Chapters 1-10 Jones & Bartlett Learning (JB Learning) EMT Course

base station

A fixed location radio hardware with a transmitter and receiver used for communication in emergency medical services (EMS).

cellular telephone

A low-power portable radio device that communicates through interconnected repeater stations, often used by EMS personnel for communication.

channel

A specific frequency assigned for voice and/or data communications in EMS operations.

chief complaint

The primary reason a patient called for help or the patient's response to 'What's wrong?', crucial for EMS assessment and care.

chief concern

The most urgent intervention required by the provider's assessment, a critical aspect of EMS patient care.

closed-ended questions

Questions that allow short or single-word responses, often used in EMS to gather specific information efficiently.

communication

The transmission of information verbally or through body language, essential for effective EMS interactions with patients and colleagues.

cultural imposition

The act of imposing one's beliefs, values, and practices on another culture, a concept important for EMS providers to understand in diverse communities.

dedicated line

A special telephone line used for point-to-point communications, often employed in EMS for secure and direct communication.

documentation

The recorded portion of the EMT's patient interaction, crucial for maintaining accurate patient records and legal compliance in EMS.

duplex

The ability to transmit and receive simultaneously, a feature important for efficient communication in EMS operations.

emotional intelligence

Understanding and managing one's own emotions and responding to others, a crucial skill for EMS providers in managing high-stress situations.

ethnocentrism

The tendency to consider one's own cultural values more important when interacting with a different culture, a concept important for cultural competence in EMS.

Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

The federal agency with jurisdiction over telephone, telegraph, and satellite communications, relevant for regulation and compliance in EMS communication.

hand-over

The transfer of pertinent patient information and care responsibility between EMS providers, critical for seamless patient care continuity.

health information exchange (HIE)

A system allowing EMS providers to access relevant health data and patient outcomes, important for informed decision-making in EMS care.

interoperable communications system

A system using VoIP technology for multiple agencies to communicate and transmit data, crucial for coordinated responses in multi-agency EMS operations.

MED channels

VHF and UHF channels designated exclusively for EMS use, essential for dedicated and reliable communication in EMS operations.

mental model

An individual's understanding of 'what's going on' in a given situation, important for decision-making and situational awareness in EMS operations.

mission-critical communications

Communications whose disruption results in mission failure, crucial for ensuring the reliability of communication in critical EMS situations.

mobile data terminal (MDT)

A small computer terminal in the ambulance receiving data from the dispatch center, vital for accessing and transmitting real-time information in EMS operations.

multiplex

The ability to transmit audio and data signals through multiple channels, important for efficient data transmission in modern EMS communication systems.

noise

Anything that dampens or obscures the true meaning of a message, a factor to be minimized for clear communication in EMS operations.

open-ended questions

Questions that require detailed answers from the patient, often used in EMS to gather comprehensive information about the patient's condition.

paging

The use of radio signal and voice/digital message transmitted to pagers or desktop monitor radios, a method for alerting EMS personnel in urgent situations.

patient care report (PCR)

A legal document recording all patient care activities and part of the patient's permanent medical record, essential for maintaining accurate patient records in EMS.

rapport

A trusting relationship built with the patient, vital for effective communication and patient cooperation in EMS care.

repeater

A special base station radio that receives and retransmits messages on different frequencies, important for extending communication range in EMS operations.

scanner

A radio receiver scanning across frequencies until message completion, used for monitoring multiple channels in EMS communication.

simplex

A single-frequency radio allowing transmissions in one direction at a time, used for specific communication needs in EMS operations.

standing orders

Written documents outlining specific directions, permissions, and prohibitions regarding patient care, important for standardizing care practices in EMS.

telemetry

The process of converting electronic signals into coded, audible signals for transmission, a method used for remote monitoring in EMS operations.

therapeutic communication

Verbal and nonverbal techniques encouraging patients to express their feelings and achieve a positive relationship, crucial for patient-centered care in EMS.

trunking

Telecommunication systems maximizing utilization of a group of frequencies, important for efficient spectrum use in modern EMS communication.

