What is the definition of negligence in the context of emergency medical response?

Negligence in the context of emergency medical response refers to a situation where a responder fails to provide the expected standard of care, which results in harm or injury to a patient. This standard of care is typically defined by what would be considered acceptable practice by similarly trained professionals in similar circumstances. In the realm of emergency medical response, this could involve actions like not properly assessing a patient's condition, failing to administer necessary treatments, or not following protocols that are intended to ensure patient safety.

Other choices address different scenarios that, while serious, do not align with the specific legal definition of negligence. Providing care without consent might lead to legal issues but pertains more to consent laws rather than negligence. Delivering emergency services under the influence concerns the competency of the responder rather than the quality of care provided at the scene. Disregarding a patient’s wishes could involve ethical dilemmas or breaches of patient autonomy but does not directly relate to the standard of care expected from the responder. Therefore, the focus on the expected standard of care is what defines negligence in emergency medical response.