Ethical challenges

Ethical issues are present in every EMS clinician-patient encounter. They become more poignant in the prehospital setting where decisions often need to be made in a time-sensitive manner and without all the necessary information available. These unique aspects of prehospital care may make decisions surrounding complex ethical issues challenging and stressful for clinicians. EMS physicians and practitioners can nonetheless successfully manage common ethical dilemmas that arise in their practice with a thorough understanding of core ethical principles. This chapter presents specific prehospital situations in which ethical questions frequently arise and offers guidance to assist in decision making.