Chapter 1 EMS Systems

Question 1

Emergency Medical Service (EMS)

Answer 1

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

Question 2

Certification

Answer 2

A process in which a person, and institution, or a program is evaluated and recognized as meeting certain predetermined standards to provide same and ethical care

Question 3

Licensure

Answer 3

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

Question 4

Emergency Medical Responder (EMR)

Answer 4

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

Question 5

Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)

Answer 5

An individual who has trained in basic life support, including automated external defibrillation, use of a definitive airway adjunct, and assisting patients with certain medications

Question 6

Advanced EMT (AEMT)

Answer 6

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

Question 7

Paramedic

Answer 7

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

Question 8

Advanced Life Support (ALS)

Answer 8

Advanced lifesaving procedures, some of which are now being provided by the EMT

Question 9

Intravenous (IV) therapy

Answer 9

the delivery of medication directly into a vein

Question 10

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Answer 10

Comprehensive legislation that is designed to protect people with disabilities against discrimination

Question 11

National EMS Scope of Practice Model

Answer 11

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

Question 12

Automated External Defibrillator (AED)

Answer 12

A device that detects treatable life-threatening cardiac dysrhythmias (ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia) and delivers the appropriate electrical shock to the patient

Question 13

Public Safety Access Point

Answer 13

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

Question 14

Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD)

Answer 14

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

Question 15

Primary Service Area (PSA)

Answer 15

The designated area in which the EMS agency is responsible for the provisions of prehospital emergency care and transportation to the hospital

Question 16

Medical Director

Answer 16

The physician who authorizes or delegates to the EMT the authority to provide medical care in the field

Question 17

Medical Control

Answer 17

Physicians 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 18

Mobile Integrated Healthcare (MIH)

Answer 18

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

Question 19

Community Paramedicine

Answer 19

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 condition, and patient advocacy

Question 20

Quality Control

Answer 20

The responsibility of the medical director to ensure the appropriate medical care standards are met by EMTs on each call

Question 21

Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI)

Answer 21

A system of internal and external reviews and audits of all aspects of an EMS system

Question 22

Public Health

Answer 22

Focused on examining the health needs of entire populations with the goal of preventing health problems

Question 23

Primary Prevention

Answer 23

Efforts to prevent an injury or illness from ever occuring

Question 24

Secondary Prevention

Answer 24

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

Question 25

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

Answer 25

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