EMT AAOS 03 – Ethical and Legal |58 questions and answers(verified for accuracy).

abandonment Unilateral termination of care by the EMT without the patient's consent and without making provisions for transferring care to another medical professional with the skills and training necessary to meet the needs of the patient advance directive Written documentation that specifies medical treatment for a competent patient should the patient become unable to make decisions; also called a living will or health care directive applied ethics The manner in which principles of ethics are incorporated into professional conduct assault Unlawfully placing a patient in fear of bodily harm battery Touching a patient or providing emergency care without consent bioethics The study of ethics related to issues that arise in health care breach of confidentiality Disclosure of information without proper authorization certification A process in which a person, an institution, or a program is evaluated and recognized as meeting certain predetermined standards to provide safe and ethical care compensatory damages Damages awarded in a civil suit that are intended to restore the plaintiff to the same condition that he or she was in prior to the incident complained about in the lawsuit competent Able to make rational decisions about personal well-being consent Permission to render care contributary negligence A legal defense that may be raised when the defendant feels that the conduct of the plaintiff somehow contributed to any injuries or damages that were sustained by the plaintiff decision-making capacity Ability to understand and process information and make a choice regarding appropriate medical care defamation The communication of false information about a person that is damaging to that person's reputation or standing in the community dependent lividity Blood settling to the lowest point of the body, causing discoloration of the skin depositions Oral questions asked of parties and witnesses under oath discovery The phase of a civil suit where the plaintiff and defense obtain information from each other that will enable the attorneys to have a better understanding of the case, which will assist them in negotiating a possible settlement or in preparing for trial Discovery includes depositions interrogatories, and demands for production of records do not resuscitate (DNR) orders Written documentation by a physician giving permission to medical personnel to not attempt resuscitation in the event of cardiac arrest durable power of attorney for health care A type of advance directive executed by a competent adult that appoints another individual to make medical treatment decisions on his or her behalf in the event that the person making the appointment loses decision-making capacity duty to act A medicolegal term relating to certain personnel who either by statute or by function have a responsibility to provide care emancipated minors A person who is under the legal age in a given state but, because of other circumstances, is legally considered an adult emergency A serious situation, such as injury or illness, that threatens the life or welfare of a person or group of people and requires immediate intervention emergency doctrine The principle of law that permits a health care provider to treat a patient in an emergency situation when the patient is incapable of granting consent because of an altered level of consciousness, disability, the effects of drugs or alcohol, or the patient's age emergency medical care Immediate care or treatment ethics The philosophy of right and wrong, of moral duties, and of ideal professional behavior expressed consent A type of consent in which a patient gives express authorization for provision of care or transport false imprisonment The confinement of a person without legal authority or the person's consent forcible restraint The act of physically preventing an individual from initiating any physical action Good Samaritan laws Statutory provisions enacted by many states to protect citizens from liability for errors and omissions in giving good faith emergency medical care, unless there is wanton, gross, or willful negligence governmental immunity If your service is covered by immunity, it may mean that you cannot be sued or it may limit the amount of the monetary judgment that the plaintiff may recover; generally applies only to EMS services that are operated by municipalities or other governmental entities gross negligence Conduct that constitutes a willful or reckless disregard for a duty or standard of care health care directive A written document that specifies medical treatment for a competent patient, should he or she become unable to make decisions, Also known as an advance directive or a living will health care proxies A type of advance directive executed by a competent adult that appoints another individual to make medical treatment decisions on his or her behalf in the event that the person making the appointment loses decision-making capacity, Also known as a durable power of attorney for health care implied consent Type of consent in which a patient who is unable to give consent is given treatment under the legal assumption that he or she would want treatment in loco parentis Refers to the legal responsibility of a person or organization to take on some of the functions and responsibilities of a parent informed consent Permission for treatment given by a competent patient after the potential risks, benefits, and alternatives to treatment have been explained interrogatories Written questions that the defense and plaintiff send to one other kidnapping The seizing, confining, abducting, or carrying away of a person by force, including transporting a competent adult for medical treatment without his or her consent libel False and damaging information about a person that is communicated in writing licensure The process whereby a competent authority, usually the state, allows individuals to perform a regulated act medicolegal A term relating to medical jurisprudence (law) or forensic medicine morality A code of conduct that can be defined by society, religion, or a person, affecting character, conduct, and conscience