Sunnyside High School EMT Mod 1 Vocab

Advanced EMT (AEMT)

An individual who has training in specific aspects of advanced life support, such as intravenous therapy, and the administration of certain emergency medications.

Advanced Life Support (ALS)

Advanced lifesaving procedures, some of which are now being provided by the EMT.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Comprehensive legislation that is designed to protect individuals with disabilities against discrimination.

Automated External Defibrillator (AED)

A device that detects treatable life-threatening cardiac dysrhythmias (ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia) and delivers the appropriate electrical shock to the patient.

Certification

A process in which a person, an institution, or a program is evaluated and recognized as meeting certain predetermined standards to provide safe and ethical care.

Community Paramedicine (CP)

A health care model in which experienced paramedics receive advanced training to equip them to provide additional services in the prehospital environment, such as health evaluations, monitoring of chronic illnesses or conditions, and patient advocacy.

Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI)

A system of internal and external reviews and audits of all aspects of an EMS system aiming at improving outcomes.

Credentialing

An established process to determine the qualifications necessary to be allowed to practice a particular profession, or to function as an organization.

Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD)

A system that assists dispatchers in selecting appropriate units to respond to a particular call for assistance and in providing callers with vital instructions until the arrival of EMS crews.

Emergency Medical Responder (EMR)

The first trained individual, such as a police officer, fire fighter, lifeguard, or other rescuer, who may arrive first at the scene of an emergency to provide initial medical assistance.

Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)

An individual who has training in basic life support, including automated external defibrillation, use of a definitive airway adjunct, and assisting patients with certain medications.

Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM)

An approach to medicine where decisions are based on well-conducted research, classifying recommendations based on the strength of the scientific evidence; also called science-based medicine.

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

Federal legislation passed in 1996. Its main effect in EMS is in limiting availability of patient's health care information and penalizing violations of patient privacy.

Intavenous (IV) Therapy

The delivery of medication directly into a vein.

Licensure

The process whereby a competent authority, usually the state, allows people to perform a regulated act.

Medical Control

Physician instructions that are given directly by radio or cell phone (online/direct) or indirectly by protocol/guidelines (off-line/indirect), as authorized by the medical director of the service program.

Medical Director

The physician who authorizes or delegates to the EMT the authority to provide medical care in the field.

Mobile Integrated Health Care

A method of delivering health care that involves providing health care within the community rather than at a physician's office or hospital.

National EMS Scope of Practice Model

A document created by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that outlines the skills performed by various EMS providers.

Paramedic

An individual who has extensive training in advanced life support, including endotracheal intubation, emergency pharmacology, cardiac monitoring, and other advanced assessment and treatment skills.

Primary Prevention

Efforts to prevent an injury or illness from ever occurring.

Primary Service Area

The designated area in which the EMS agency is responsible for the provision of prehospital emergency care and transportation to the hospital.

Public Health

The branch of medicine that is focused on examining the health needs of entire populations with the goal of preventing health problems.

Public Safety Access Point

A call center, staffed by trained personnel who are responsible for managing requests for police, fire, and ambulance services.

Quality Control

Oversight by the medical director to ensure the appropriate medical care standards are met by EMTs on each call.

Secondary Prevention

Efforts to limit the effects of an injury or illness that you cannot completely prevent.

Acute Stress Reactions

Reactions to stress that occur during a traumatic situation.

Aerosol-Generating Procedure

Treatments that increase the risk for transmission of infections that are spread through the air or by droplets; CPR is an example.

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, but are not limited to, hepatitis B virus and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Burnout

A combination of exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced performance resulting from long-term job stresses in healthcare and other high-stress professions.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

The primary federal agency that conducts and supports public health activities in the United States. The CDC is part of the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Communicable Disease

A disease that can be spread from one person or species to another.

Compassion Fatigue

A stress disorder characterized by gradual lessening of compassion over time.

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.

Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM)

A process that confronts the responses to critical incidents and defuses them, directing the emergency services personnel toward physical and emotional equilibrium.

Cumulative Stress Reactions

Prolonged or excessive stress.

Delayed Stress Reactions

Reactions to stress that occur after a stressful situation

Designated Officer

The individual in the department who is charged with the responsibility of managing exposures and infection control issues.

Direct Contact

Exposure of transmission of a communicable disease from one person to another by physical contact.

Distress

A negative response to a stressor.

Eustress

A beneficial response to a stressor.

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 that begins with an alarm response, followed by a stage of reaction and resistance, and then recovery or, if the stress is prolonged, 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 immunodeficiency 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 or transmission of disease from one person to another by contact with a 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 health care personnel.

