As you may know, the Standards of Practice set out the minimum standards in paramedic services. Each regulated member is required to understand and comply with these Standards, but how does this translate in the day-to-day work of EMRs, PCPs, and ACPS?
In an effort to help regulated members understand and apply the Standards to real life situations, we will be sharing scenarios that give context to the Standards and ideas on how to implement this into practice.
The following scenario will attempt to address conscientious objection:
1.8 Conscientious Objection
A regulated member may conscientiously object to providing medically necessary care on the grounds that it conflicts with the regulated member’s Charter freedom of conscience and religion. However, the regulated member must not withhold information about the existence of a medically necessary procedure or treatment.
Scenario:
Don is an Advanced Care Paramedic, working in a northern community. Don and his partner, Sarah, are tasked by dispatch with picking up a patient from their local community care home and transporting this patient back to a home residence in the country. When Don and Sarah arrive at the care center they proceed to the front desk for a handover report from the nurse in charge. They find out the reason that the patient is being transferred home today is because the patient will be ending their life through the Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) program. The nurse also requests that while enroute to the residence if an IV could be initiated for pain control due to the gravel road and the rough ride ahead.
After Don and Sarah receive the handover report, Sarah approaches Don to discuss with him her objections to being a part of this transfer, on the grounds that it conflicts with her conscience and religious beliefs. She also contacts her Supervisor to consult and advise on the situation as well.
The supervisor is aware of the Standard of Practice 1.8 – Conscientious Objection and lets Sarah know that she does not have to be involved in the transfer and will send another member to complete the transfer with Don. As the nature of this transfer is not time sensitive, Dispatch, the hospital and the patient are advised that a different paramedic will come swap out with Sarah and that it will take approximately 30 minutes for the next unit to arrive and pick up the patient.
Prior to sending another member – the Supervisor discusses the sensitive nature of the transfer with the alternate paramedic, Lindsay, and ensures both Don and her are comfortable with completing the transfer. Both paramedics agree that they are willing to participate in transferring the patient back to their home residence to comply with their directives in the MAID program. They are also comfortable with starting an IV and initiating the pain control protocol for the duration of the patient transfer home.
In this example, Sarah and her Supervisor demonstrate their knowledge and adherence to the Standard 1.8 – Conscientious Objection in which a regulated member may conscientiously object to providing medically necessary care on the grounds that it conflicts with the regulated member’s Charter freedom of conscience and religion.