Chapter 2: Medical/legal

Front 1

Constitutional Law

Back 1

Law based on the US Constition

Front 2

Common Law

Back 2

Law that is derived from society's acceptance of sustoms and norms over time. Also called case law or judge-made law.

Front 3

Administrative Law

Back 3

Law that is enacted by governmental agencies at either the federal or state level. Also called regulatory law.

Front 4

Criminal Law

Back 4

Division of the legal system that deals with wrongs committed against society or its members.

Front 5

Cival Law

Back 5

The division of the legal system that deals with noncriminal issues and conflicts between two or more parties.

Front 6

Tort

Back 6

A cival wrong committed by one individual against another.

Front 7

Scope of Practice

Back 7

Range of duties and skills paramedics are allowed and expected to perform.

Front 8

Immunity (Law)

Back 8

Exemption from legal liability.

Front 9

Good Samaritan Laws

Back 9

Laws that provide immunity to certain people who assist at the scene of a medical emergency.

Front 10

Negligence

Back 10

Deviation from accepted standards of care recognized by law for the protection of others against the unreasonable risk of harm.

Front 11

Duty to act

Back 11

A formal contractual or infromal legal obligation to provide care.

Front 12

Breach of duty

Back 12

An action or inaction that violates teh standard of care expected from a paramedic.

Front 13

Standard of care

Back 13

The degree of care, skill and judgement that would be expected under like or similar circumstances by a similarly trained, reasonable paramedic in the same community.

Front 14

Malfeasance

Back 14

A breach of duty by performance of a wrongful or unlawful act.

Front 15

Misfeasance

Back 15

A breach of duty by performance of a legal act in a manner that is harmful or injurious.

Front 16

Nonfeasance

Back 16

A breach of duty by failure to perform a required act or duty.

Front 17

Res ipsa Loquitur

Back 17

A legal doctrine invoked by plaintiffs to support a claim of negligence, it is a Latin term that means "the thing speaks for itself".

Front 18

Proximate cause

Back 18

Action or inaction of the paramedic that immediately caused or worsened the damage suffered by the Pt.

Front 19

Confidentiality

Back 19

The principle of law that prohibits the release of medical or other personal information about a Pt without the Pt's consent.

Front 20

Defamation

Back 20

An intentional false communication that injures another persons reputation or good name.

Front 21

Libel

Back 21

The act of injuring a persons character, name, or reputation by the false statements made in writing or through the mass media with malicious intent or reckless disreguard.

Front 22

Slander

Back 22

Act of injuring a persons character, name, or reputation by false or malicious statements spoken with malicious intent or reckless disreguard.

Front 23

Consent

Back 23

The Pt's granting of permission for treatment.

Front 24

Competent

Back 24

Able to make an informed decision about medical care.

Front 25

Emancipated Minor

Back 25

A person under 18 YOA who is married, pregnant, a parent, a member of the military, or financially independent and living away from home.

Front 26

Abandonment

Back 26

Termination of the paramedic-patient relationship without assurance that an equal or greater level of care will continue.

Front 27

Assult

Back 27

An act that unlawfully places a person in apprehension of immediate bodily harm without his consent.

Front 28

Battery

Back 28

The unlawful touching of another individual without his consent.

Front 29

False imprisonment

Back 29

Intentional and unjustifiable detention of a person without his consent or other legal authority.

Front 30

Advance directive

Back 30

A document created to ensure that certain treatment choices are honored when a Pt is unconscious or otherwise unable to express his choice of treatment.

Front 31

Living will

Back 31

A legal document that allows a person to specify the kinds of medical treatment he wishes to recieve should the need arise.

Front 32

______ ______ originated with the English legal system and is also called "case law" or "judge-made law".

Back 32

Common Law

Front 33

_____ _____ is enacted by an administravtive or governmental agency at either the federal or state level.

Back 33

Administravtive Law

Front 34

The _____ _____ _____ is the location of most of the cases in which a paramedic may become involved.

Back 34

State Court System