Ethics & Legality of Administering First Aid

First aid responders have a moral obligation to perform first aid for all persons in time of crisis regardless of age, gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status. Now, we will discuss other ethical and legal obligations related to the application of first aid.

Consent

An individual must consent to accept first aid care if they are aware enough to do so. To attain expressed consent, a responder must identify his or herself and inform the ill or injured person of their level of first aid training.

Consent to perform emergency intervention is implied for individuals that are unconscious or otherwise unresponsive.

An adult has the right to refuse care at any point in the first aid process. For example, if an unconscious person becomes conscious during first aid response, they are entitled to refuse further care. When in doubt of consent, it is better to lean in favor of providing care. Protection from legal retribution is one of the reasons that Good Samaritan laws exist.

Good Samaritan Laws

Good Samaritan laws give legal protection to people attempting to reasonably assist those who are ill, injured, or otherwise incapacitated. This protection is designed to reduce a bystander's hesitation to assist an ill or injured individual in the fear that the bystander may later be sued or prosecuted for unintentionally causing further harm or wrongful death.

It is important to know your local laws as Good Samaritan provisions can vary across different jurisdictions. Some municipalities extend protection to professional rescuers acting in a volunteer capacity and some do not.

Confidentiality

In any situation requiring the implementation of first aid, a responder must take steps to ensure the privacy of the victim(s) to the best of his or her ability.

Examples of ensuring privacy for a patient include:

• Keeping crowds of people away
• Putting up a screen if necessary
• Covering any exposed body parts with blankets or sheets if available
• Refraining from discussing the incident with peers or the media unless given expressed permission by the first aid recipient

To learn more about Workplace First Aid visit our Workplace First Aid Online Training web page.