Open AccessParamedics, Consent and Refusal – are We Competent?
Author(s) -
Brian Thomas Steer
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
australasian journal of paramedicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.177
H-Index - 15
ISSN - 2202-7270
DOI - 10.33151/ajp.5.1.404
Subject(s) - foundation (evidence) , context (archaeology) , informed consent , medical education , psychology , engineering ethics , medicine , medical emergency , nursing , political science , engineering , alternative medicine , law , pathology , paleontology , biology
A theoretical foundation is described by summarizing currently accepted concepts of consent and refusal. These concepts are then placed in the context of the paramedic environment, which by its very nature makes decisions about consent very difficult. Three cases are briefly reviewed in light of these concepts and four areas for investigation are identified. It is argued there exists a need for the assessment of the skill and education of paramedics so that they may be better equipped to make decisions acceptable to the wider medical community.