. Differentiate issues concerning care of the dying patient, death, and
the grieving process of family members.
6. Explain posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and steps that can be
taken, including critical incident stress management, to decrease the
likelihood that PTSD will develop.
GENERAL HEALTH, WELLNESS
and RESILIENCE
HEALTH – the state of complete mental, physical, and
social well being not merely the absence of disease or
deformity

WELLNESS – the active pursuit of good health

RESILIENCE – the capacity of an individual to cope with

and recover from distress
WELLNESS and STRESS
MANAGEMENT
STRESS – any event, thought, or action perceived as a
threat; is the impact of stressors on your physical and
mental well being
EUSTRESS – a stressor that produces a positive response
DISTRESS – a stressor that produces a negative response
• CATEGORIZING STRESS REACTIONS
 Acute Stress Reaction
 Delayed Stress Reaction
 Cumulative Stress Reaction
WELLNESS and STRESS
MANAGEMENT
Warning Signs of Cumulative Warning Signs of Cumulative
Stress Stress
 Irritability toward coworkers,  Loss of interest in sexual activities
family, and friends  Isolation
 Inability to concentrate  Loss of interest in work
 Difficulty sleeping, increased  Increased use of alcohol
sleeping, or nightmares  Recreational drug use
 Feelings of sadness, anxiety, or  Physical symptoms such as
guilt chronic pain (headache,
 Indecisiveness backache)
 Loss of appetite (gastrointestinal  Feelings of hopelessness
disturbances)
WELLNESS and STRESS
MANAGEMENT
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
– may develop after a person has experienced a psychologically
distressing event.
– characterized by reexperiencing the event and overresponding to
stimuli that recall the event.
– symptoms include depression, startle reactions, flashback
phenomena, and dissociative episodes (eg, amnesia of the event).
CRITICAL INCIDENT STRESS MANAGEMENT (CISM) - developed to
address acute stress situations and potentially decrease the likelihood
that PTSD will develop after such an incident.
WELLNESS and STRESS
MANAGEMENT
Burnout
– a combination of exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced performance
resulting from long-term job stresses in health care and other high-
stress professions.
– can result in increased major medical errors, increased likelihood of
being involved in a lawsuit, increased rates of health care associated
infection, and increased patient mortality.
– contributes to decreases in work morale, overall work effort, effective
teamwork, and patient satisfaction, and an increase in job turnover.
WELLNESS and STRESS
MANAGEMENT
Compassion Fatigue
(“The Cost Of Caring”)
– common among those who
work in health care and
disaster and emergency
services.
– a disorder characterized by
gradual lessening of
compassion over time.
WELLNESS and STRESS
MANAGEMENT
Compassion Fatigue (“The Cost Of Caring”)
Symptoms of compassion fatigue include the following:
– High absenteeism
– Difficult relationships with colleagues and coworkers
– Inability to work in teams
– Aggressive behavior toward patients
– Strong negative attitudes toward work
– Lack of empathy for patients
– Judgmental attitude toward patients
– Preoccupation with nonwork issues while on duty
– Other symptoms of increased stress
WELLNESS and STRESS
MANAGEMENT
STRESS MANAGEMENT – refers to the tactics that have
been shown to alleviate or eliminate stress reactions
PRACTICES THAT CAN HELP INCREASE RESILIENCE:
• Eat a healthy and well-balanced diet.
• Ensure a minimum of 7 to 9 hours of sleep per day.
• Strengthen positive relationships with close family
and friends.
• Build relationships with peers and colleagues.
• Incorporate daily stretching, movement, and exercise.
• Build habits of mindfulness and positivity.
Strategies To Minimize Stress
 Minimize or eliminate stressors as much as possible.
 Change partners to avoid a negative or hostile personality.
 Change work hours.
 Change the work environment.
 Cut back on overtime.
 Change your attitude about the stressor.
 Talk about your feelings with people you trust.
 Seek professional counseling if needed.
 Do not obsess over frustrating situations that you are unable to
change, such as relapsing alcoholics and nursing home transfers;
focus on delivering high-quality care
Strategies To Minimize Stress
 Try to adopt a more relaxed, philosophical outlook.
