Communications and Documentation

Question 1

Communication

Answer 1

Transmission of information from one person to another. Can be written, verbal, or nonverbal (through body language)

Question 2

_________ is an essential component of prehospital care and is necessary to achieve positive relationship with patients, coworkers, and others in healthcare industry.

Answer 2

Effective Communication

Question 3

Importance of verbal communication skills

Answer 3

Enables you to gather information from the patient and bystanders.
Integral part of transferring the patient’s care to nurses and physicians at the hospital.
Effectively coordinate with a variety of responders present at the scene.

Question 4

Documentation

Answer 4

Written or electronically recorded portion of your patient care interaction that becomes part of the patient’s permanent medical record

Question 5

Importance of documentation

Answer 5

Demonstrates that the care delivered was appropriate, within scope of practice, and practice of the providers involved.
Communicates the patient’s story to others who may participate in the patient’s care in the future.
Adequate reporting and accurate records ensure continuity of patient care.

Question 6

What are factors and strategies to consider during communication?

Answer 6

Age
Body Language
Clothing
Culture
Education
Environment
Eye Contact
Facial Expression
Sex
Posture
Voice Tempo
Volume

Question 7

Therapeutic Communication

Answer 7

Use of various communication techniques and strategies, both verbal and nonverbal, to encourage patients to express how they are feeling and to achieve a positive relationship with the patient.

Question 8

Shannon-Weaver Communication Model

Answer 8

Sender takes a thought, encodes it into a message, sends message to receiver, receiver decodes message and sends feedback to sender.

Question 9

Ethnocentrism

Answer 9

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

Question 10

Cultural Imposition

Answer 10

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

Question 11

Noise

Answer 11

Anything that dampens or obscures the true meaning of the message

Question 12

Open-ended Questions

Answer 12

Questions in which patient needs to provide some level of detail to give an answer

Question 13

Closed-ended Questions

Answer 13

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

Question 14

Therapeutic Communication Techniques used to help gather patient information

Answer 14

Facilitation
Pause
Reflection
Empathy
Clarification
Confrontation
Interpretation
Explanation
Summary

Question 15

Facilitation

Answer 15

Encourages the patient to talk more or provide more information

Question 16

Pause

Answer 16

Do not speak. Gives patient space and time to think and respond

Question 17

Reflection

Answer 17

Restating a patient’s statement made to you to confirm your understanding

Question 18

Empathy

Answer 18

Be sensitive to the patient’s feelings and thoughts

Question 19

Clarification

Answer 19

Ask the patient to explain what he or she meant by an answer

Question 20

Confrontation

Answer 20

Make the patient who is in denial or in mental state of shock focus on urgent and life-critical issues

Question 21

Interpretation

Answer 21

Restate the patient’s complaint to confirm your understanding

Question 22

Explantation

Answer 22

Provide factual information to support a conversation

Question 23

Summary

Answer 23

Provide the patient with an overview of the conversation and the steps you will take

Question 24

What are interview techniques to avoid?

Answer 24

Providing false hope or reassurance
Giving unsolicited advice
Ask leading or biased questions
Talk too much
Interrupt the patient
Use "why" questions
Use authoritative language
Speak in professional jargon

Question 25

What are the 10 Golden Rules you can use to calm and reassure your patient?

Answer 25

Make and keep eye contact Provide your name and use patient's proper name Tell the truth Use of language that the patient can understand Be careful what you say about the patient to others Be aware of your body language Always speak slowly, clearly, and distinctly Face the patient so he or she can read your lips if hard of hearing Allow time for patient to answer or respond to questions Act and speak in a calm, confident manner

Question 26

Emotional Intelligence

Answer 26

Ability to understand and manage your own emotions and properly respond to other's emotions

Question 27

What are the 5 attributes of emotional intelligence?

