Title: Assignment Lesson 1-7
Course: EMS 1119 Emergency Medical Technician > Section: Module I Preparatory

Write a complete and thorough response to the questions posed by the scenario below. Make sure you address all the elements of the encounter and issues raised by it. Write this in your word processor and upload it to this assignment in Word (.doc or .docx) or Rich Text (.rtf) format. This assignment is worth 15 total points.

You are an EMT on a basic life support unit responding to a call at 4:30 PM on a Sunday afternoon of an elderly woman who called 911 complaining of dizziness all day. Upon arrival you see that the front door is open behind a screen door. You enter through the front door into the living room and observe an elderly woman sitting in a recliner in who appears to be in no acute distress, appropriately dressed and in good hygiene. She tells you that she has a headache and she would like you to check her blood pressure because she feels dizzy.

You and your partner complete the patient assessment and the only finding out of normal limits is her blood pressure of 168/110 (normal 120/80) and her complaint of dizziness. She had no other medical history other than current treatment by a local provider for hypertension. She has not taken her blood pressure medication today (Amlodipine, 10mg daily). While you are there, her granddaughter arrives and tells you that today is the 2nd anniversary of her grandfathers death and that her grandmother gets very upset at this time. You encourage the patient to go to the hospital but she refuses.

1. What is your responsibility in treating this patient? (3 points)
2. Can you administer this patients medication to her? (3 points)
3. The patients granddaughter tell you to take her to the hospital. The patient agains says that she does not want to go to the hospital at which time the granddaughter threatens legal action agains you and your partner for malpractice.
4. What is your next course of action based upon your understanding of your legal requirements to provide care? (3 points)
5. Has this patient consented to treatment? (3 points)
6. If you do not transport her to the local hospital, 30 miles away, is this abandonment? (3 points)
7. If this patient remains at home and six hours later suffers a stroke, can you be found negligent in your earlier care of this patient? (0 points, answer used for feedback discussion)