In this chapter you will learn about the following: Describe the basic structure of the legal system in the United States, relate how laws affect the paramedic’s practice, list situations that a paramedic is legally required to report in most states, describe the four elements involved in a claim of negligence, describe measures paramedics may take to protect themselves from claims of negligence. | 9/11/2012 1 Chapter 51 Patients with Special Challenges 2 Learning Objectives • Identify considerations in prehospital management related to physical challenges such as hearing, visual, and speech impairments; obesity; and patients with paraplegia or quadriplegia. • Identify considerations in prehospital management of patients who have mental illness, are developmentally disabled, or are emotionally or mentally impaired. 3 Copyright © 2013 by Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC, an Ascend Learning Company 1 9/11/2012 Learning Objectives • Describe special considerations for prehospital management of patients with selected pathological challenges. • Outline considerations in management of culturally diverse patients. 4 Learning Objectives • Describe special considerations in the prehospital management of terminally ill patients. • Identify special considerations in management of patients with communicable diseases. • Describe special considerations in the prehospital management of patients with financial challenges. 5 Hearing Impairments • Deafness – – – – Complete or partial inability to hear Total deafness is rare and usually congenital Partial deafness may range from mild to severe Most commonly results from • Ear disease • Injury • Degeneration of hearing mechanism that occurs with age – All deafness is conductive or sensorineural and may be combination of both (mixed hearing loss) 6 Copyright © 2013 by Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC, an Ascend Learning Company 2 9/11/2012 Hearing Impairments • Conductive deafness – Faulty transportation of sound from outer to inner ear – Often is curable – In adults, commonly results from buildup of earwax that blocks outer ear canal – May result from infection (., otitis media) and from injury to eardrum or middle ear (., from barotrauma) 7 Hearing Impairments • Sensorineural deafness – Often is incurable – Sounds that reach inner ear fail to be transmitted to brain • .
