Which term describes termination of care by the EMT without the patient's consent and without ensuring transfer to another capable professional?

Which term describes termination of care by the EMT without the patient's consent and without ensuring transfer to another capable professional?

• A. Abandonment
• B. Good Samaritan law
• C. Rigor mortis
• D. Algor mortis

Answer: (A)

Abandonment describes terminating emergency medical care without the patient’s consent and without arranging transfer to another capable provider. This is prohibited because EMS personnel have a duty to ensure continuous, appropriate care for a patient who still needs treatment or transportation. Ending care in this way can directly harm the patient by leaving them without necessary medical attention and can expose the provider and service to legal liability. Good Samaritan laws offer protection for people who help in emergencies when they act in good faith, but they typically don’t shield a professional who ends care and fails to arrange a proper handoff to another qualified clinician. The other terms don’t apply here: rigor mortis refers to postmortem stiffening, and algor mortis refers to postmortem cooling.

Abandonment describes terminating emergency medical care without the patient’s consent and without arranging transfer to another capable provider. This is prohibited because EMS personnel have a duty to ensure continuous, appropriate care for a patient who still needs treatment or transportation. Ending care in this way can directly harm the patient by leaving them without necessary medical attention and can expose the provider and service to legal liability. Good Samaritan laws offer protection for people who help in emergencies when they act in good faith, but they typically don’t shield a professional who ends care and fails to arrange a proper handoff to another qualified clinician. The other terms don’t apply here: rigor mortis refers to postmortem stiffening, and algor mortis refers to postmortem cooling.