EMT Chapter 1

PSAP

Public Safety Access Point - 9-1-1 dispatch center

Medical director

The physician who authorizes or delegates to the EMT the authority to provide medical care in the field.

Certification

- A process in which a person, an institution, or a program is evaluated and recognized as meeting certain predetermined standards to provide safe and ethical care.

Continuing education

- A required amount of training to maintain skills

ADA

- Americans with Disabilities Act - designed to protect individuals with disabilities against discrimination.

Primary prevention

- Efforts to prevent an injury or illness from ever occurring.

Public health

- Focused on examining the health needs of entire populations with the goal of preventing health problems

Scope of practice

- Most commonly defined by state law; outlines the care you are able to provide for the patient

Quality control

- Responsibility of the medical director - ensure that the appropriate medical care standards are met by EMTs on each call.

Licensure

- The process whereby a competent authority, allows individuals to perform a regulated act

EMT's role in the EMS system

- one of the four levels of prehospital care - provides basic life support - including AED, use of airway adjuncts, and assisting patients with certain medications

Roles and responsibilities of being an EMT (1)

-Keep vehicles and equipment ready for an emergency -ensure the safety of yourself, your partner, the patient, and bystanders -emergency vehicle operation -be an on-scene leader -perform an evaluation of the scene -call for additional resources as needed -gain patient access -perform a patient assessment -give emergency medical care to the patient while awaiting the -arrival of additional medical resources

Medical Control

-Physician instructions (to EMS team) -given directly by radio or cell phone (online/direct) consultation or indirectly by protocol/guidelines (off-line/indirect) -authorized by the medical director -may be written or "standing orders"

Paramedic

-extensive training in advanced life support -including endotracheal intubation, emergency pharmacology, cardiac monitoring, electrocardiogram and other advanced assessment and treatment skills.

Roles and responsibilities of being an EMT (2)

-only move patients when absolutely necessary to preserve life -give emotional support to the patient, the patient's family, and other responders -maintain continuity of care by working with other medical professionals -resolve emergency incidents -uphold medical and legal standards -ensure and protect patient privacy -give administrative support -constantly continue your professional development -Cultivate and sustain community relation -give back to the profession

AEMT

Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (an individual) - training in specific aspects of advanced life support, such as intravenous therapy, and the administration of certain emergency medications

ALS

Advanced lifesaving support -some of which are now being provided by the AEMT -such as drug administration, intravenous (IV) therapy -administration of certain emergency medications

BLS

Basic lifesaving support -Noninvasive emergency lifesaving care that is used to treat medical conditions, including airway obstruction, respiratory arrest, and cardiac arrest, CPR

CQI

Continuous Quality Improvement - A system of internal and external reviews and audits of all aspects of an EMS system. - periodic run review - remedial training - goal: the public receives the highest standards of care

Role of DOT played in the development of EMS

Department of Transportation - developed a series of guidelines, curricula, funding sources, and assessment tools designed to develop and improve EMS in the United States

Primary Service Area (PSA)

Designated area in which the EMS service is responsible for providing prehospital care

Secondary Prevention

Efforts to limit the effects of an injury or illness that you cannot completely prevent

EMS

Emergency Medical Services - A multidisciplinary system -represents the combined efforts of several professionals -agencies to provide prehospital emergency care to the sick and injured.

EMT

Emergency Medical Technician (an individual) -training in basic life support interventions -including automated(manual) external defibrillation (AED), use of a definitive airway adjunct, and assisting patients with certain medications. - control bleeding, oxygen administration, CPR

EMR

Emergency medical responder -The first trained individual - such as a police officer, fire fighter, lifeguard, or other rescuer - to arrive at the scene of an emergency to provide initial medical assistance.

HIPAA

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act - Federal legislation passed in 1996 - Its main effect in EMS is in limiting availability of patients' health care information and penalizing violations of patient privacy.

Two basic types of medical direction that help EMT provide care

Online medical direction - provided through radio or telephone connections between the EMT and the medical control facility Offline medical direction - provided through written protocols training, and standing orders.

AED

automated external defibrillator (A device) - detects treatable life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias (ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia) - delivers the appropriate electrical shock to the patient.

EMD

emergency medical dispatch (a system) -assists dispatchers in selecting appropriate units to respond to a particular call for assistance - in providing callers with vital instructions until the arrival of EMS crews.