Emergency Medical Services or EMS is also known as:
prehospital or out-of-hospital care
EMS began in 1966 by
the National Highway Safety Act charging the Department of Transportation (DOT) with developing standards.
National Highway Traffic Safety Admin (NHTSA) sets standards for what categories?
Regulation and Policy
Resource Management
Human Resources and Training
Transportation
Facilities
Communications
Public Information and Education
Medical Direction
Trauma Systems
Evaluation
6 Specialty Hospitals
Trauma
Burn Centers
Pediatric Centers
Cardiac Centers
Stroke Centers
Poison Control Centers
System that has the capability to automatically id the caller's phone number and location.
Enhanced 911
4 Levels of EMS Training
1. First Responder (police, firefighters, etc)
2. EMT-Basic
3. EMT-Intermediate
4. EMT-Paramedic (advanced life support)
8 Roles and Responsibilities of the EMT
1. Personal Safety
2. Safety of the Crew, patients, and bystanders
3. Patient Assessment
4. Patient Care
5. Lifting and moving
6. Transport
7. Transfer of Care
8. Patient Advocacy
A process of continuous self-review witht he purpose of identifying and correcting aspect of the system that require improvement.
Quality Improvement
5 Roles of EMT in QI
1. Keeping carefully written documentation
2. Becoming involved in the quality porcess
3. Obtaining feedback from patients and hospital staff
4. Maintaining equiptment
5. Continuing education
Oversight of the patient-care aspects of an EMS system by the Medical Director
Medical Direction
A physician who assumes ultimate responsibility for the patient-care aspects of the EMS system.
Medical Director
Standing orders issued by the medical Director that allow EMTs to give certain medications or perform certain procedures without speaking to the medical director or another physician.
Off-line Medical Direction
Orders from the on-duty physician given directly to an EMT in the field by radio or telephone.
On-line Medical Direction
Lists of steps (i.e., assessments, interventions) to be taken in different situations.
Protocols
An EMT or other person authorized by a medical director to give medications and provide care. This is an EXTENSION of the medical directors license to practice medicine.
Designated Agent
A policy or protocol issued by a Medical Director that authorizes EMTs and others to perform particular skills in certain situations.
Standing Orders