Terminology Flashcards
Emergency Medical Service
The chain of human resources and services linked together to provide continuous emergency care at the scene and during transport to a medical facility.
Medical Director
A physician who assumes the ultimate responsibility for medical oversight of the patient care aspects within the EMS system
Scope of practice
The care EMS personnel are allowed and supposed to provide according to local, state, or regional regulations.
Specialty Hospital
A hospital that is capable of providing specific services such as; trauma care, pediatric care, cardiac care, stroke care or burn care
Protocols
Written guidelines that direct the care EMS personnel provide for patients
Off-line medical directions
An EMS system’s written standing orders and protocols, which authorize personnel to perform particular skills in certain situations without actually speaking to the medical director or their designated agent.
On-line medical direction
Orders to perform a skill or administrative care from the duty physician given to the rescuer in person, by radio or by phone
Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI)
A continuous improvement in the quality of the product or service being delivered.
Consent
The legal term that means to give formal permission for something to happen
Standard Precautions
Steps to take to protect againts exposure to bodily fluids
Body substance isolation (BSI)
Practice of using specific personal protective equipment to minimize potential contact with a patients blood or bodily fluids
Ingestion
Substances taken into the body by swallowing
Injection
Substances delivered directly into the blood stream by somekind of puncture
Absorption
Substances are delivered directly into the blood stream through the skin and body tissues
Inhalation
Breathed in through the lungs
Stress
An emotionally disruptive or upsetting condition that occurs in response to adverse external influences. Stress is capable of affecting physical health. It can increase heart rate, raise blood pressure, cause muscular tension, irritability and depression
Stressor
Any emotional or physical demand that causes stress
Anatomical position
The standard reference position for the body in the study of anatomy; the body is standing upright, facing the observer, arms are down at the sides and the palms of the hands are facing forward
Anterior
The front of the body or body part
Posterior
The back of the body or body part
Midline
An imaginary vertical line used to divide the body into right and left halves
Medial
Toward the midline of the body
Lateral
To the side, away from the midline of the body
Superior
Toward the head
Inferior
Toward the feet
Proximal
Closer to the torso
Distal
Farther away from the torso
Supine
Patient lying face up
Prone
Patient lying face down
Lateral Recumbent
Patient lying on their side
Arteries
Carries blood away from the heart
Veins
Carries blood back to the heart from the body
Shock position
Elevation of the feet of a supine patient 6-12 inches. Recommended for shock that is not caused by injury
Ventilation
The process of breathing in and out
Respiratory Compromise
Has many causes including medical conditions such as; asthma, bronchitis, heart attack and severe allergic reactions. Other factors include exposure to toxic substances or inhalation of superheated air as from a fire
Patent airway
An airway that is open and clear
Cardiac arrest
The absence of a heartbeat
Agonal respirations
An abnormal breathing pattern characterized by slow, shallow, gasping breaths that typically occur following cardiac arrest
Positive Pressure Ventilations
The process of using external pressure to force air into a patients lungs such as; mouth-to-mask or bag-mask ventilations
Head-tilt chin lift
A technique used to open the airway of a patient with no suspected neck ot spine injuries
Jaw-thrust maneuver
A Technique used to open the airway of a trauma patient with possible neck or spine injury
Sign
Something that can be observed or measured when assessing a patient
Symptom
Something the patient complains of or describes during the secondary assessment
Chief complaint
The main medical complaint as described by the patient
Perfusion
The adequate delivery of well oxygenated blood and nutrients to all parts of the body and the elimination of waste products
Blood Pressure
The measurement of the pressure inside the arteries both during and between contractions of the heart
Interventions
Actions taken to correct or stabilize a patients illness or injury
Myocardial infarction (MI)
Heart attack. (Death or necrosis of heart tissue)
Arterial Bleeding
Bright red blood spurting with each beat of the heart
Venous Bleeding
Steady flow of dark red blood
Capillary Bleeding
Slow oozing of bright red blood
