A 14-year-old complains of a swollen ankle after jumping from a height of 15 feet. He refuses care, but a friend promises to take him to hospital. What should you do?

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Multiple Choice

A 14-year-old complains of a swollen ankle after jumping from a height of 15 feet. He refuses care, but a friend promises to take him to hospital. What should you do?

In EMS, treating a minor requires consent from a parent or legal guardian. A 14-year-old cannot reliably give legal consent for medical care or transport, and a friend’s promise cannot substitute for that consent. When there’s a potential injury from a fall and the patient is refusing care, the safest and most appropriate step is to contact the parent or guardian to obtain consent for evaluation, treatment, and transport to the hospital if needed. This ensures the patient’s medical needs are addressed with proper authorization. If a guardian cannot be reached and there’s no immediate life-threatening danger, you would follow local protocols, but the initial action here should be to involve the parent or guardian.

In EMS, treating a minor requires consent from a parent or legal guardian. A 14-year-old cannot reliably give legal consent for medical care or transport, and a friend’s promise cannot substitute for that consent. When there’s a potential injury from a fall and the patient is refusing care, the safest and most appropriate step is to contact the parent or guardian to obtain consent for evaluation, treatment, and transport to the hospital if needed. This ensures the patient’s medical needs are addressed with proper authorization. If a guardian cannot be reached and there’s no immediate life-threatening danger, you would follow local protocols, but the initial action here should be to involve the parent or guardian.

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