UHF (ultra-high frequency)

Radio frequencies between 300 and 3,000 MHz, used for specific communication needs in EMS operations.

VHF (very high frequency)

Radio frequencies between 30 and 300 MHz, further divided into high and low bands, important for dedicated communication in EMS operations.

medical control

Physician instructions 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.

credentialing

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

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.

emergency medical services

A multidisciplinary system that represents the combined efforts of several professionals and agencies to provide prehospital emergency care to the sick and injured.

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.

primary prevention

Efforts to prevent an injury or illness from ever occurring.

licensure

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

medical director

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

community paramedicine

A health care model in which experienced paramedics recieve 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.

national EMS scope of practice model

a document created by the national highway safety administration (NHTSA) that outlines the skills performed by various EMS providers

public health

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

certification

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

public safety access point

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

americans with disabilities act (ADA)

comprehensive legislation that is designed to protect people with disabilities against discrimination

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

health insurance portability and accountability act (HIPAA)

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

audomated external defibrillator (AED)

a device that detects treatable life-threatening cardiac dysrhytmias (ventual fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia) and delivers the appropriate electrical shock to the patient

primary service area

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

emergency medical dispatch

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

secondary prevention

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

emergency medical technician

an individual who has training in basic life support, including AED, use of a definitive airway adjunct, and assisting patients with certain medications

continuous quality improvement

a system of internal and external reviews and audits of all aspects of an EMS system aimed at improving outcomes

interavenous therapy

the delivery of medication directly into a vein

quality control

oversight by the medical director to ensure the appropriate medical care standards are met by EMTS on each call

emegency medical responder (EMR)

a trained professional, such as a police officer, firefighter, lifeguard, or other recruiter, who may arrive first at the scene of an emergency to provide initial medical assistance.

evidence-based medicine

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

advanced life support

advanced life-saving procedures, some of which are now being provided by the EMT

distress

negative stress

airborne transmission

The spread of organism via droplets or dust

acute stress reactions

Reactions to stress that occur during a stressful situation

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.

direct contact

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

infection control

Procedures to reduce transmission of infection among patients and health care personnel.

personal protective equipment

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

hepatitis

Inflammation of the liver, usually caused by a viral infection, that causes fever, loss of appetite, jaundice, fatigue, and altered liver function.

compassion fatigue

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

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.

standard precautions

Protective measures that have traditionally been developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for use in dealing with objects, blood, body fluids, and other potential exposure risks of communicable disease.

burnout

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

post-traumatic 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.

aerosol-generating procedure

Any airway manipulation that includes the production of aerosols that may present a risk for airborne transmission of pathogens, such as CPR

cumulative stress reactions

Prolonged or excessive stress.

vector-borne transmission

The use of an animal to spread an organism from one person or place to another.

contamination

The presence of infectious organisms on or in objects such as dressings, water, food, needles, wounds, or a patient's body.

concealment

The use of objects to limit a person's visibility of you.

indirect contact

Exposure or transmission of disease from one person to another by contact with a contaminated object.

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.

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).

wellness

the active pursuit of a state of good health

communicable disease

a disease that is spread from one host to another

infectious disease

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

foodborne transmission

The contamination of food or water with an organism that can cause disease.

designated officer

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

delayed stress reactions

reactions to stress that occur after a stressful situation

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.

pathogen

A microorganism that causes disease

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.

general adaptation syndrome (GAS)

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.

immune

The body's ability to protect itself from acquiring a disease.

cccupational safety and healthy administration (OSHA)

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

transmission

The way in which an infectious disease is spread: contact, airborne, by vehicles, or by vectors.

cover

The tactical use of an impenetrable barrier for protection.

resilience

The capacity of an individual to cope with and recover from distress.

eustress

A beneficial response to a stressor.