Answer 27

``` Self-awareness Self-regulation Motivation Empathy Social skills ```

Question 28

Behavioral Change Stairway Model

Answer 28

Employ active listening Display empathy Build a rapport Exert influence

Question 29

Tips to communicate with hard of hearing patients

Answer 29

Have pen and paper available If patient can read lips and you need to remove mask have a clear barrier ready to use. Face patient and speak distinctly at a normal pace Never shout Listen carefully, ask short questions and give short answers Learn simple phrases in sign language

Question 30

Mission-critical Communication

Answer 30

Any communications where disruption will result in the failure of the task at hand

Question 31

Mental Model

Answer 31

The picture an individual has in his or her head of "what's going on" in a given situation

Question 32

Patient Care Handover

Answer 32

The transfer of pertinent patient information and the responsibility for the patient's care

Question 33

Giving the Handover Report

Answer 33

``` Initiate eye contact Manage the environment Ensure the ABCs Provide a structured report (SBAR or SBAT) Provide documentation ```

Question 34

SBAR

Answer 34

``` Mostly used in a hospital setting but is likely to be understood by variety of healthcare providers Situation Background Assessment Recap/Rx ```

Question 35

SBAT

Answer 35

``` Modified slightly when used in EMS Situation Background Assessment Treatment ```

Question 36

Receiving the Handover Report

Answer 36

``` Maintain eye contact Manage the environment Ensure the understanding Summarize Gather supplementary patient documentation ```

Question 37

Patient Care Report | [Pre-hospital Care Report]

Answer 37

Legal document used to record all aspects of the care the patient received, from initial dispatch to arrival at the hospital.

Question 38

6 Functions of PCR

Answer 38

Transfer of information and continuity of care Compliance and legal documentation Administrative information Reimbursement Education Data collection for quality improvement and research

Question 39

CHART

Answer 39

``` Narrative format used to document care Chief complaint or chief concern History Assessment R - Treatment (Rx) Transport ```

Question 40

SOAP

Answer 40

``` Narrative format used to document care; simple/easy to learn Subjective Objective Assessment Plan ```

Question 41

What should be included in narrative section of documentation?

Answer 41

``` Time of events Assessment findings Emergency medical provided Changes in the patient after treatment Observations at the scene Final patient disposition Refusal of care Staff person who continued care ```

Question 42

Health Information Exchange (HIE)

Answer 42

Improves sharing data between EMS and other health care providers. Allow EMS providers access to relevant health data Avoids unnecessary duplication effort in data entry View patient outcomes related to hospital care

Question 43

SAFR

Answer 43

``` Framework that HIEs follows Search Alert File Reconcile ```

Question 44

Base Station

Answer 44

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

Question 45

Channels

Answer 45

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

Question 46

Dedicated Line

Answer 46

Used for specific point-to-point contact

Question 47

VHF (Very High Frequency)

Answer 47

Mobile radios operate between 30 and 300MHz

Question 48

UHF (Ultra-high Frequency)

Answer 48

Mobile radios operate between 300MHz and 3,000MHz

Question 49

Repeater

Answer 49

Special base station radio that receives messages and signals on one frequency and then automatically retransmits them on a second frequency

Question 50

Telemetry

Answer 50

Electronic signals are converted into coded, audible signals

Question 51

Scanner

Answer 51

Radio receiver that searches or scans across several frequencies until the message is completed; process is then repeated

Question 52

Simplex

Answer 52

Push to talk, release to listen [VHF]

Question 53

Duplex

Answer 53

Simultaneous talk-listen [UHF]

Question 54

Multiplex

Answer 54

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

Question 55

MED Channels

Answer 55

VHF and UHF channels reserved exclusively for EMS use

Question 56

Trunking

Answer 56

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

Question 57

Interoperable Communications System

Answer 57

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

Question 58

Mobile Data Terminal (MDT)

Answer 58

Small computer terminal inside the ambulance or other vehicle that directly receives data from the dispatch center

Question 59

Federal Communication Commission (FCC)

Answer 59

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

Question 60

Standing Orders

Answer 60

Written documents that have been signed by the EMS system's medical director. Outlines specific directions, permissions, and prohibitions regarding patient care.