Which combination of items must be present to prove negligence?

• A. Duty to act
• B. Breach of duty
• C. Injury or harm to patient
• D. All of the above

Answer: (D)

Proving negligence rests on three things: there is a duty to care, there is a breach of that duty, and harm occurs as a result. In paramedic practice, a clinician owes a duty to provide a standard of care; if the care given falls short of that standard and that shortfall leads to patient harm, all three elements are present. Without any one of these—no duty, or no breach, or no injury—you haven’t proven negligence. While you also need causation (the breach causing the injury) in real cases, the combination of duty, breach, and injury fits the given options, so all of the above is the correct choice.