Ch 5 Communications

Question 1

What is automatic crash notification (ACN)?

Answer 1

Specialized onboard computer systems in motor vehicles that automatically send telemetry data to a monitoring station in the event of a crash, which then relays the data to emergency responders; also called advanced automatic crash notification.

Question 2

What is a base station?

Answer 2

A radio at a fixed location (i.e., hospital or dispatch center) consisting of a transmitter, receiver, and antenna.

Question 3

What is biotelemetry?

Answer 3

Transmission of physiologic data, such as an electrocardiogram, from the patient to a distant point of reception (commonly known as telemetry in EMS).

Question 4

What are cell phones?

Answer 4

Wireless telephones that communicate via radio waves with the telephone system through an interconnected network of repeater stations called cells.

Question 5

What is clear text?

Answer 5

Using regular language (plain English) and accepted terms to enhance clarity of communication, rather than using ten-codes or other code systems.

Question 6

What is a closed-ended question?

Answer 6

A question that is specific and focused, requiring either a yes or no answer, or an answer chosen from specific options; this type of question is helpful for patients who report shortness of breath.

Question 7

What is computer-assisted dispatch (CAD)?

Answer 7

Linked dispatch center computer consoles and vehicle-mounted mobile data terminals.

Question 8

What is crew resource management (CRM)?

Answer 8

An operational practice designed to enhance communication and teamwork, and to thereby reduce preventable errors.

Question 9

What is cultural competence?

Answer 9

An understanding of the predominant cultures that exist in the geographic area in which the paramedic provides patient care.

Question 10

What is culture?

Answer 10

The system of beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors that are learned and shared by members of a group.

Question 11

What is digital radio?

Answer 11

The transmission of information via radio waves using native digital (computer) data or analog (voice) signals that have been converted to a digital signal and compressed.

Question 12

What does dispatch mean?

Answer 12

To send to a specific destination or to send on a task.

Question 13

What is a duplex radio system?

Answer 13

Radio system using paired frequencies to permit the use of remote repeaters or simultaneous transmission and reception.

Question 14

What is emergency medical dispatch (EMD)?

Answer 14

A program specifically designed to meet the unique needs of emergency medical services response and of callers reporting a medical emergency, including first aid instructions given by specially trained dispatchers to callers over the telephone while an ambulance is en route to the call.

Question 15

What are encoded radio signals?

Answer 15

Embedded signals that allow multiple users to share frequencies and repeaters.

Question 16

What are enhanced 9-1-1 systems?

Answer 16

Emergency communications systems that collect information about 9-1-1 calls from the telephone network, such as the caller’s phone number and location, and display this information on the computer dispatch terminal.

Question 17

What is ethnocentrism?

Answer 17

Viewing other cultures based solely on the standards and values of one’s own culture; a belief in the inherent superiority of one’s own culture or ethnic group.

Question 18

What is the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)?

Answer 18

The independent government agency that regulates interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite and cable in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and US territories.

Question 19

What is frequency?

Answer 19

The number of oscillations (or cycles) per second of a radio signal.

Question 20

What is a geographic information system (GIS)?

Answer 20

Technology that uses global positioning system and other data to track and predict ambulance response times, determine the distance to the closest trauma center or other hospitals from specific locations, track the frequency of motor vehicle crashes and the severity of injuries from different geographic locations, determine the location of emergency helipads, and provide other information useful in EMS system operations and planning.

Question 21

What is hertz (Hz)?

Answer 21

Unit of measure of a frequency equal to 1 cycle per second; 1 million Hz equals one megahertz and 1,000 megahertz equals one gigahertz.

Question 22

What is interoperability?

Answer 22

Public safety communications systems that are compatible across all local, tribal, state, and federal agencies.

Question 23

What is a landline?

Answer 23

Communications system linked by wires, usually in reference to a conventional telephone system.

Question 24

What is a medical priority dispatch system (MPDS)?

Answer 24

A dispatch system using a specific format to indicate the nature of the emergency (EMD protocol) and its priority (determinant level/number).

Question 25

What is multiplex?

Answer 25

Simultaneous transmission of multiple data streams, most often voice and electrocardiogram signals.

Question 26

What is mutual aid?

Answer 26

Agreements with neighboring or regional jurisdictions to back up each other in the event of a large-scale incident.

Question 27

What is narrow band?

Answer 27

Reassignment of frequencies by the Federal Communications Commission to a 12.5 megahertz spacing, now required for all EMS and public safety radio systems.

Question 28

What is noise in radio signals?

Answer 28

Interference in a radio signal.

Question 29

What is off-line medical control?

Answer 29

Patient care orders in the form of protocols or standing orders that do not require direct contact with the medical control physician.

Question 30

What is online medical control?

Answer 30

Patient care orders provided directly to the paramedic by the medical control physician by radio or telephone.

Question 31

What is an open-ended question?

Answer 31

A question that does not have a yes or no answer, and that does not give the patient specific options from which to choose.

Question 32

What are pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs)?

Answer 32

A group of disorders that cause delays in many areas of childhood development, such as the development of skills to communicate and interact socially, and may include repetitive body movements and difficulty with changes in routine; include autism and Asperger syndrome, among others.

Question 33

What is a public safety answering point (PSAP)?

Answer 33

The location to which 9-1-1 calls are routed, which may or may not serve as the dispatch center.

Question 34

What are radio dead spots?

Answer 34

Areas where mobile or portable radios are unable to communicate with a repeater or each other.

Question 35

What is a remote terminal?

Answer 35

A terminal that receives transmissions of telemetry and voice from the field and transmits messages back, usually through the base station.

Question 36

What is a repeater?

Answer 36

A remote radio transceiver that receives radio signals and rebroadcasts them at a higher power, extending the range of a radio communications system.

Question 37

What does simplex mean in radio communication?

Answer 37

Radio communication using a single frequency.

Question 38

What does SBAR stand for?

Answer 38

Situation, background, assessment, and recommendation; a structured patient report format designed to convey important information in a concise manner.

Question 39

What is squelch?

Answer 39

A filtering system to block out background noise, but still allow radio signals to be heard.

Question 40

What is telemedicine?

Answer 40

A computer-based system permitting real-time two-way transmission of sound, video, vital signs, ECG tracings, and other diagnostic data between the paramedic and medical control physician.

Question 41

What is a ten-code?

Answer 41

A radio code system using the number 10 plus another number. No longer used in many EMS systems.

Question 42

What is therapeutic communication?

Answer 42

Communicating with the patient using specific strategies to encourage the patient to express ideas and feelings, and to convey respect and acceptance.

Question 43

What are transceivers?

Answer 43

Radios containing both a transmitter and a receiver; two-way radios.

Question 44

What are trunked radio systems?

Answer 44

Computerized sharing of radio frequencies by multiple units, agencies, or systems.

Question 45

What is the ultra high frequency (UHF) band?

Answer 45

The portion of the radio frequency spectrum between 300 and 3,000 megahertz.

Question 46

What is a universal timeout?

Answer 46

A planned pause before the beginning of a procedure that improves safety and communication among all personnel, and helps prevent human errors.

Question 47

What is the very high frequency (VHF) band?

Answer 47

The portion of the radio frequency spectrum between 30 and 300 megahertz.