SANTA CLARA COUNTY EMS PARAMEDIC
PROTOCOL TEST PRACTICE EXAM 2026
◉ What does it mean to be "accountable" as a paramedic? Answer: It
means that you will always exercise the same degree of care, skill,
and judgement expected under like circumstances by a similarly
trained, reasonable paramedic in the same community.
◉ What is negligence? Answer: Deviation from accepted standards
of care recognized by law for the protection of others against the
unreasonable risk of harm.
◉ What are the components of a negligence claim? Answer: 1. Duty
to act.
2. Breach of duty.
3. Actual damages.
4. Proximate cause.
◉ What constitutes "duty to act" in a negligence claim? Answer: A
formal, contractual, or informational legal obligation to provide care.
◉ What constitutes a "breach of duty" in a negligence claim?
Answer: An action or inaction that violates the standard of care
expected from a paramedic.
,◉ What is malfeasance? Answer: The performance of a wrongful or
unlawful act by a paramedic.
◉ What is Misfeasance? Answer: The performance of a legal act in a
harmful or injurious manner.
◉ What is nonfeasance? Answer: The failure to perform a required
act or duty.
◉ What constitutes "actual damages" in a negligence claim? Answer:
Compensable physical, psychological, or financial harm.
◉ What constitutes "proximate cause" in a negligence claim?
Answer: An action or inaction that immediately caused or worsened
the damage.
◉ What does the "Borrowed Servant Doctrine" establish? Answer:
That while supervising an EMT-I or EMT-B, a paramedic may be
liable for any negligent act performed by those under his or her
supervision.
◉ What do a patient's civil rights guarantee? Answer: That medical
care cannot be withheld due to any discriminatory reason.
,◉ True or false: Performing procedures that require delegation from
a physician while off-duty may constitute practicing medicine
without a license? Answer: True.
◉ What is confidentiality? Answer: The principle of law that
prohibits the release of medical or other personal information about
a patient without the patient's consent.
◉ What is defamation? Answer: It is an intentional false
communication that injures another person's reputation or good
name.
◉ What is libel? Answer: It is the act of injuring a person's character,
name, or reputation by false statements made in writing or through
mass media with malicious intent or reckless disregard for the
falsity of those statements.
◉ What is slander? Answer: It is the act of injuring a person's
character, name, or reputation by false or malicious statements
spoken with malicious intent or reckless disregard for the falsity of
those statements.
◉ What constitutes criminal law? Answer: Criminal offenses dealt
with in a federal court.
, ◉ What constitutes civil law? Answer: Two or more parties against a
single party.
◉ What constitutes tort law? Answer: One individual against
another.
◉ What is a "scope of practice?" Answer: A range of duties and skills
that paramedics are allowed and expected to perform.
◉ When may you function as a paramedic? Answer: Only under the
direct supervision of a licensed physician through delegation of
authority (aka under medical direction).
◉ When is a person considered a "minor?" Answer: Usually when
they are under 18 years of age.
◉ Can a minor give consent? Answer: No, consent must be obtained
from a parent or legal guardian, unless they are immancipated
◉ What constitutes an "invasion of privacy?' Answer: The release of
confidential information, without legal justification, regarding a
patient's private life, which might reasonably result expose the
patient to ridicule, notoriety, or embarrassment.
PROTOCOL TEST PRACTICE EXAM 2026
◉ What does it mean to be "accountable" as a paramedic? Answer: It
means that you will always exercise the same degree of care, skill,
and judgement expected under like circumstances by a similarly
trained, reasonable paramedic in the same community.
◉ What is negligence? Answer: Deviation from accepted standards
of care recognized by law for the protection of others against the
unreasonable risk of harm.
◉ What are the components of a negligence claim? Answer: 1. Duty
to act.
2. Breach of duty.
3. Actual damages.
4. Proximate cause.
◉ What constitutes "duty to act" in a negligence claim? Answer: A
formal, contractual, or informational legal obligation to provide care.
◉ What constitutes a "breach of duty" in a negligence claim?
Answer: An action or inaction that violates the standard of care
expected from a paramedic.
,◉ What is malfeasance? Answer: The performance of a wrongful or
unlawful act by a paramedic.
◉ What is Misfeasance? Answer: The performance of a legal act in a
harmful or injurious manner.
◉ What is nonfeasance? Answer: The failure to perform a required
act or duty.
◉ What constitutes "actual damages" in a negligence claim? Answer:
Compensable physical, psychological, or financial harm.
◉ What constitutes "proximate cause" in a negligence claim?
Answer: An action or inaction that immediately caused or worsened
the damage.
◉ What does the "Borrowed Servant Doctrine" establish? Answer:
That while supervising an EMT-I or EMT-B, a paramedic may be
liable for any negligent act performed by those under his or her
supervision.
◉ What do a patient's civil rights guarantee? Answer: That medical
care cannot be withheld due to any discriminatory reason.
,◉ True or false: Performing procedures that require delegation from
a physician while off-duty may constitute practicing medicine
without a license? Answer: True.
◉ What is confidentiality? Answer: The principle of law that
prohibits the release of medical or other personal information about
a patient without the patient's consent.
◉ What is defamation? Answer: It is an intentional false
communication that injures another person's reputation or good
name.
◉ What is libel? Answer: It is the act of injuring a person's character,
name, or reputation by false statements made in writing or through
mass media with malicious intent or reckless disregard for the
falsity of those statements.
◉ What is slander? Answer: It is the act of injuring a person's
character, name, or reputation by false or malicious statements
spoken with malicious intent or reckless disregard for the falsity of
those statements.
◉ What constitutes criminal law? Answer: Criminal offenses dealt
with in a federal court.
, ◉ What constitutes civil law? Answer: Two or more parties against a
single party.
◉ What constitutes tort law? Answer: One individual against
another.
◉ What is a "scope of practice?" Answer: A range of duties and skills
that paramedics are allowed and expected to perform.
◉ When may you function as a paramedic? Answer: Only under the
direct supervision of a licensed physician through delegation of
authority (aka under medical direction).
◉ When is a person considered a "minor?" Answer: Usually when
they are under 18 years of age.
◉ Can a minor give consent? Answer: No, consent must be obtained
from a parent or legal guardian, unless they are immancipated
◉ What constitutes an "invasion of privacy?' Answer: The release of
confidential information, without legal justification, regarding a
patient's private life, which might reasonably result expose the
patient to ridicule, notoriety, or embarrassment.
