Abstract
IntroductionThe Australian prehospital profession has not yet facilitated a comprehensive discussion regarding paramedic role and responsibility during disasters. Whether paramedics have a duty to treat under extreme conditions and what acceptable limitations may be placed on such a duty require urgent consideration. The purpose of this research is to encourage discussion within the paramedic profession and broader community on this important ethical and legal issue.MethodsThe authors employed qualitative methods to gather paramedic and community member perspectives in Victoria, Australia.ResultsThese findings suggested that both paramedic and community member participants agree that acceptable limitations on paramedic duty to treat during disaster are required. These limitations should be based on consideration of the following factors: personal health circumstances (eg, pregnancy for female paramedics); pre-existing mental health conditions (eg, posttraumatic stress disorder/PTSD); competing personal obligations (eg, paramedics who are single parents); and unacceptable levels of personal risk (eg, risk of exposure and infection during a pandemic).ConclusionIt is only with the engagement of a more broadly representative segment of the prehospital profession and greater Australian community that appropriate guidance on limiting standards of care under extreme conditions can be developed and integrated within prehospital care in Australia.Smith E, Burkle FM Jr., Gebbie K, Ford D, Bensimon C. Acceptable limitations on paramedic duty to treat during disaster: a qualitative exploration.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1-5 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Prehospital and Disaster Medicine |
| DOIs | |
| State | Accepted/In press - Jan 1 2018 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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Keywords
- disasters
- duty to treat
- Emergency Medical Services
- paramedic
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Emergency Medicine
- Emergency
Cite this
Acceptable Limitations on Paramedic Duty to Treat during Disaster : A Qualitative Exploration. / Smith, Erin; Burkle, Frederick M.; Gebbie, Kristine; Ford, David; Bensimon, Cécile.
In: Prehospital and Disaster Medicine, 01.01.2018, p. 1-5.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Acceptable Limitations on Paramedic Duty to Treat during Disaster
T2 - A Qualitative Exploration
AU - Smith, Erin
AU - Burkle, Frederick M.
AU - Gebbie, Kristine
AU - Ford, David
AU - Bensimon, Cécile
PY - 2018/1/1
Y1 - 2018/1/1
N2 - IntroductionThe Australian prehospital profession has not yet facilitated a comprehensive discussion regarding paramedic role and responsibility during disasters. Whether paramedics have a duty to treat under extreme conditions and what acceptable limitations may be placed on such a duty require urgent consideration. The purpose of this research is to encourage discussion within the paramedic profession and broader community on this important ethical and legal issue.MethodsThe authors employed qualitative methods to gather paramedic and community member perspectives in Victoria, Australia.ResultsThese findings suggested that both paramedic and community member participants agree that acceptable limitations on paramedic duty to treat during disaster are required. These limitations should be based on consideration of the following factors: personal health circumstances (eg, pregnancy for female paramedics); pre-existing mental health conditions (eg, posttraumatic stress disorder/PTSD); competing personal obligations (eg, paramedics who are single parents); and unacceptable levels of personal risk (eg, risk of exposure and infection during a pandemic).ConclusionIt is only with the engagement of a more broadly representative segment of the prehospital profession and greater Australian community that appropriate guidance on limiting standards of care under extreme conditions can be developed and integrated within prehospital care in Australia.Smith E, Burkle FM Jr., Gebbie K, Ford D, Bensimon C. Acceptable limitations on paramedic duty to treat during disaster: a qualitative exploration.
AB - IntroductionThe Australian prehospital profession has not yet facilitated a comprehensive discussion regarding paramedic role and responsibility during disasters. Whether paramedics have a duty to treat under extreme conditions and what acceptable limitations may be placed on such a duty require urgent consideration. The purpose of this research is to encourage discussion within the paramedic profession and broader community on this important ethical and legal issue.MethodsThe authors employed qualitative methods to gather paramedic and community member perspectives in Victoria, Australia.ResultsThese findings suggested that both paramedic and community member participants agree that acceptable limitations on paramedic duty to treat during disaster are required. These limitations should be based on consideration of the following factors: personal health circumstances (eg, pregnancy for female paramedics); pre-existing mental health conditions (eg, posttraumatic stress disorder/PTSD); competing personal obligations (eg, paramedics who are single parents); and unacceptable levels of personal risk (eg, risk of exposure and infection during a pandemic).ConclusionIt is only with the engagement of a more broadly representative segment of the prehospital profession and greater Australian community that appropriate guidance on limiting standards of care under extreme conditions can be developed and integrated within prehospital care in Australia.Smith E, Burkle FM Jr., Gebbie K, Ford D, Bensimon C. Acceptable limitations on paramedic duty to treat during disaster: a qualitative exploration.
KW - disasters
KW - duty to treat
KW - Emergency Medical Services
KW - paramedic
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85055005904&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85055005904&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1017/S1049023X18000857
DO - 10.1017/S1049023X18000857
M3 - Article
C2 - 30296956
AN - SCOPUS:85055005904
SP - 1
EP - 5
JO - Prehospital and Disaster Medicine
JF - Prehospital and Disaster Medicine
SN - 1049-023X
ER -