Chapter 1: EMS Systems

Question 1

Define emergency medical services (EMS) systems

Answer 1

EMS is a team of health care professionals who are responsible for and provide emergency care and transportation to the sick and injured

Question 2

Name the 4 levels of EMT training and licensure

Answer 2

EMR (emergency medical responder)
EMT-B (emergency medical technician)
EMT-I (EMT-A) (advanced EMT)
EMT-P (paramedic)

Question 3

What does each point mean on the star of life symbol?

Answer 3

• detection
• reporting
• on-scene care
• care in transit
• transfer to definitive care

Owned by NHTSA, represents EMS as a public service

Question 4

Define: advanced EMT (AEMT)

Answer 4

An individual who has training in specific aspects of advanced life support, such as intravenous therapy, and the administration of certain emergency medications

Question 5

Define: advanced life support (ALS)

Answer 5

advanced life-saving procedures, some of which are now being provided by the EMT

Question 6

Define: Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA)

Answer 6

comprehensive legislation that is designed to protect people w disabilities against discrimination

Question 7

Define: automated external defibrillator (AED)

Answer 7

a device that detects treatable life-threatening cardiac dysrhthmias (ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia) and delivers the appropriate electrical shock to the pt

Question 8

Define: certification

Answer 8

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

Question 9

Define: community paramedicine

Answer 9

a health care model in which experienced paramedics receive advanced training to equip them to provide additional services in the prehospital environment, such as health evaluations, monitoring of chronic illnesses or conditions, and pt advocacy

Question 10

Define: continuous quality improvement (CQI)

Answer 10

a system of internal and external reviews and audits of all aspects of EMS system aiming at improving outcomes

Question 11

Define: credentialing

Answer 11

an established process to determine the qualifications necessary to be allowed to practice a particular profession, or to function as an organization

Question 12

Define: emergency medical dispatch (EMD)

Answer 12

a system that assists dispatchers in selecting appropriate units to respond to a particular call for assistance and provides callers w vital instructions until the arrival of EMS crews

Question 13

Define: emergency medical responder (EMR)

Answer 13

a first trained professional, such as police officer, firefighter, lifeguard, or other rescuer, who may arrive first at the scene of an emergency to provide initial medical assistance

Question 14

Define: emergency medical services (EMS)

Answer 14

a multidisciplinary system that represents the combined efforts of several professionals and agencies to provide prehospital emergency care to the sick and injured

Question 15

Define: emergency medical technician (EMT)

Answer 15

an individual who has training in basic life support, including automated external defibrillation, use of a definitive airway adjunct, and assisting pts w certain medications

Question 16

Define: evidence-based medicine (EBM)

Answer 16

an approach to medicine where decisions are based on well-conducted research, classifying recommendations based on the strength of the scientific evidence; also called science-based medicine

Question 17

Define: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

Answer 17

Federal legislation passed in 1996. Its main effect in EMS is in limiting availability of patients’ health care information and penalizing violations of pt privacy

Question 18

Define: intravenous (IV) therapy

Answer 18

the delivery of medication directly into a vein

Question 19

Define: licensure

Answer 19

the process whereby a competent authority, usually the state, allows people to perform a regulated act

Question 20

Define: medical control

Answer 20

physician instructions given directly by radio or cell phone (online/direct) or indirectly by protocol/guidelines (offline/indirect), as authorized by the medical director of the service program

Question 21

Define: mobile integrated health care (MIH)

Answer 21

a method of delivering health care that involves providing health care within the community rather than at a physician’s office or hospital

Question 22

Define: National EMS Scope of Practice Model

Answer 22

a document created by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that outlines the skills performed by various EMS providers

Question 23

Define: paramedic

Answer 23

an individual who has extensive training in advanced life support, including endotracheal intubation, emergency pharmacology, cardiac monitoring, and other advanced assessment and treatment skills

Question 24

Define: primary prevention

Answer 24

efforts to prevent an injury or illness from every occurring

Question 25

Define: primary service area

Answer 25

the designateed area in which the EMS agency is responsible for the provision of prehospital emergency care and transportation to the hospital

Question 26

Define: public health

Answer 26

the branch of medicine that is focused on examining the health needs of entire populations with the goal of preventing health problems

Question 27

Define: public safety access point

Answer 27

a call center, staffed by trained personnel who are responsible for managing requests for police, fire, and ambulance services

Question 28

Define: quality control

Answer 28

oversight by the medical director to ensure the appropriate medical care standards are met by EMTs on each call

Question 29

Define: secondary prevention

Answer 29

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

Question 30

Generally, what does an EMT have training in?

Answer 30

An EMT has training in basic emergency care knowledge, skills, and attitudes, focusing on initial care and transport of pts that includes identification, assessment, and treatment of many emergency and nonemergency conditions

Question 31

Generally, what does an AEMT have training in (as compared to just an EMT)?

Answer 31

An AEMT has training in specific aspects of ALS care, such as IV therapy and the administration of certain emergency medications

Question 32

Generally, what does a paramedic have training in (as compared to just an EMT)?

Answer 32

A paramedic has extensive training in ALS, including endotracheal intubation, emergency pharmacology, cardiac monitoring, and other advanced assessment and treatment skills

Question 33

Why are EMRs important in prehospital care?

Answer 33

They offten arrive at the scene before the ambulance and EMTs

Question 34

What is the first step for EMTs when arriving on scene?

Answer 34

Scene size up and safety!!
BSI - scene safety!

Question 35

What provides the guidelines as to what skills each level of EMS provider should be able to accomplish?

Answer 35

The National EMS Scope of Practice Model developed by NHTSA

Question 36

What is EMS Agenda 2050?

Answer 36

A multidisciplinary national review of all aspects of EMS delivery that provides a framework for the creation of improved, people-centered systems of care

Question 37

What are attributes that EMTs should have?

Answer 37

Compassion and motivation to reduce suffering, pain, and mortality in those who are injured or acutely ill; a desire to provide each pt with the best possible knowledge and skills that this position requires; and the drive to continually increase your knowledge, skills, and ability