Orientation to the EMS system Flashcards
Some facts about 9-1-1.
The 9-1-1 service was created in the United States in 1968 as a nationwide telephone number for the public to use to report emergencies and request emergency assistance.
It gives the public direct access to an emergency communications center called a Public Service Answering Point (PSAP), which is responsible for taking appropriate action.
Most of the population and geography of United States is covered by some type of 9-1-1 service. Today, an estimated 240 million calls are made to 9-1-1 each year.
People who call 9-1-1 should remember the following tips, to assist the PSAP in finding their location:
o Callers should tell the call taker the location of the emergency right away.
o They should then give the call taker their phone number so that they can call back if the call gets disconnected.
To ensure a continuous continuity of care it is important for a First Aid for Public Safety provider to ensure appropriate reporting to arriving EMS agencies or other providers as part of the patient hand-off process. While there are many different reporting tools, the use of the MIST acronym provides a mechanism to gather and pass on information in a systematic manner. What does MIST stand for?
There are 4 primary components MIST that should serve as the basis of the hand-off report:
M – Mechanism/Medical Complaint: A brief description of the cause of injury or the progression of an illness
I - Injury/Inspections: What is the suspected injury or illness?
S – Signs & Symptoms: What are the signs you have found, or the symptoms described by the patient? This may include vital signs gathered
T – Treatment: What care have you provided to the patient?
