Chapter 4 - Communications and Documentation

Question 1

Base station

Answer 1

Any radio hardware containing a transmitter and receiver that is located in a fixed place

Question 2

Cellular telephone

Answer 2

A low-power portable radio that communicates through an interconnected series of repeater stations called cells

Question 3

Channel

Answer 3

An assigned frequency or frequencies that are used to carry voice and/or data communications

Question 4

Chief complaint

Answer 4

The reason a patient called for help; also, the patients response to questions such as “what’s wrong?” or “what happened?”

Question 5

Chief concern

Answer 5

Air condition requiring the most urgent intervention as determined by the providers assessment of the patient; it is not always the same as the chief complaint

Question 6

Closed-ended questions

Answer 6

Questions that can be answered in short or single-word responses

Question 7

Communication

Answer 7

Then transmission of information to another person—verbally or through body language

Question 8

Cultural imposition

Answer 8

When a person imposes his or her beliefs, values, and practices on another because he or she believes his or her ideals are superior

Question 9

Dedicated line

Answer 9

A special telephone line that is used for specific point-to-point communications; also known as a hotline

Question 10

Documentation

Answer 10

They recorded portion of the EMTs patient interaction, either written or electronic
This becomes part of the patient’s permanent record

Question 11

Duplex

Answer 11

The ability to transmit and receive simultaneously

Question 12

Emotional intelligence

Answer 12

The ability to understand and manage one’s own emotions and properly respond to the emotions of others

Question 13

Ethnocentrism

Answer 13

When a person considers his or her own cultural values is more important when interacting with people of a different culture

Question 14

Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

Answer 14

The federal agency that has jurisdiction over interstate and international telephone and telegraph services and satellite communications, all of which may involve EMS activity

Question 15

Handover

Answer 15

The transfer of pertinent patient information and the responsibility for the patient’s care; often involves a physical movement of the patient and associated equipment

Also known as handoff

Question 16

Health Information Exchange (HIE)

Answer 16

A system that allows EMS providers to access relevant health, data (e.g., past medical problems, medications, allergies, end-of-life decisions), avoid unnecessary duplication of effort in data entry, and view patient outcomes related to hospital care

Question 17

Interoperable communications system

Answer 17

A communication system that uses voice-over-Internet protocol (VoIP) technology to allow multiple agencies to communicate and transmit data

Question 18

MED channels

Answer 18

VHF and UHF channels that the federal communications commission has designated exclusively for EMS use

Question 19

Metal model

Answer 19

The picture in individual has in or her head of “what’s going on” in a given situation

Question 20

Mission-critical communications

Answer 20

Any communications were disruption will result in the failure of the mission at hand

Question 21

Mobile Data Terminal (MDT)

Answer 21

A small computer terminal inside the ambulance that directly receives data from the dispatch center

Question 22

Multiplex

Answer 22

The ability to transmit audio and data signals through the use of more than one communications channel

Question 23

Noise

Answer 23

Anything that dampers or obscures the true meaning of a message

Question 24

Open-ended questions

Answer 24

Questions for which the patient must provide detail to give an answer

Question 25

Paging

Answer 25

The use of a radio signal and a voice or digital message that is transmitted to pagers (“beepers”) or desktop monitor radios

Question 26

Patient Care Report (PCR)

Answer 26

The legal document used to record all patient care activities. This report has the direct patient care functions, but also administrative and quality control fixtures PCRs are also known as pre-hospital care reports

Question 27

Rapport

Answer 27

A trusting relationship that you build with your patient

Question 28

Repeater

Answer 28

A special base station radio that receives messages and signals on one frequency and then automatically re-transmit them on a second frequency thus extending the range

Question 29

Scanner

Answer 29

A radio receiver that searches or scans across several frequencies until the message is completed; the processes then repeated

Question 30

Simplex

Answer 30

Single-frequency radio; transmissions can occur in either direction, but not simultaneously; when one party transmits, the other can only receive, and the party that is transmitting is unable to receive

Question 31

Standing orders

Answer 31

Written documents, signed by the EMS systems medical director, that outline specific directions, permissions, and sometimes prohibitions regarding patient care Also called protocols

Question 32

Telemetry

Answer 32

A process in which electronic signals are converted into coded, audible signals; these signals can then be transmitted by radio or telephone to a receiver with a decoder at the hospital

Question 33

Therapeutic communication

Answer 33

Verbal and nonverbal communication techniques, that encourage patients to express their feelings and to achieve a positive relationship

Question 34

Trunking

Answer 34

Telecommunication systems that allow a computer to maximize utilization of a group of frequencies

Question 35

UHF (ultra-high frequency)

Answer 35

Radio frequencies between 300 and 3,000 MHz

Question 36

VHF (very high frequencies)

Answer 36

Radio frequencies between 30 and 300 MHz; the VHF spectrum is further divided into high and low bands