 Expand your social support system beyond your coworkers.
 Develop friends and interests outside emergency services.
 Minimize the physical response to stress by using various
techniques, including:
Periodic stretching or yoga
Slow, deep breathing
Regular physical exercise
Progressive muscle relaxation
Meditation
Limit intake of caffeine, alcohol, and tobacco use
Strategies To Minimize Stress
 Try to adopt a more relaxed, philosophical outlook.
 Expand your social support system beyond your coworkers.
 Develop friends and interests outside emergency services.
 Minimize the physical response to stress by using various
techniques, including:
Periodic stretching or yoga
Slow, deep breathing
Regular physical exercise
Progressive muscle relaxation
Meditation
Limit intake of caffeine, alcohol, and tobacco use
Strategies To Minimize Stress
NUTRITION
 Regular, well-balanced meals are essential to
provide the nutrients that are necessary to
keep your body fueled
 Limit your total consumption of sugar, fats,
sodium, and alcohol
 Eating several small, healthy meals
throughout the day can keep your energy
resources at constant high levels and help
you cope with the stresses inherent in EMS
work
 Maintain an adequate fluid intake
Strategies To Minimize Stress
EXERCISE and RELAXATION
 Regular exercise will enhance the
benefits of maintaining good nutrition
and adequate hydration.
 To maintain good health, you should
engage in at least 30 minutes of
physical activity at least 5 days per
week.
 Exercise routine should involve aspects
of cardiovascular endurance, muscular
strength building, and muscle flexibility.
Strategies To Minimize Stress
SLEEP
 Get an adequate duration (more than 7 hours) and quality of sleep.
 Take 20- to 30-minute naps or rest breaks during shift work.
 Increase physical exercise such as stretching, walking, and jogging
in place.
 Be careful about caffeine consumption. Caffeine can increase
alertness but is not a replacement for sleep and in large quantities
can contribute to cardiac dysrhythmias, seizures, and increased
stress and anxiety.
 Engage in mental exercise, such as having a conversation or playing
a game.
DISEASE PREVENTION AND
HEALTH PROMOTION
SMOKING, VAPING, and CHEWING NICOTINE
 Use of tobacco products produces many of the most horrible
cardiovascular and lung disasters that you will confront during
your career.
 Use of smokeless tobacco (dry or moist snuff) is associated
with cancers of the throat, mouth, and pancreas.
 Vaping has been shown to produce significant negative
effects on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.
DISEASE PREVENTION AND
HEALTH PROMOTION
ALCOHOL ABUSE
 Acceptable alcohol consumption is described to be one drink
per day for women and two drinks per day for men.
DEFINITIONS OF EXCESSIVE DRINKING
Binge Drinking Heavy Drinking
Men 5 or more drinks during a 15 or more drinks per
single occasion week
Women 4 or more drinks during a 8 or more drinks per
single occasion week
DISEASE PREVENTION AND
HEALTH PROMOTION
DRUG USE
 The benefits of the drug versus the chance that its effects
could impair the performance and safety of the EMT, the
crew, the patient, and the public must always be considered.
Balancing Work, Family, And
Health
 You should never let the job interfere excessively with your
own needs.
 Find a balance between work and family; you owe it to
yourself and to your family.
 It is important to make sure you have the time that you need
to relax with family and friends.
 Take vacations to lower stress and improve your physical
health so you will be able to better respond the next time you
are needed.
Infectious And Communicable
Diseases
INFECTIOUS DISEASE
– a medical condition caused by the
growth and spread of harmful organisms
within the body
COMMUNICABLE DISEASE
– a disease that can be spread from one
person or species to another
PATHOGEN
– a microorganism that is capable of
causing disease in a susceptible host
Infectious And Communicable
Diseases
CONTAMINATION
– the presence of pathogens or foreign bodies on or in objects such as
dressings, water, food, needles, wounds, or a patient’s body
EXPOSURE
– a situation in which a person has had contact with blood, body fluids,
tissues, or airborne particles in a manner that may allow disease
transmission to occur
Routes of Transmission
TRANSMISSION – the way an infectious disease is spread