Infectious Disease

A medical condition caused by the growth and spread of small, harmful organisms within the body.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

The federal regulatory compliance agency that develops, publishes, and enforces guidelines concerning safety in the workplace.

Pathogen

A microorganism that is capable of causing disease in a susceptible host.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Protective equipment that blocks exposure to a pathogen or a hazardous material.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

A 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 involved 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: contact, airborne, by vehicles, or by vectors.

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.

Abandonment

Unilateral termination of care by the EMT without the patient's consent and without making provisions for transferring care to another medical professional with the skills and training necessary to meet the needs of the patient.

Advance Directive

Written documentation that specifies medical treatment for a competent patient should the patient become unable to make decisions; also called a living will or health care directive.

Algor Mortis

Cooling of the body after death until it matches the ambient temperature.

Applied Ethics

The manner in which principles of ethics are incorporated into professional conduct.

Assault

Unlawfully placing a patient in fear of bodily harm.

Battery

Unlawfully touching a patient or providing emergency care without consent.

Bioethics

The study of ethics related to issues that arise in health care.

Breach of Confidentiality

Disclosure of information without proper authorization.

Compensatory Damages

Damages awarded in a civil lawsuit that are intended to restore the plaintiff to the same condition that he or she was in prior to the incident.

Competent

Able to make rational decisions about personal well-being.

Consent

Permission to render care.

Contributory Negligence

A legal defense that may be raised when the defendant feels that the conduct of the plaintiff somehow contributed to any injuries or damages that were sustained by the plaintiff.

Decision-making Capacity

Ability to understand and process information and make a choice regarding appropriate medical care.

Defamation

The communication of false information about a person that is damaging to that person's reputation or standing in the community.

Dependent Lividity

Blood settling to the lowest point of the body, causing discoloration of the skin; a definitive sign of death.

Depositions

Oral questions asked of parties and witnesses under oath.

Discovery

The phase of a civil lawsuit where the plaintiff and defense obtain information from each other that will enable the attorneys to have a better understanding of the case and which will assist in negotiating a possible settlement or in preparing for trial. Discovery includes depositions, interrogatories, and demands for production of records.

Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) Order

Written documentation by a physician giving permission to medical personnel to not attempt resuscitation in the event of cardiac arrest.

Durable Power of Attorney of Health Care

A type of advance directive executed by competent adult that appoints another individual to make medical treatment decisions on his or her behalf in the event the person making the appointment losses decision making capacity

Duty to Act

A medicolegal term relating to certain personnel who either by statute or by function have a responsibility to provide care.

Emancipated Minor

A person who is under the legal age in a given state but, because of other circumstances, is legally considered an adult.

Emergency

A serious situation, such as injury or illness, that threatens the life or welfare of a person or group of people and requires immediate intervention.

Emergency Doctrine

The principle of law that permits a health care provider to treat a patient in an emergency situation when the patient is incapable of granting consent because of an altered level of consciousness, disability, the effects of drugs or alcohol, or the patient's age.

Emergency Medical Care

Immediate care or treatment.

Ethics

The philosophy of right and wrong, of moral duties, and of ideal professional behavior.

Expressed Consent

A type of consent in which a patient gives verbal or nonverbal authorization for provision of care or transport.

False Imprisonment

The confinement of a person without legal authority or the person's consent.

Forcible Restraint

The act of physically preventing an individual from initiating any physical action.

Good Samaritan Laws

Statutory provisions enacted by many states to protect citizens from liability for errors and omissions in giving good faith emergency medical care, unless there is wanton, gross, or willful negligence.

Governmental Immunity

Legal doctrine that can protect an EMS provider from being sued or which may limit the amount of the monetary judgement that the plaintiff may recover; generally applies only to EMS systems that are operated by municipalities or other governmental entities.

Gross Negligence

Conduct that constitutes a willful or reckless disregard for a duty or standard of care.

Health Care Directive

A written document that specifies medical treatment for a competent patient, should he or she become unable to make decisions. Also know as an advanced directive or living will.

Health Care Proxy

A type of advance directive executed by a competent adult that appoints another individual to make medical treatment decisions on his or her behalf in the event that the person making the appointment loses decision-making capacity. Also known as a durable power of attorney for health care.

Implied Consent

Type of consent in which a patient who is unable to give consent is given treatment under the legal assumption that he or she would want treatment.

Informed Consent

Permission for treatment given by a competent patient after the potential risks, benefits, and alternatives to treatment have been explained.

In Loco Parentis

Refers to the legal responsibility of a person or organization to take on some of the functions and responsibilities of a parent.