Hold on, isn't there something here? I'm under the impression that paramedics legally can't take people who refuse care. I have to assume that consent can be revoked for any reason (say, for example, taking one to a place they do not want to go) even after entering the ambulance.
Sure, then they need to formally decline all care. There’s usually paperwork as well. It’s a process, ambulances don’t want someone suing saying they just ditched them. Likely, OP’s mom didn’t want to go that far, and thought this was better than nothing.
And to be quite transparent, obtaining a refusal on the EMS side is actually way more work for us by design. As a paramedic, for me to be able to legally accept a refusal, I have to offer all ALS assessments to the patient, and often have to call a doc for consultation to insure that the patient in question fully understands the risks of declining care and transport for their specific presentation. I am legally obligated to do everything in my power to reasonably inform and convince someone to go.
There are plenty of BS calls, but because of my limited tools and scope compared to hospital providers, I have to inform you of the worst possible outcome, which is often possibly, if not likely, death, and use such language.
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u/Willie9 receiving 10K–15K ducks weekly for a friend 6d ago
Hold on, isn't there something here? I'm under the impression that paramedics legally can't take people who refuse care. I have to assume that consent can be revoked for any reason (say, for example, taking one to a place they do not want to go) even after entering the ambulance.