You have responded to a physician's office for a terminal cancer patient in cardiac arrest. The physician says, "This is a chemical code only. Just give the meds, but don't intubate or do CPR." Which of the following should you do?
A) Tell the physician you are bound to treat the patient according to protocol. If the physician would like you to do something different, she must take complete responsibility for patient care.
B) Comply with her orders on the scene to avoid a confrontation, but initiate appropriate care once you are in the back of the ambulance.
C) Tell the physician you cannot comply with her orders under any circumstances, and then file a report with the state medical licensing board about her negligence in this case.
D) Because this is the patient's personal physician, you must comply with her orders.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A) The correct choice is to communicate with the physician that while you understand the situation, you are bound by your protocols and guidelines. If the physician insists on a specific course of action that deviates from these protocols, they must assume responsibility for the patient's care. This approach respects the physician's knowledge of the patient's wishes and condition while also adhering to the legal and ethical obligations of the responding personnel.

You Have Responded to a Physician's Office for a Terminal