Chapter 1 EMS Systems Vocabulary

Question 1

advanced emergency medical technician (AEMT)

Answer 1

A person who is able to perform basic life support skills and limited advanced life support skills.

Question 2

advanced life support (ALS)

Answer 2

The use of specialized equipment (such as cardiac monitors and defibrillators) and specialized techniques (such as intravenous fluid administration, drug infusion, and endotracheal intubation) to stabilize a patient’s condition.

Question 3

appropriate medical facility

Answer 3

A hospital or medical clinic with adequate medical resources to provide continuing care to sick or injured patients who are transported after field treatment by emergency medical responders.

Question 4

basic life support (BLS)

Answer 4

Emergency lifesaving procedures performed without advanced emergency procedures to stabilize the condition of patients who have experienced sudden illness or injury.

Question 5

certification

Answer 5

The process by which a person, an institution, or a program is evaluated and recognized as meeting certain standards to ensure safe and ethical patient care.

Question 6

defribillation

Answer 6

Process of delivering an electric shock through a persons chest wall and heart for the purpose of ending lethal heart rhythms such as ventricular fibrillation and to help establish normal heart contraction rhythms.

Question 7

emergency medical responder (EMR)

Answer 7

The first medically trained person to arrive on the scene.

Question 8

emergency medical technician (EMT)

Answer 8

A person who is trained and certified to provide basic life support and certain other noninvasive prehospital medical procedures.

Question 9

emergency response communications center

Answer 9

A fire, police, or emergency medical services agency; a 9-1-1 center; or a seven-digit telephone number used by one or all of the emergency agencies to receive and dispatch requests for emergency care; also called a public safety answering point.

Question 10

paramedic

Answer 10

A person trained and certified to provide advanced life support.

Question 11

public safety answering point (PSAP)

Answer 11

A fire, police, or emergency medical services agency; a 9-1-1 center; or a seven-digit telephone number used by one or all of the emergency agencies to receive and dispatch requests for emergency care; also called an emergency response communications center.