Introduction & Safety Flashcards
ALS
Advanced Life Support
BLS
Basic Life Support
CISD
Critical Incident Stress Debriefing
Off-line
Standing orders which allow EMT’s to provide care without direct contact with a physician.
On-line
Direct order received from the physician to provide care.
— May be requested at any time
PPE
Personal Protective Equipment.
Protective equipment that blocks exposure to a pathogen or a hazardous material.
Protocol
Written operating procedures (OP) and policies that provide guidelines for patient care.
Intravenous (IV) Therapy
The delivery of medication directly into a vein.
Eustress
A stressor that produces a positive response.
The following are examples:
— Receiving a promotion — Taking a vacation — Working out — Giving birth — Joining a new club
Distress
A stressor that produces a negative response.
The following are examples:
— Death of a friend / family — Divorce — Financial problems — Health issues — Illness or injury
Acute Stress Reactions
Reactions to stress that occur during a traumatic situation or event.
Aerosol-generating Procedure
Treatments that increase the risk for transmission of infections that are spread through the air or by droplets.
i.e. — The process of performing CPR.
Airborne Transmission
The spread of an organism via droplets or dust.
Bloodborne Pathogens
Pathogenic microorganisms that are present in human blood, and can cause disease in humans.
These pathogens include:
— Hepatitis B Virus
— Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
Burnout
A combination of exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced performance resulting from long-term job stressors in healthcare and other high-stress professions.
Communicable Disease
Disease that can be spread from one person or species to another.
Compassion Fatigue
Stress disorder characterized by gradual lessening of compassion overtime.
Concealment
The use of objects to limit a person’s ability to see you.
Contamination
The presence of infectious organisms on or in objects such as dressings, water, food, needles, wounds, or a patient’s body.
Cover
The tactical use of an impenetrable barrier for protection.
Cumulative Stress Reactions
Prolonged or excessive stress.
Delayed Stress Reactions
Reactions to stress that occur after a stressful situation.
Direct Contact
Exposure or transmission of a communicable disease from one person to another by physical contact.
Exposure
A situation in which a person has had contact with blood, body fluids, tissues, or airborne particles in a manner that suggests disease transmission may occur.
Foodborne Transmission
The contamination of food or water with an organism that can cause disease.
General Adaptation Syndrome
The body’s response to stress.
Occurs in three stages:
1) Alarm response
2) Reaction and / or Resistance
3) Recovery or Exhaustion.
Hepatitis
Inflammation of the liver, usually caused by a viral infection, that causes fever, loss of appetite, jaundice, fatigue, and altered liver function.
Host
The organism or individual that is attacked by the infecting agent.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus
(HIV)
Acquired Immunity Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is caused by HIV, which damages the cells in the body’s immune system so that the body is unable to fight infection or certain cancers.
Immune
The body’s ability to protect itself from acquiring a disease.
Indirect Contact
Exposure transmission of disease from one person to another by contact with contaminated object.
Infection
The abnormal invasion of a host or host tissues by organisms such as bacteria, viruses, or parasites, with or without signs or symptoms of disease.
Infection Control
Procedures to reduce transmission of infection among patients and healthcare personnel.
Pathogen
Microorganism that is capable of causing disease in a susceptible host.
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
(PTSD)
Delayed stress reaction to a prior incident.
Often the result of one or more unresolved issues concerning the incident, and may relate to an incident that involves physical harm or the threat of physical harm.
Resilience
The capacity of an individual to cope with and recover from distress.
Standard Precautions
Protective measures that have traditionally been developed by the CDC for use in dealing with objects, blood, body fluids, and other potential exposure risks of communicable disease.
Transmission
The way in which an infectious disease is spread.
Transmission methods include:
— Direct Contact
— Airborne
— Bloodborne
— Foodborn
— Indirect Contact
— Vector-borne
Vector-borne Transmission
The use of an animal to spread an organism from one person or place to another.
Wellness
The active pursuit of a state of good health.
