Legal And Ethical Implications Paramedicine
Assessment 1 – Written Assignment: Part A
In paramedicine, it is essential to understand the elements of law in order to provide the highest standard of care and assistance. This essay will discuss the concept of consent in paramedicine and the legal and ethical implications that are involved in treating a patient.
As a paramedic, before treating or transporting a patient, informed consent needs to be obtained. The term consent means to give assent, permission, agreement or to approve (Steer, 2007). When deciding on the validity of consent, some key points have to be examined. Firstly, the patient must be competent, meaning they have sufficient decision making capacity. If the patient is competent, full disclosure of all information regarding …show more content…
By assessing for symptom’s they would have realised why the patient was feeling lethargic, kept her eyes closed and was irritable as they all appear as Type 1 diabetes symptom’s. Since the ambulance crew failed to examine the necessary key elements for consent, the patient’s refusal of consent was invalid. As a result in the absence of capacity, the default position by the first ambulance crew should have been one of treatment or transport rather than leaving the patient at her house (Steer, 2007). This may result in the ambulance crew being liable for abandonment for their improper termination of care.
Therefore it is important for paramedics to understand the elements of consent and the legal ramifications that follow, because if the proper steps for consent had been taken, the patient would have received treatment earlier, possibly not ending up in the emergency department and a second ambulance crew would not have been called to deal with a critically ill …show more content…
(2012 ). Ethics and law for the paramedic. In A. Blaber, Foundations for Paramedic Practice (p. 10). Milton Keynes: OPEN UNIVERSITY PRESS.
LawTeacher. (2013, November). Analyse Legal And Ethical Issues Facing Paramedics. Retrieved from Law Teacher : http://www.lawteacher.net/free-law-essays/medical-law/analyse-legal-and-ethical-issues-facing-paramedics-medical-law-essay.php
Levine, R. J. (1980). The Senate's Proposed Statutory Definition of 'Voluntary and Informed Consent'. In IRB: Ethics and Human Research (pp. 8-10). The Hastings Center.
M.Eburn. (2013, April 03). Alcohol and refusing treatment. Retrieved from Australian Emergency Law: https://emergencylaw.wordpress.com/2014/04/03/alcohol-and-refusing-treatment/
Steer, B. (2007). Paramedics, consent and refusal – are we competent? Australasian Journal of Paramedicine , 1.
Townsend, R., & Luck, M. (2013). Applied Paramedic Law and Ethics. Chatswood: Melinda
In paramedicine, it is essential to understand the elements of law in order to provide the highest standard of care and assistance. This essay will discuss the concept of consent in paramedicine and the legal and ethical implications that are involved in treating a patient.
As a paramedic, before treating or transporting a patient, informed consent needs to be obtained. The term consent means to give assent, permission, agreement or to approve (Steer, 2007). When deciding on the validity of consent, some key points have to be examined. Firstly, the patient must be competent, meaning they have sufficient decision making capacity. If the patient is competent, full disclosure of all information regarding …show more content…
By assessing for symptom’s they would have realised why the patient was feeling lethargic, kept her eyes closed and was irritable as they all appear as Type 1 diabetes symptom’s. Since the ambulance crew failed to examine the necessary key elements for consent, the patient’s refusal of consent was invalid. As a result in the absence of capacity, the default position by the first ambulance crew should have been one of treatment or transport rather than leaving the patient at her house (Steer, 2007). This may result in the ambulance crew being liable for abandonment for their improper termination of care.
Therefore it is important for paramedics to understand the elements of consent and the legal ramifications that follow, because if the proper steps for consent had been taken, the patient would have received treatment earlier, possibly not ending up in the emergency department and a second ambulance crew would not have been called to deal with a critically ill …show more content…
(2012 ). Ethics and law for the paramedic. In A. Blaber, Foundations for Paramedic Practice (p. 10). Milton Keynes: OPEN UNIVERSITY PRESS.
LawTeacher. (2013, November). Analyse Legal And Ethical Issues Facing Paramedics. Retrieved from Law Teacher : http://www.lawteacher.net/free-law-essays/medical-law/analyse-legal-and-ethical-issues-facing-paramedics-medical-law-essay.php
Levine, R. J. (1980). The Senate's Proposed Statutory Definition of 'Voluntary and Informed Consent'. In IRB: Ethics and Human Research (pp. 8-10). The Hastings Center.
M.Eburn. (2013, April 03). Alcohol and refusing treatment. Retrieved from Australian Emergency Law: https://emergencylaw.wordpress.com/2014/04/03/alcohol-and-refusing-treatment/
Steer, B. (2007). Paramedics, consent and refusal – are we competent? Australasian Journal of Paramedicine , 1.
Townsend, R., & Luck, M. (2013). Applied Paramedic Law and Ethics. Chatswood: Melinda