You have been called to a local emergency department to transfer a 67-year-old male to another facility. At the hospital, the emergency physician informs you that the patient and his family have requested the transfer because his doctor is affiliated with the other hospital. At the patient's bedside, you see that the patient is receiving an antibiotic through an IV. Although your state does allow EMTs to perform nonemergent transports of patients receiving normal saline through an IV, it does not allow transport of patients receiving IV medications. When informed of this restriction, the physician states that the antibiotic will be done in 10 minutes and that he will give written permission to start the transport while the medication is infusing. Which EMT action would be most appropriate

Question

A) Transfer the patient once all the medication is infused
B) Stop the IV infusion and transport the patient
C) Follow the doctor's order as long as he writes and signs it
D) Recognize a HIPAA violation and refuse the transport

Answer 1

A) Transfer the patient once all the medication is infused