• DIRECT CONTACT – occurs when an organism is moved

from one person to another through touching without any
intermediary

• INDIRECT CONTACT – involves the spread of infection from

the patient with an infection to another person through an
inanimate object. The object that transmits the infection is
called a fomite
Routes of Transmission
AIRBORNE TRANSMISSION
– involves spreading an infectious agent through mechanisms
such as droplets or dust
FOODBORNE TRANSMISSION
– involves the contamination of food or water with an organism
that can cause disease
VECTOR-BORNE TRANSMISSION
– involves the spread of infection by animals or insects that
carry an organism from one person or place to another
Risk Reduction And Prevention For
Infectious And Communicable Diseases
• STANDARD PRECAUTIONS
– protective measures designed to prevent health care workers
from coming into contact with objects, blood, body fluids, and
other potential risks that could lead to exposure to germs
 HAND HYGIENE
 PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
 Gloves
 Face Mask
 Goggles
PROPER HANDWASHING - the simplest yet most
effective way to control disease transmission
Risk Reduction And Prevention For
Infectious And Communicable Diseases
• IMMUNIZATION
• CLEANING AND DECONTAMINATING THE AMBULANCE
AND EQUIPMENT
– Be sure to routinely clean the ambulance after each run and on a
daily basis.
– Cleaning is an essential part of the prevention and control of
communicable diseases, ensuring removal of surface organisms that
may remain in the unit.
– You can use a bleach and water solution at a 1:10 dilution to clean
the unit.
SCENE SAFETY
– personal safety of all those involved in an emergency situation is very
important.
– begin protecting yourself as soon as you are dispatched.

SCENE HAZARDS SCENES of VIOLENCE

Hazardous Materials Mass Violence
Electricity Violence Against Responders
Fire
Vehicle Crashes
CARING FOR CRITICALLY ILL
or INJURED PATIENT
– When you are caring for a critically ill or
injured patient, the patient needs to know
who you are and what you are doing.
– Let the patient know you are attending to his
or her immediate needs and these are your
primary concerns at this moment.
– As soon as possible, explain to the patient
what is going on.
– Avoid making unprofessional comments
during resuscitation and treat all patients
with dignity and respect.
Techniques For Communicating with the
Critical Patient
• AVOID SAD OR GRIM COMMENTS
– These remarks may upset or increase the patient’s anxiety
and compromise possible recovery outcomes.
• ORIENT THE PATIENT
– The impact and effect of injuries or acute illness may cause
the patient to be confused or unsettled.
– It is important for you to orient the patient to his or her
surroundings.
Techniques For Communicating with the
Critical Patient
• BE HONEST
– Be honest without further alarming the patient or giving
unnecessary information or information that may not be
understood.
– Simply explain what you are doing and allow the patient to be part
of the care being given; this can relieve feelings of helplessness
as well as some of the fear.
• ALLOW FOR HOPE
– It is not your decision to tell the patient that he or she is dying.
DEATH AND DYING
– The death of a human being is one of the most difficult events for
another human being to accept.
THE GRIEVING PROCESS Words of Comfort When
1. Denial Responding to Grief
I’m sorry for your loss.
2. Anger
It is okay to be angry.
3. Bargaining It must be hard to accept.
4. Depression That must be painful for you.
5. Acceptance Tell me how you are feeling.
If you want to cry, it’s okay.
People really cared for …
WORKPLACE ISSSUE

• CULTURAL DIVERSITY
• SEXUAL HARRASSMENT
• SUBSTANCE ABUSE
Lesson 3
MEDICAL, LEGAL,
ETHICAL ISSUES
“A BASIC MEDICAL, LEGAL, AND ETHICAL PRINCIPLE OF
EMERGENCY CARE IS TO FIRST DO NO FURTHER HARM.”
KNOWLEDGE OBJECTIVES
1. Define consent and how it relates to decision making.
2. Compare expressed consent, implied consent, and involuntary
consent.
3. Discuss consent by minors for treatment or transport.
4. Discuss the EMT’s role and obligations if a patient refuses treatment
or transport.
5. Describe the physical, presumptive, and definitive signs of death.
6. Discuss the scope of practice and standards of care.
7. Describe the EMT’s legal duty to act.
CONSENT
– required from every conscious adult before care can be
started.
– An adult who is conscious, rational, and capable of
making informed decisions has a legal right to refuse
care, even though this person may be ill or injured.
– If the patient refuses care, you may not care for the
patient.
CONSENT
DECISION-MAKING CAPACITY
– the foundation of consent
– is the ability of a patient to understand the information you
are providing, coupled with the ability to process that
information and make an informed choice regarding
medical care.
PATIENT AUTONOMY – the right of a patient to make
decisions concerning his or her health
CONSENT
DECISION-MAKING CAPACITY
The following factors should be considered when determining
a patient’s decision-making capacity:
1. Is the patient’s intellectual capacity impaired by mental limitation
or any type of dementia?
2. Is the patient of legal age (18 years old in most states)?
3. Is the patient impaired by alcohol or drug intoxication or serious
injury or illness?
4. Does the patient appear to be experiencing significant pain?
CONSENT
DECISION-MAKING CAPACITY
5. Does the patient have a significant injury that could distract him
from a more serious injury?
6. Are there any apparent hearing or visual problems?
7. Is a language barrier present? Do you and your patient speak
the same language?
8. Does the patient appear to understand what you are saying?
9. Does he or she ask rational questions that demonstrate an
understanding of the information you are trying to share?
Types Of Consent
• EXPRESSED CONSENT (Actual Consent)
– the type of consent given when the patient specifically
acknowledges that he or she wants you to provide care or
transport.
– may be verbal or nonverbal.

