Chapter 1: Introduction to Emergency Medical Care Flashcards Preview

Emergency Care 13th Edition > Chapter 1: Introduction to Emergency Medical Care > Flashcards

Flashcards in Chapter 1: Introduction to Emergency Medical Care Deck (51)
Loading flashcards...
1
Q

What was the earliest documented Emergency Medical Service?

A

In the 1790s the French transported wounded soldiers away from battle to be seen by physicians.

2
Q

When did nonmilitary ambulance services begin?

A

Early 1900s

3
Q

When/who developed the modern EMS system?

A

1966 by the DOT

4
Q

When was the NREMT founded?

A

1970, they established professional standards

5
Q

Who established an assessment program with a set of standards for EMS systems?

A

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

6
Q

What are the standards set forth by the NHTSA? (10)

A
  • Regulation and policy
  • Resource management
  • Human Resources and training
  • Transportation
  • Facilities
  • Communications
  • Public information and education
  • Medical direction
  • Trauma systems
  • evaluation
7
Q

Regulation and policy

A

enable legislation, a lead EMS agency, funding, regulations, policies/procedures

8
Q

Resource management

A

centralized coordination of resources, equal access to basic emergency care and transport to an appropriate facility

9
Q

Human resources and training

A

all transporting personnel should be trained to the EMT level using national standards

10
Q

Transportation

A

safe, reliable transport. most effectively transported by ground, some may need air travel.

11
Q

Facilities

A

seriously ill/injured patients must be taken to the closest appropriate facility

12
Q

Communications

A

effective communication systems throughout all processes

13
Q

Public information and education

A

EMS personnel may educate the publtic about their role, access, and prevention of injuries

14
Q

Medical direction

A

Each EMS system must have a physician as a medical director who is accountable for activities of EMS personnel. Involved in all aspects.

15
Q

Trauma systems

A

Each state must enable legislation to develop one or more trauma centers, rehabilitation programs, data collection, mandatory autopsies, means to manage/ensure quality of the system

16
Q

Components of the EMS system

A

dispatcher, EMR/EMT/AEMT/Medic, ED

17
Q

Trauma Center

A

surgery teams capable of the comprehensive treatment of trauma patients are available 24/7. Every specialty.

18
Q

Who are key members of the prehospital EMS team?

A

Dispatchers and EMTs

19
Q

Enhanced 911

A

identifies the caller’s phone number and location

20
Q

Emergency Medical Dispatcher (EMD)

A

Dispatcher that is not only trained to take 911 calls, but trained to provide medical instructions for emergency care such as CPR, artificial ventilation, bleeding control, etc.

21
Q

Levels of EMS Training (4)

A
  1. EMR
  2. EMT
  3. AEMT
  4. Paramedic
22
Q

Roles and Responsibilities of the EMT (8)

A
  • personal safety
  • safety of the crew, patient, and bystanders
  • patient assessment
  • patient care
  • lifting and moving
  • transport
  • transfer of care
  • patient advocacy
23
Q

Personal Safety

A
Roles and Responsibilities of the EMT
#1 responsibility; you cannot help others if you're injured/dead
24
Q

Safety of the crew, patient, and bystanders

A
Roles and Responsibilities of the EMT
#2 responsibility; they are facing the same scene dangers as you
25
Q

Patient Assessment

A

Roles and Responsibilities of the EMT

Finding out enough about what is wrong with your patient be able to provide appropriate treatment

26
Q

Patient Care

A

Roles and Responsibilities of the EMT
An action or series of actions that your training will prepare you to take to help the patient deal with and survive their illness or injury

27
Q

Lifting and Moving

A

Roles and Responsibilities of the EMT

Must perform movement without injuring yourself or further injuring the patient

28
Q

Transport

A

Roles and Responsibilities of the EMT

safe operation of the ambulance, as well as caring for the patient during the ride

29
Q

Transfer of Care

A

Roles and Responsibilities of the EMT
providing accurate and descriptive verbal reports to nurses/physician. Never abandon pt until transfer of care is complete

30
Q

Patient Advocacy

A

Roles and Responsibilities of the EMT

speak up for the pt and plead their cause; bring any of their concerns up to the hospital staff

31
Q

Physical Traits of an EMT

A
  • be able to lift and carry up to 125 lbs; coordination, dexterity, strength
  • clear eyesight
  • be able to give and receive oral and written instructions and communicate with the patient
32
Q

Personal Traits of an EMT

A
  • pleasant
  • sincere
  • cooperative
  • resourceful
  • a self-starter
  • emotionally stable
  • able to lead
  • neat and clean
  • of good moral character and respectful of others
  • in control of personal habits
  • controlled in conversation and able to communicate properly
  • able to listen to others
  • nonjudgemental and fair
33
Q

Refresher courses

A

present material to the EMT who has already been through a full course but needs to receive updated info.

34
Q

Continuing Education

A

supplements the EMT’s original course. Does not take the place of original training.

35
Q

Where are EMTs employed?

A
  • Fire departments
  • ambulance services
  • urban/industrial
  • rural/wilderness
36
Q

Quality Improvement

A

a process of continuous self-review with the purpose of identifying and correcting aspects of the system that require improvement

37
Q

What are several ways an EMT can work toward quality care?

A
  • Preparing carefully written documentation
  • Becoming involved in the quality process
  • Obtaining feedback from patients and the hospital staff
  • Maintaining your equipment
  • Continuing your education
38
Q

Medical Director

A

a physician who assumes ultimate responsibility for the patient-care aspects of the EMS system

39
Q

Medical Direction

A

oversight of the patient-care aspects of an EMS system by the Medical Director.

40
Q

Off-line medical direction

A

standing orders issued by medical direction that allow EMTs to give certain procedures without speaking to the Medical Director

41
Q

On-line medical direction

A

orders from the on-duty physician given directly to an EMT in the field by radio or telephone

42
Q

Protocols

A

list of steps (assessments and interventions) to be taken in different situations; developed by the Medical Director of the EMS system

43
Q

Designated Agent

A

an EMT or other person authorized by a Medical Director to give medications and provide emergency care; transfer of such authorization to a designated agent is an extension of the Medical Director’s license to practice medicine

44
Q

Standing Order

A

a policy or protocol issued by a Medical Director that authorizes EMTs and others to perform particular skills in certain situations

45
Q

EMS role in public health

A
  • injury prevention for geriatric pts
  • injury prevention for youth
  • public vaccination programs
  • disease surveillance
46
Q

What must play a role in EMS for it to continue to evolve as a respected profession?

A

Research

47
Q

Patient Outcomes

A

the long-term survival of patients

48
Q

Evidence-based

A

description of medical techniques or practices that are supported by scientific evidence of their safety and efficacy, rather than merely on supposition and tradition

49
Q

General procedures needed to make research decisions

A
  • form a hypothesis
  • review literature
  • evaluate the evidence
  • adopt the practice if evidence supports it
50
Q

Types of Medical Research

A
  • case studies/case reports
  • cohort/concurrent control/cas-control studies
  • randomized controlled trials (RCTs)
  • Systematic review
  • Meta-analysis
51
Q

How many levels of evidence are there?

A

5