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EMR
EMT
AEMT
Paramedic
Extended
Patient Refusal of Treatment and/or Transport
A patient who is alert and oriented and is their own power of attorney may refuse any and all treatment
and/or transport.
1.
Alert and oriented means being able to describe where they are, distinguish the time of day and period of the
year, answer common-knowledge questions (who is the President, what is the state capital, etc), knows the
events which lead to the emergency they experienced, and generally will be able to carry on a conversation
in a lucid manner.
2.
Being their own power of attorney (POA) means that they are at least eighteen years of age or have been
emancipated by a court, have not been deemed incompetent by a court, or have not signed POA over to
someone else.
If a patient does not meet the criteria set forth in item 1, they may not refuse treatment.
3.
If they continue to refuse and you feel the patient sincerely needs medical treatment, request law
enforcement to the scene and/or contact medical control for advice.
4.
A patient who has threatened to harm themselves may refuse transport. Only law enforcement or an
otherwise authorized health care officer can force an alert, oriented, competent psychiatric patient to go to
the hospital unwillingly.
5.
When a patient refuses any treatment and/or transport, a Patient Refusal must be completed.
Patient Refusal of Treatment and/or Transport