INFORMED CONSENT
– explain the nature of the treatment being offered, along with the
potential risks, benefits, and alternatives to treatment, as well as
potential consequences of refusing treatment.
– document consent in your run report.
Types Of Consent
• IMPLIED CONSENT (Emergency Doctrine)
– When a person is unconscious or otherwise incapable of
making a rational, informed decision about care and unable to
give consent, the law assumes that the patient would consent
to care and transport to a medical facility if he or she were able
to do so.
– Patients who are intoxicated by drugs or alcohol, mentally
impaired, or suffering from certain conditions such as head
injury might be included in this category
Types Of Consent
• INVOLUNTARY CONSENT
– Patients who are mentally ill, developmentally delayed, or who
are in behavioral (psychological) crisis.
– Consent should be obtained from someone who is legally
responsible for the patient, such as a guardian or conservator.
– Law enforcement and prison officials are legally permitted to
give consent for any individual who is incarcerated or has been
placed under arrest.
Types Of Consent
• MINORS and CONSENT
– the law requires that a parent or legal guardian, when
available, give consent for treatment or transport
– when a parent cannot be reached to provide consent, health
care providers are allowed to give emergency care to a child.
EMANCIPATED MINORS – minors that are legally treated as adults
 Minors that are married
 Members of the armed service
 Minors that are parents

IN LOCO PARENTIS – in position or place of a parent

Types Of Consent
• FORCIBLE RESTRAINT
– sometimes necessary when you are confronted with a patient
who needs medical treatment and transportation but is
combative and presents a significant physical risk of danger to
himself or herself, rescuers, or others.
– Consult medical control for authorization to restrain or contact
law enforcement personnel who have the authority to restrain
people.
THE RIGHT TO REFUSE TREATMENT
– Adults who are conscious, alert, and appear to have
decision making capacity have the right to refuse
treatment or withdraw from treatment at any time, which
is supported by the principle of autonomy, even if doing
so may result in death or serious injury.
CONFIDENTIALITY
– Communication between responder and the patient is
considered confidential and generally cannot be disclosed
without permission from the patient or a court order.
– Confidential information includes the patient history,
assessment findings, and treatment provided.
BREACH OF CONFIDENTIALITY - Disclosure of information
other than to those providers directly involved in the care of
the patient without proper authorization.
ADVANCED DIRECTIVES
– A written document that specifies medical treatment for a
competent patient, should he or she become unable to make
decisions.
– “Do Not Resuscitate (DNR)/Allow Natural Death (AND) order”

DNR orders must meet the following requirements:

