CNA308: Case Study - Paramedic Students - Legal and Ethics

Internal Code: MAS6403

Legal and Ethics Assignment:

Wayne, aged 47, was attending a party and during the night was found by friends lying on the pavement with evidence of vomit around his face. After several minutes of unsuccessful attempts to elicit a response from Wayne, his friends called an ambulance. The friends tell ambulance communications the last time anyone saw Wayne alert was 2 – 5 minutes before he was found on the pavement when he went outside for a smoke. You and your colleague Tama are the paramedics called to attend. On your arrival, you find Wayne looks vaguely familiar. He is now slumped but supported in a sitting position by his friend Joe. He is holding his head and slurring his words, mumbling “I’m fine, I’m fine, I don’t want any help”. With encouragement from his friend, he agrees to talk with you. You note he smells strongly of alcohol. His words are slurred. There is vomitus around his mouth and you note a contusion developing over the right side of his forehead. Wayne is unable to recall how he hurt his head and is increasingly agitated by your questioning and attempts at assessment. You are unable to obtain any health history from Wayne, and as yet his partner has been unable to be contacted. His friends are also unable to assist although someone thinks he has high blood pressure and is “stressed out heaps” but the information is not confirmed. They report Wayne has had “quite a few” drinks tonight, but cannot specify how many. Neither can they specify if any drugs have been used. He continues to slur his words and repeatedly mumbles he does not want to go to the hospital. Attempts to take vital signs make Wayne physically combative. He refuses to comply with your requests to lay still and immobilize his spine. He appears pale and sweaty and looks as though he is about to vomit again.