Kansas Emergency Medical Attendants: 7 Deadly Sins

Attendants are the first medical providers on the scene of any major accident or emergency. Whether you are a first responder or an emergency medical technician, you are a highly trusted member of the community; the public relies on emergency medical attendants to provide critical care services without the benefit of hospital resources. Unlike the patient’s family physician, attendants come into a patient’s life as strangers and often leave as heroes. Most attendants consequently experience a high level of job satisfaction.  In order to continue to be able to enjoy your career it is important to keep one’s license in good standing. With this in mind, it is important avoid problems with the Kansas Board of Emergency Medical Services.  As such, consider the following career threatening mistakes:

  1. Violating Patient Confidentiality:  It is normal to want to share the events of your work day with friends or loved ones.  However, an attendant needs to be extremely careful that in relaying these stories the attendant is not sharing too much information.  Patients in this line of work may be fleeting, but they are entitled to the same degree of confidentiality from an attendant, as the patient would receive from a nurse or a doctor in a hospital setting.  Failing to take necessary actions to safeguard patient information can land an attendant in hot water with the Board.
  1. Performing Activities Beyond Certification:  Attendants encounter patients in a variety of life threatening situations.  Although it may be tempting to try to do more than what the attendant is qualified to do, it is important for any attendant to know and understand professional limitations.
  1. Misleading or False Statements:  The simplest way to avoid problems with the Board is to make sure that the information provided to the Board is accurate. Lying or misrepresenting facts on an application or certification renewal form is clearly an invitation for trouble.
  1. Failure to Meet Renewal Requirements: Make sure that your renewal form is completed in a timely manner, including the payment of all fees and the completion of all continuing education credits.
  1. Drugs Addiction and Diversion:  Diverting drugs from a patient is not only cause for discipline or loss of one’s license, it is also a crime. Drug use can interfere with the attendant’s skills and judgment. Attendants who are suffering from drug addiction need to seek qualified help or risk losing their career.
  1. Patient Abuse: Patients deserve the highest standard of care from the medical community. Attendants who physically, emotionally or sexually abuse a patient are subject to disciplinary action by the Board.
  1. Conviction of a Felony: Trustworthiness is the cornerstone of any attendant. An attendant who is convicted of a felony will typically not be allowed to continue until after a Board’s investigation determines that the individual has been rehabilitated to a level that again warrants the public’s trust.

If you have received notice of disciplinary action by the Kansas Board of Emergency Medical Services, contact the Sanger Law Office at 785-979-4353 to schedule a free and completely confidential consultation. Do not trust your professional license to just any attorney. Trust the professional license defense attorneys at the Sanger Law Office to provide you with exception legal services.

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