Professional Ethics of

ParamedicsBY: M.shiva ram

I.Msc optometry and vision sciences

Paramedic• The paramedic is a healthcare professional who works in

emergency medical situations. • Medical professional who provides medical care to sustain life

in the pre-hospital environment, usually in an emergency, at the point of illness or injury.

• Provides Primary level advanced care in • Medical emergencies trauma • also provide out-of-hospital treatment • minor diagnostic services • undertake hospital-based roles• such as first aid in burns,accidents Injuries and their treatment

PARAMEDICS

• Professional ethics in Uk• Professional ethics in Australia• Professional ethics in us• Professional ethics in India

Paramedics in UK• Paramedic s are regulated by HCPC• Health and care Professions Council(HCPC) • Health Professions Order 2001 (the Order) which sets

out the roles and responsibilities of the• Main objective is the (protection of the public)

• 1) maintaining of a register of health professionals, including paramedics;

• 2) approval of education programmes leading to eligibility to apply for registration

• 3) assessment of continuing professional development (CPD);

• 4) hearing of Fitness to Practice complaints.

• The term ‘paramedic’ is a protected title• name appears on the register maintained by the HCPC• There are 15,000 registered paramedics in the United Kingdom, • Use of the protected title by someone whose name does not

appear on the HPC register is a criminal offence. In order to gain entry

• requirements of the profession – the HPC Standards of Proficiency for Paramedics (HPC 2007),

• generally by completing a programme of study approved by the Education Committee of the HCPC

• HPC Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics (HCPC 2008).

Paramedic professions (HCPC)

• Chiropodists and podiatrists • Dietitians• Hearing aid dispensers • Occupational therapists • Orthoptists • Physiotherapists • Practitioner psychologists• Prosthetist

• Dentitian• Radiographers • Speech and language therapists

Academic Entry Level to the Profession

Since 2003 the entry level to the professional register has been set at level (equivalent to a Certificate of Higher Education).

• Currently, several universities in UK deliver• level 1 (Dip HE), the Diploma of Higher Education • SHE level 2 (BSc Hons) paramedic science programmes, • Both (Dip and UG )are eligibile to register as paramedic

• The College of Paramedics notes the findings of the Paramedic Evidence-practice Education Project (PEEP)

• which recommends the raising of the academic threshold to the HCPC register to level 1(Dip HE) by 2015, followed by level2 (BSc Hons) by 2019’.

Ethics and law1 The ethical, legal and professional issues that inform and shape paramedic

practice.2 The HCPC standards of conduct, performance and ethics.

3 The ethical and legal frameworks within paramedic practice, and relevant to• legislation. Principles of consent, autonomy, beneficence,

malfeasance4 Current UK law that relates to the driving and operating of emergency vehicles as appropriate to paramedic profession.• 5 Caring and the primacy of patient interest and patient advocacy.• 6 Awareness of practical issues relating to actions at crime scenes and

evidence preservation

• 7 Patient confidentiality and data protection.• 8 Duty of care, capacity, concordance and consent.

Duties and standards (HCPC)1 You must act in the best interests of service users.

2 You must respect the confidentiality of service users.

3 You must keep high standards of personal conduct.

4 You must provide (to HCPC any other relevant regulators) any important information about your conduct and competence.

5 You must keep your professional knowledge and skills up to date.

6 You must act within the limits of your knowledge, skills ,experience and if necessary, refer the matter to another practitioner.

7 communicate properly & effectively with service users and other practitioners.

8 effectively supervise tasks that you have asked other people to carry out.

9 Inform consent to provide care or services (so far as possible).10 must keep accurate records.11 deal fairly and safely with the risks of infection.12 limit your work or stop practicing if your performance or judgment

is affected by your health.13 behave with honesty and integrity and make sure that your

behavior does not damage to public’s confidence in you & profession.

14 You must make sure that any advertising you do is accurate.Standards of conduct, performance and ethics 3Introduction

Paramedics in usaIn the United States the paramedic is an allied

health professional,whose primary focus is to provide advanced emergency medical care for critical and emergent patients who access the Emergency

Medical System (EMS).• In 1962, a man named Rodney Nielsen brought the concept of the Paramedics to Southern California.• Paramedic services are regulated by• The National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians

(NREMT)

• National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT)

Types of paramedics 1)Critical caretransportersEX;(Nurses with training in critical care medicine )

2) Tactical paramedics EX; SWAT ( "Special Weapons And Tactics") emergency care to injured officers, suspects, innocent victims and

bystanders

• 3) Hospital paramedics EX;-ambulance Technician• lab technician, • radiograph technicians, dialysis technician • Eye technician• dental technician

(NREMT)• NREMT (National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians)

was established in 1970 in response to President Lyndon Johnson's a national certifying agency for Emergency Medical Technicians

• to establish and standardize education of emt ,Most states use or require NREMT testing for some level of state certification.

• .