1. Clear statement of the patient’s medical problem(s).
2. Signature of the patient or legal guardian.
3. Signature of one or more physicians or other licensed health care
providers.
4. DNR orders contain an expiration date. DNR orders with expiration
dates must be dated in the preceding 12 months to be valid.
PHYSICAL SIGNS OF DEATH
– In the absence of physician orders, such as DNR orders,
the general rule is: If the body is still intact and there are no
definitive signs of death, initiate emergency medical care.
PHYSICAL SIGNS OF DEATH
PRESUMPTIVE SIGNS OF DEATH
 Unresponsiveness to painful stimuli
 Lack of a carotid pulse or heartbeat
 Absence of chest rise and fall
 No deep tendon or corneal reflexes
 Absence of pupillary reactivity
 No systolic blood pressure
 Profound cyanosis
 Lowered or decreased body temperature
PHYSICAL SIGNS OF DEATH
DEFINITIVE SIGNS OF DEATH
 Obvious mortal damage, such as
decapitation
 Dependent lividity - blood settling to the
lowest point of the body, causing
discoloration of the skin.
 Rigor mortis - the stiffening of body
muscles caused by chemical changes
within muscle tissue.
 Algor mortis - cooling of the body until it
matches the ambient temperature.
 Putrefaction - decomposition of body
tissues.
PHYSICAL SIGNS OF DEATH
MEDICAL EXAMINER CASE
– When the medical examiner or coroner assumes responsibility of the
scene, that responsibility supersedes all others at the scene,
including the family’s.
 When the person is dead on arrival (DOA)
 Death without previous medical care or when the physician is unable to
state the cause of death
 Suicide
 Violent death
 Poisoning, known or suspected
 Death resulting from unintentional injuries
 Suspicion of a criminal act
 Infant and child deaths
SCOPE OF PRACTICE
– Outlines the care you are legally able to provide for the patient.
– Medical director further defines the scope of practice by developing
protocols and standing orders.
– Personnel have a responsibility to provide proper, consistent patient
care and to report problems, such as possible liability or exposure to
infectious disease, to your medical director immediately.

If you carry out procedures for which you are not

authorized, you are practicing outside your scope of
practice, which may be considered negligence or
even a criminal offense.
STANDARDS OF CARE
– The law generally requires you be concerned about the safety
and welfare of others when your behavior or activities have the
potential for causing others injury or harm.
 Standards Imposed by Local Customs
 Standards Imposed by Laws
 Professional or Institutional Standard
 Standards Imposed by Textbooks
 Standards Imposed by States
 Medical Practices Act
 Certification and Licensure
DUTY TO ACT
– an individual’s responsibility to provide patient care.
– Once your ambulance responds to a call or treatment is begun,
you have a legal duty to act.
– if you are off duty and happen to see a motor vehicle crash, you
are not legally obligated to stop and assist patients.
NEGLIGENCE
– the failure to provide the same care that a person with similar
training would provide in the same or a similar situation.
– deviation from the accepted standard of care that may result in
further injury to the patient.
Determination of negligence is based on the following four
factors:
1. Duty
2. Breach of duty
3. Damages
4. Causation
ABANDONMENT
– the unilateral termination of care by the EMS without the patient’s
consent and without making any provisions for continuing care
by a medical professional who is competent to provide care for
the patient.

DEFAMATION
– the communication of false information that damages the
reputation of a person
 Libel
 Slander
ASSAULT, BATTERY, and KIDNAPPING
ASSAULT
– defined as unlawfully placing a person in fear of immediate bodily
harm
BATTERY
– as unlawfully touching a person; this includes providing
emergency care without consent.
KIDNAPPING
– the seizing, confining, abducting, or carrying away of a person by
force.
FALSE IMPRISONMENT
– defined as the unauthorized confinement of a person that lasts
for an appreciable period of time.
THE GOOD SAMARITAN LAW
– based on the common law principle that when you reasonably
help another person, you should not be liable for errors and
omissions that are made in giving good-faith emergency care.
1. You acted in good faith in rendering care.
2. You rendered care without expectation of
compensation.
3. You acted within the scope of your training.
4. You did not act in a grossly negligent manner.
RECORDS and REPORTING
– complete and accurate record of
an emergency medical incident is
an important safeguard against
legal complications.
Two general rules regarding reports
and records:
1. If an action or procedure is not
recorded on the written report, it
was not performed.
2. An incomplete or untidy report is
evidence of incomplete or
inexpert emergency medical care.
SPECIAL MANDATORY REPORTING
REQUIREMENTS
 Abuse of children, older people and others
 Injury during the commission of a felony
 Drug-related injuries
 Childbirth
 Other reporting requirements such as attempted suicides, dog
bites, certain communicable disease, assaults, domestic
violence, sexual assault or rape, and burns (in children under
a certain age)
 Scene of a crime
 The deceased
 The best way to ensure you
make good ethical decisions is
to make the welfare of your
patient your top priority.