Start by reading and following these instructions:
1. Quickly skim the questions or assignment below and the assignment rubric to help you focus.
2. Read the textbook’s required chapter(s) and any additional recommended resources. Some answers may require you to do additional research on the Internet or in other reference sources. Choose your sources carefully.
3. Consider the discussion and any insights you gained from it.
4. Create your Assignment submission and be sure to cite your sources, use APA style as required, check your spelling.
Assignment:
This week students will create a PowerPoint to address the following questions…
A mother expecting her first child miscarried at home on June 22, 2010. The pregnancy was six months along. An ambulance was called at 4:57 a.m. The EMTs helped the mother to the stretcher and then went inside to retrieve the fetus from the bathroom floor. The baby was seen moving its head. The EMTs requested ALS to the scene. The baby was placed inside a small container. The ALS personnel visually assessed the fetus and stated the fetus was “non-viable”. There was never a fetal heart check in the field. Mother and fetus were transported to the hospital arriving at 5:16 a.m.
At the hospital, a nurse noticed that the fetus was warm and had a heartbeat. The baby was raced to the special care nursery and placed on a warmer. The staff then proceeded to resuscitate the baby. The baby was dusky and noted to have a heart rate of 30 with respirations of 6-8 at 5:40 a.m., and cardiopulmonary resuscitation was initiated. The oxygen saturation was 2-10%. The baby was intubated at 5:55 a.m. At 6:05 a.m., the blood pressure was 44/24. By 6:15 a.m., the baby was on a ventilator with oxygen saturation of 96%, a heart rate of 102, but remained dusky. By 6:30 a.m., the baby’s heart rate was 120 and blood pressure 52/24.
At 7:45 a.m., the baby was transported to a Boston hospital NICU for further care and treatment. Unfortunately, the baby died on August 10, 2010, at age 1 month and 16 days, not from prematurity but rather from brain damage due to lack of oxygen.
The plaintiffs’ claimed the accepted standard of care for basic and paramedic emergency medical technicians in Massachusetts in 2010 required basic and paramedic EMTs to provide appropriate evaluation and treatment by following established protocols. It is beyond the scope of practice for EMTs at any level to make determinations in regard to the viability of a patient. As a result of the negligence, the baby was improperly designated as “non-viable”, was placed in a Pizzeria Uno’s delivery plastic bag inside of a box with a lid on it further depriving the baby of oxygen, and as a result, was not resuscitated for the first several minutes of life.
Lubin & Meyers. (2016). EMT negligence lawsuit settles for $1 million. 2011 medical Malpractice Trial Report. Retrieved from http://www.lubinandmeyer.com/cases/emt-malpractice.html
- Title page (1 slide)
- What are the facts of the case? This should include: what do we need to know, who is involved in the situation, where does the ethical situation take place, and when does it occur? (3-4 slides)
- What is the precise ethical issue in regards to autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, fidelity, and justice? (4-5 slides)
- Identify the major principles, rules, and values of the case. Values are sets of beliefs about good and bad, right and wrong, and about many other aspects of living and interacting in society with others. A principle is a personal rule that governs personal behavior. A rule is generally imposed by a figure of authority and used to guide and govern people. (3-4 slides)
- Locate the scope of practice for EMTs in your state. Is your scope of practice dictated by the state or facility the EMT works for? Does the scope of practice vary from state to state? Explain and support your answers (4-5 slides)
- Locate your professional code of ethics for EMTs. Does the code of ethics address autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, fidelity, and justice? Explain and provide an example for each (5-6 slides)
- Based on the scope of practice and code of ethics found, do you support the EMT’s decision in this case? Why or why not? Be specific with examples (3-4 slides)
- If you were a member of the ethics committee at this facility, what actions or changes would you recommend changing? Why? (2-3 slides)
For the presentation, ensure the information is referenced and cited in your slides. The presentation should start with a title slide and end with reference slides. At least 3 references are required for this assignment. You must include at least 5 pictures or graphics. All pictures or graphics taken from outside sources must be referenced and cited.
Assignment Expectations:
- Length: 25-33 slides
- Use the tips at create the slideshow. Because good PowerPoints have very few words, submit a script that describes the content of each slide – about 50 words per slide. Place this script in a separate Word document that shows each slide number and the text for each slide as shown in the provided PowerPoint Slide Notes.docx.
- Structure: include a title page and reference page in APA style.
- References: References are required. You should include the appropriate APA style in-text citations and references for all resources utilized to answer the questions.
- Format: save your presentation as a Microsoft PowerPoint (.ppt or .pptx)
- Save the slide script as a Word document.
*PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS ARE OF THIS ASSIGNMENT, THANK YOU*
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
In this assignment, students will create a PowerPoint presentation that addresses a medical malpractice case involving emergency medical technicians (EMTs). The case involves the negligent handling of a premature baby who ultimately suffered brain damage due to lack of oxygen. The presentation will cover the facts of the case, ethical issues related to autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, fidelity, and justice, as well as explore the scope of practice and professional code of ethics for EMTs.
1. Title Page:
The first slide of the presentation should include the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the course title, and the date.
2. Facts of the Case:
The next few slides should provide a summary of the facts of the case, including who was involved, where the incident occurred, and when it happened. This should include a brief overview of the events leading up to the baby’s premature birth, the actions of the EMTs on the scene, and the subsequent resuscitation attempts at the hospital.
3. Ethical Issues:
The next set of slides should focus on the ethical issues raised by the case, specifically related to autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, fidelity, and justice. Students should provide a detailed explanation of each of these ethical principles and how they relate to the case. They should also clearly identify the ethical dilemmas faced by the EMTs and other medical professionals involved in the case.
4. Principles, Rules, and Values:
The following several slides should identify the major principles, rules, and values that are relevant to the case. Students should explore the sets of beliefs about good and bad, right and wrong, and other aspects of living and interacting in society with others. They should also identify any personal rules that govern personal behavior and any rules that are generally imposed by a figure of authority to guide and govern people.
5. Scope of Practice:
The next set of slides should focus on the scope of practice for EMTs in the student’s state. Students should explore whether their scope of practice is dictated by the state or the facility they work for, and whether the scope of practice varies from state to state. They should also provide a detailed explanation of the guidelines surrounding the treatment of premature infants, specifically related to resuscitation and transport.
6. Professional Code of Ethics:
The next set of slides should identify the professional code of ethics for EMTs. Students should explore whether the code of ethics addresses autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, fidelity, and justice, and provide an example for each. They should also examine any other ethical considerations that are relevant to the care of premature infants.
7. EMT’s Decision:
The next set of slides should address whether the student supports the EMT’s decision in this case. Students should provide specific examples to support their argument and use evidence from their research to back up their position.
8. Ethics Committee Recommendations:
The final section of the presentation should address what actions or changes the student would recommend if they were a member of the ethics committee at this facility. Students should provide specific recommendations and use evidence from their research to support their proposals.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, this assignment requires students to critically analyze a medical malpractice case involving EMTs and premature infants. Through their research, students will explore the different ethical principles, professional codes of ethics, and scope of practice guidelines related to this case. They will also have the opportunity to provide recommendations for how similar situations could be handled in the future.