National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT)

• NAEMT was founded in 1975, with support from the National Registry of EMT & numerous leaders in emergency medicine

• NAEMT began its mission of educating EMS practitioners in the late 1980s with the introduction of

• Pre Hospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS). In 1999,• National rollout of the Advanced Medical Life Support (AMLS)

education program took place, • National rollout of Pediatric Pre hospital Care (PPC) in 2001• . PPC was reintroduced as Emergency Pediatric Care (EPC) in

2007• NAEMT is the largest professional association for EMS

practitioners in the United States.

Mission • To represent and serve EMS practitioners,

including Paramedics• emergency medical technicians• and emergency medical responders• through advocacy,• educational programs• and research.

Laws EMS is a distinct and essential service to public & fundamental component of our nation health care system.• All patients are entitled to high quality and safe medical care

delivered by qualified EMS practitioners.• EMS practitioners are entitled to a safe, healthy and respectful work

environment.• EMS practitioners are entitled to adequate and equitable

compensation.• To develop professional education standards and EMS research are

essential to the consistent delivery of high quality, evidence-based medical care.

• Each community should determine the EMS delivery model that best meets their needs and resources.

• To conduct NAEMT business with integrity and transparency, &adhere to the ethical standards of our profession

CODE OF ETHICS

1)To conserve life, alleviate suffering, promote health, do no harm, & encourage the quality and equal availability of EMC

2) To provide services based on human need, with compassion and respect for human dignity, do not judge the merits of the patient’s request or the care that we provide.

3)DO not use professional knowledge and skills in any enterprise detrimental to the public well being.

4) Respect and hold in confidence all information of a confidential nature obtained in the course of professional service unless required by law to divulge such information.

5) Use social media in a responsible and professional manner that does not discredit, dishonor, or embarrass an EMS organization, co-workers, other health care practitioners, patients, individuals or the community at large.

5)To understand & uphold the law & perform the duties of citizenship

6)Maintain professional competence, &clinical excellence in delivery of patient care.7)To assume responsibility in upholding standards of professional practice and

education.

8)To be aware of and participate in matters of legislation and regulation affecting EMS.

9)To work cooperatively with EMS associates and other allied healthcare professionals in the best interest of our patients.

10)To refuse participation in unethical procedures, and assume the responsibility to expose incompetence or unethical conduct of others to the appropriate authority in a proper and professional manner.

Paramedics in Australia• The term Paramedic is not defined in Australian law, and definitions

vary widely. One definition is:• "A Paramedic is a specialist health care professional who responds

to requests for assistance and attends people suffering acute health crises of any nature. Paramedics provide health assessment initial diagnosis design a treatment plan and manage the patient’s crisis.

• In Australia, use of the term "paramedic" is not restricted, registered or licensed.

• There are currently substantial efforts in Australia to change this situation, most notably through Paramedics Australasia and the Australian College of Para medicine. Prior to the 1990s most paramedics were known as "ambulance officers".

• treats all types of medical and trauma emergencies outside of a hospital

Types of paramedics

• Intensive care or Mobile intensive care• ambulance (MICA) paramedics• Retrieval or flight paramedics (aviation

medicine, aviation emergencies. )• Rescue or Special Operations paramedics• Paramedics (hospital)

Academic entry level to the profession• The base qualification for a paramedic is a Diploma• Bachelor's degree • (in Health Science,

• Paramedic Science, Emergency Health or (Paramedicine) or a

• post Graduate Diploma (pre-Masters - for health professionals converting to Paramedicine).

• Some paramedic degrees are dual, that is with another discipline, for example Bachelor of Paramedicine/Bachelor of Nursing

Regulating authority

• Emergency Medical Services Protection Association (EMSPA)

• Australian and New Zealand College of Para medicine (ANZCP) delivers Clinical

• Paramedics Australasia https://www.paramedics.org.au/

Paramedics in India• council is a division regulating and governed the norms

& objects of PMS & EHRDO of India is a registered organization under SR Act 21 of 1860 (Working under Act 21 of 1854, 17 & 18 vict.-c-112 S. 20 et seq.)

• with its head office at Delhi is Generally called central board being central office to supervise the affiliated Institutions/colleges on all India bases.

• The council do not have any concern with any other council (Government-non-government) U.G.C. etc.

All Diplomas/certificates etc. are awarded autonomously by the council.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES THE COUNCIL• 1. To expose the benefit of paramedical science nation-wide.

• 2. To register candidates with deserving quality for fair and professional practice and maintain an All India Paramedical register of persons who hold registrations.

• 3. To issue ethical guidelines for the professional practice and lift-up the standard of quality practice.

• 4. To set-up grades of membership in the Council based on the duration of membership………

• 5. To expose the members of the Council with the recent scientific development in the paramedical sciences by holding periodical presentations and seminars, workshops, refresher courses, orientation courses, India-level meetings and lectures etc. and regular exposure by journals, publications discussions etc.

References"Nationwide Directory of Paramedic Schools".

Retrieved 2008-11-07.

"NREMT website". Retrieved 2011-09-17

Reciprocity Information (NREMT website)". R