Question

An EKG technician has a prescription to perform an EKG tracing on an older adult patient who is unconscious upon arrival at the emergency department. Which of the following actions should the technician take?

1) Wait for the patient's adult child to arrive at the emergency department to obtain consent.
2) Assume implied consent because the patient's condition is critical.
3) Check the patient's insurance to ensure the EKG procedure is covered.
4) Wait for the provider to arrive before performing the EKG.

Answer 1

The technician should proceed with performing the EKG on the unconscious patient under the principle of implied consent, as it is a critical and potentially life-saving diagnostic in an emergency situation.

Step-by-step explanation:

The technician should assume implied consent because the patient's condition is critical and they are unable to consent themselves. In emergency situations where a patient is unconscious and the treatment is necessary for the preservation of life or to prevent further harm, medical personnel operate under the principle of implied consent. This presumes that the patient would consent to treatment if they were able to do so. Administering an electrocardiogram (EKG) is a crucial diagnostic tool that provides an electrical tracing of the heart's activity and can reveal damage such as infarcts or assess the urgency of the patient's condition.

Waiting for family members, checking insurance, or delaying for the provider are actions that could postpone critical and potentially life-saving diagnostics. Therefore, the electrocardiogram should be performed without undue delay to assist in the swift assessment and treatment of the patient.