What is what are you legally required to do before you touch a person when responding to an emergency?

Before touching a person when responding to an emergency, you are generally legally required to:

  • <a href="https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/Obtain%20Consent">Obtain Consent</a>: If the person is conscious and capable of understanding, you must ask for their permission to help. This is known as expressed consent. You should clearly identify yourself, your level of training, and what you intend to do.

  • <a href="https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/Implied%20Consent">Implied Consent</a>: If the person is unconscious, incapacitated (e.g., due to injury, illness, or intoxication), or is a minor without a parent or guardian present, you can assume they would want help. This is called implied consent.

  • <a href="https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/Good%20Samaritan%20Laws">Good Samaritan Laws</a>: Be aware of your local Good Samaritan laws, which are in place to protect individuals who provide assistance in an emergency. These laws generally protect you from liability if you act in good faith, within the scope of your training, and without gross negligence or reckless misconduct. However, they typically do not protect you if you have a legal duty to act (such as a healthcare professional responding within their job duties).

  • <a href="https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/Duty%20to%20Act">Duty to Act</a>: In some situations, certain individuals have a legal duty to act. This applies to individuals such as on-duty healthcare professionals, law enforcement, or those with a pre-existing relationship (like a parent to a child). If you have a duty to act, failing to provide reasonable assistance may have legal consequences.

It is important to note that laws and regulations vary depending on location, so understanding the laws in your specific area is crucial.