EMS Protocols

Question 1

define adolescent

Answer 1

patient aged 8 up to 16 years old

Question 2

define adult

Answer 2

patient age 16 or older. for medical consent/legal issues, pt must be 18 unless emancipated.

Question 3

define baseline assessment

Answer 3

scene safety, rapid assessment of emergency scene and determination of need for more resources, airway, breathing, circulation and disability (neurological status),identification of chief complaint, and initial vital signs.

Question 4

define child

Answer 4

pt 1 year of age up to age 8 years (the general onset of puberty)

Question 5

define chronic medical problem

Answer 5

a medical condition of any duration, for which the pt is receiving care from a medical professional or is appropriately self treating.

Question 6

define competent

Answer 6

a pt at least 18 years of age who is capable of making an informed decision will be considered competent only if they demonstrate they are oriented to person, place, and time; and can recite back the nature of their medical condition, the riskd and benefits of the proposed care/transportation, and the risks of refusing the proposed care/transportation and is making a reasoned health care decision.

Question 7

define emancipated minor

Answer 7

a legal term for a person age 16 through 17 who is married, a member of the armed services, or living apart from their parents, and who is entitled to make their own medical care decisions.

Question 8

define EMS witnessed arrest

Answer 8

a pt who goes into cardiac arrest while in the presence of HFD personnel

Question 9

define infant

Answer 9

age one hour up to one year

Question 10

define neonate

Answer 10

newly born, up to one hour of age

Question 11

define pediatric

Answer 11

encompasses patients less than 16 years of age or less than 40kg/88lbs. subcategories of pediatric include neonate, infant, child, and adolescent.

Question 12

who shall ensure that a signed copy of protocols is carried on all EMS apparatus and EMS vehicles under their command in compliance with the EMS act of the state of Texas?

Answer 12

station captains

Question 13

how are all personnel supposed to act and operate?

Answer 13

all personnel are to operate and conduct themselves in the best interest of the public.

Question 14

who is to ensure complete and accurate documentation of their units involvement on each incident?

Answer 14

the highest ranking member on each apparatus

Question 15

what is often the greatest asset provided to the citizens you serve?

Answer 15

often the greatest asset provided to the citizens you serve is your reassurance and caring.

Question 16

what kind of patients can you bring or not bring to the hospital when the hospital is on emergency department saturation?

Answer 16

hospital emergency department resources are fully committed and have no other resources for additional incoming critical or seriously ill patients and acceptance of additional patients requiring advanced life support would seriously jeopardize the care of other patients in the emergency department.

Question 17

define ICU saturation

Answer 17

hospital intensive care resources are fully committed and have no other resources available for additional patients requiring intensive care. the emergency department can handle minor illnesses not likely to require ICU admission. avoid bringing chest pain, difficulty breathing, elderly patients with abdominal pain,to hospitals on icu saturation. trauma center hospitals on ICU saturation can generally still handle trauma patients.

Question 18

when all trauma centers of a specific level are on diversion who’s recommendation should you base your destination decision on?

Answer 18

the base station’s recommendation

Question 19

what are the two exceptions that you cannot transport a cpr in progress to the closest hospital regardless of diversion request?

Answer 19

1. the closest hospital is on diversion due to internal disaster.
2. a second hospital is just as close

Question 20

when an EMS unit is dispatched to an emergency department who should HFD members contact?

Answer 20

Their immediate EMS supervisor to apprise him of the situation.

Question 21

what is the goal of family centered care?

Answer 21

the goal of family centered care is to achieve the best possible outcome for children, and all other patients, through mutually beneficial collaboration of health care professionals and family members.

Question 22

what are the errors that are considered unacceptable behavior and which remediation will not be offered?

Answer 22

1. willfully inflicting harm of any kind on a patient
2. willful neglect of a patient
3. willful disregard for pt care policies and procedures
4. untruthfulness with medical director or designee
5. failure to remediate or repeatedly committing the same or similar errors in spite of remediation and or reeducation.

Question 23

what is the time frame that a member has to self report an error?

Answer 23

when a member recognizes they have committed a medical error, that member has 24 on duty hours to report the error to a supervising EMS officer.

Question 24

what are the critical initial elements of CPR in survivable cardiac arrest patients.

Answer 24

chest compressions and early defibrillation

Question 25

describe ventilation with a bvm, how long and how should it look?

Answer 25

each ventilation should be a one second ventilation which produces visible chest rise. this ensures against under inflation and lack of oxygenation.

Question 26

what is the rate of ventilations for a neonate

Answer 26

40-60 breaths per minute

Question 27

what is the rate of ventilations for an infant

Answer 27

12-20 breaths per minute

Question 28

what is the rate of ventilations for a child

Answer 28

12-20 breaths per minute

Question 29

what is the rate of ventilations for adolescent/adult

Answer 29

8-10 breaths per minute

Question 30

what does the secondary survey begin with?

Answer 30

the secondary survey begins with the patient’s chief complaint. the cc is what the pt states or believes is the primary problem.

Question 31

what is the HPI (history of present illness)

Answer 31

a concise but complete description of the medical sequence of events that led to the patient’s request for help.

Question 32

what are the only reasons to interrupt a primary assessment?

Answer 32

life threatening emergencies, cases of airway obstruction, a need for cpr, or controlling exsanguinating hemorrhage.

Question 33

what is the cpr ratio on a neonate

Answer 33

3:1

Question 34

what is the cpr ratio on an infant and child

Answer 34

15:2

Question 35

what is the cpr ratio on an adolescent and adult

Answer 35

30:2

Question 36

what is the chest compression rate for a neonate

Answer 36

120/minute

Question 37

what is the chest compression rate for infant, child, adolescent, and adult?

Answer 37

100/ minute

Question 38

what are normal vital signs for a neonate?

Answer 38

30-60 breaths/minute
120-160 beats/minute
systolic bp >=60

Question 39

what are the normal vital signs for an infant?

Answer 39

25-40 breaths/minute
120-160 beats/minute
systolic bp>= 60

Question 40

what are the normal vital signs for a child

1 year to 8 years old

Answer 40

20-30 breaths/minute
80-120 beats/minute
70+(age in years*2)

Question 41

what are the normal vital signs for an adolescent

8 years to <16 years old

Answer 41

15-20 breaths/minute
60-110 beats/minute
systolic b p of 90-120

Question 42

what are the normal vital signs for an adult

16 years or older

Answer 42

8-12 breaths/minute
60-100 beats/minute
systolic bp 90-140

Question 43

will a patient weighing >= to 40 kg receive an adult or pediatric dose?

Answer 43

any patient weighing >= 40 kg receives the adult dose