EMT-B Ethics question

[tylerdred]

I am an EMT-B and was wondering the other day about a possible situation. What if on the job I have to help someone who killed a family member? Would I still be obligated to treat that person? Could I hand them off to another EMT to avoid abandonment issues?

[paramedicmike]

What do you mean by "killed a family member"? Killed one of your family members? Or killed one of his/her family members?

If someone killed one of your family members I don't think anyone would blame you for being overcome with emotion. At that point you should be calling for someone else to cover the patient.

If you're called to treat an individual who killed one of his own family members, then yes. You still have to treat that individual. You may not like it. It may not sit well with you. But you still have an obligation to do it.

If you live in a state with the death penalty, take comfort in the fact that you're helping make him better just so the state can execute him...if that comforts you at all.

Does this help?

-be safe

[emtannie]

Are you called to the scene to provide medical care? If you are called to the scene, you are obligated to provide care, as long as the scene is safe. Your personal judgments about this patient cannot be applied to the situation. You do what you have to do, and separate your personal feelings from the situation.

You may be called to this kind of a situation someday, and although it may be uncomfortable, you have the medical obligation to assist the patient, regardless of what happened prior to your arrival.

I get frustrated at the number of mvc calls I go to where someone is dead or seriously injured because they didn't wear their seatbelt... and although I do think "you are an idiot for not wearing your seatbelt" it isn't my place to say that to them. I get frustrated at the number of domestic calls and mvc's I go to where alcohol is a major factor.. but it isn't my place to say "if you hadn't been drinking, this wouldn't have happened."

So, in the situation you described, as long as the scene is safe, and you can attend to the patient, you attend to the patient... even though you may not agree with what they did.

[tylerdred]

Sorry, I didn't clarify. I meant the patient killed one of your family members. But in general, if the patient did something as traumatic as this, would the EMT-B be allowed to transfer care to another EMT?

[brentoli]

No.

If it was your family, you shouldn't be on the call.

If its not your family, you have a job to do.

You can't pass a call off because its gruesome, or because its too serious.

[BEorP]

No.

If it was your family, you shouldn't be on the call.

If its not your family, you have a job to do.

You can't pass a call off because its gruesome, or because its too serious.

I don't see why you couldn't at least just have your partner attend.

[brentoli]

Because then, you will be known as "Mr. Doesn't take serious calls." No one will want to work with you. No one will respect you professionaly, and eventually, you will probably be replaced by someone who knows what to expect with the job.

[EMSGeek]

If you get a difficult call, take it and do the best you can. Render the best quality care you can and deal with any mental ramifications after the fact. If you abandon a patient or deny them care you will have to deal with that on your conscience as well.

[paramedicmike]

Tyler, I'm sensing a story here. Did this happen to you?

I think I'd be hard pressed to provide any type of care for someone who killed one of my family members. I would probably be more interested in beating the snot out of the person...and then beat him some more.

It's generally not a good idea to treat your own family members. It's generally not a good idea to treat people who've killed your family members. However, there may be times when it's just unavoidable. In those circumstances you need to detach yourself from the situation as best you can and provide the best care you can.

I doubt you would be ridiculed or maligned in any way if you asked your parter to tech the call.

Only twice in my career have I been in a situation where my patient was related to someone on my crew. Once was my partner's father. The other was my partner's sister. I handled both patient's as in each case my partner became completely and totally useless. They didn't have to ask me to...I just did it. Partly because they were falling apart. Partly because they said, "I shouldn't do this".

So what's the scoop?

-be safe

[BEorP]

Because then, you will be known as "Mr. Doesn't take serious calls." No one will want to work with you. No one will respect you professionaly, and eventually, you will probably be replaced by someone who knows what to expect with the job.

You expect to need to treat a patient who killed one of your family members?