EMT Emergency Care 14th Edition Chapters 1-8

Evidence-based techniques

Techniques or practices that are supported by scientific evidence of their safety and efficacy rather than merely by supposition and tradition.

Medical direction

Oversight of the patient care aspects of an ems system by the medical director. Direction can be either off or online

Medical director

a physician who assumes ultimate responsibility for the patient-care aspects of the EMS system

911 system

a system for telephone access to report emergencies. A dispatcher takes the information and alerts EMS or the fire or police departments as needed. Enhanced 911 has the additional capability of automatically identifying the caller's phone number and location.

Off-line medical direction

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.

Patient Outcomes

the long-term survival of patients

Peer Reviewed

submitted to a professional journal and reviewed by several of the researchers peers

Protocols

lists of steps, such as assessments and interventions, to be taken in different situations. Protocols are developed by the Medical Director of an EMS system

Quality Improvement

a process of continual self-review with the purpose of identifying and correcting aspects of the system that require improvement

Standing Orders

policies or protocols issued by a medical director that authorize emts and others to preform particular skills in certain situations.

Contamination

The introduction of dangerous chemicals, disease, or infectious materials.

CISM or Critical incident stress management

A comprehensive system that includes education and resources to both prevent stress and deal with stress appropriately when it occurs.

decontamination

The removal or cleansing of dangerous chemicals and other dangerous or infectious materials.

hazardous material incident

the release of a harmful substance into the enviroment

Multiple-casualty incident (MCI)

an emergency involving multiple patients

pathogens

the organisms that cause infection, such as viruses and bacteria

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Equipment that protects the EMS worker from infection and/or exposure to the dangers of rescue operations.

Standard Precautions

A strict form of infection control that is based on the assumption that all blood and other body fluids are infectious.

stress

a state of physical and/or psychological arousal to a stimulus

resilience

toughness, an ability to recover quickly from difficult situations

bariatric

having to do with patients who are significantly overweight or obese

body mechanics

the proper use of the body to facilitate lifting and moving and prevent injury

direct carry

a method of transferring a patient from bed to stretcher, during which two or more rescuers curl the patient to their chests, then reverse the process to lower the patient to the stretcher

direct ground lift

A method of lifting and carrying a patient from ground level to a stretcher in which two or more rescuers kneel, curl the patient to their chests, stand, then reverse the process to lower the patient to the stretcher

draw-sheet method

a method of transferring a patient from bed to stretcher by grasping and pulling the loosened bottom sheet of the bed

extremity lift

A method of lifting and carrying a patient during which one rescuer slips hands under the patient's armpits and grasps the wrists, while another rescuer grasps the patient's knees.

power grip

gripping with as much hand surface as possible in contact with the object being lifted, all fingers bent at the same angle, and hands at least 10 inches apart

power lift

A lift from a squatting position with weight to be lifted close to the body, feet apart and flat on the ground, body weight on or just behind the balls of the feet, and back locked in. The upper body is raised before the hips. Also called the squat-lift position.

abdominal quadrants

four divisions of the abdomen used to pinpoint the location of a pain or injury: right upper , left upper, right lower, left lower

anatomical position

standard reference position used for describing locations and directions on the human body In this position the body is standing erect, facing the observer, with arms down at the sides and the palms of the hands forward

anatomy

the study of body structure

anterior

the front of the body or body part

bilateral

both sides

combining form

A word root with an added vowel that can be joined with other words, roots, or suffixes to form a new word.

compound

a word formed from two or more whole words

distal

farther away from torso

dorsal

referring to the back of the body or the back of the hand or foot

fowler

sitting position

inferior

away from the head

lateral

to the side, away from the midline of the body

medial

toward the midline of the body

midaxillary line

a line drawn vertically from the middle of the armpit to the ankle

midclavicular line

the line through the center of each clavicle

midline

an imaginary line drawn down the center of the body dividing it into right and left halves

palmer

referring to the palm of the hand

physiology

the study of body function

plane

a flat surface formed when slicing though a solid object

plantar

referring to the sole of the foot

posterior

the back of the body or body part

prefix

word part added to the beginning of a word

prone

lying face down

proximal

Closer to the origin of the body part or the point of attachment of a limb to the body trunk

recovery position

lying on the side. also called the lateral recumbent position

root

foundation of the word

suffix

word part added to the end

superior

towards the head

supine

lying on back

torso

the trunk of the body; without the head and extremities.

unilateral

limited to one side

ventral

referring to the front of the body. a synonym for anterior

adolescence

stage of life between 13-18 years

bonding

the sense that needs will be met.

early adulthood

stage of life from 19 to 40 years

infancy

stage of life from birth to 1 year of age.

late adulthood

stage of life from 61 years and older

middle adulthoood

stage of life from 41-60 years

moro reflex

a response to being startled in which the infant throws out both arms spreads the fingers then grabs with fingers then arms

palmar reflex

a grasping reflex in which an infant grabs onto a finger placed in the palm

preschool age

stage of life from 3 to 5 years

rooting reflex

Reflex that causes a newborn to turn the head toward a light touch on lips or cheek

scaffolding

building on which one already knows

school age

stage of life from 6-12 years

sucking reflex

a reflex in which stroking a hungry infants lips causes the infant to start sucking.

temperament

the infants reaction to the infants environment

toddler phase

stage of life from 12-36 months

trust vs mistrust

concept developed from an orderly, predictable environment versus a disorderly, irregular environment

acetabulum

the pelvic socket into which the ball at the proximal end of the femur fits to form the hip joint

acromioclavicular joint

the joint where the acromion and the clavicle meet

acromion process

the highest portion of the shoulder

alveoli

the microscopic sacs of the lungs where gas exchange with the bloodstream takes place

anatomy

the study of body structure

aorta

the largest artery in the body. It transports blood from the left ventricle to begin systemic circulation

appendix

a small tube located near the junction of the small and large intestines in the right lower quadrant of the abdomen, the function of which is not well understood. Its inflammation, called appendicitis, is a common cause of abdominal pain.

arteriole

the smallest kind of artery

artery

any blood vessel carrying blood away from the heart

atria

the two upper chambers of the heart (right and left)

automaticity

the ability of the heart to generate and conduct electrical impulses on its own

autonomic nervous system

the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls involuntary motor functions

bladder

the round saclike organ or the renal system used as a reservoir for urine

blood pressure

the pressure that is exerted by the blood against the walls of blood vessels

brachial artery

artery of the upper arm; the site of the pulse checked during infant CPR

mainstem bronchi

The two large sets of branches that come off the trachea and enter the lungs.

buffer system

a system that helps manage the pH of the body to maintain it at a normal level

calcaneous

the heel bone

capillary

a thin-walled, microscopic blood vessel where the oxygen/carbon dioxide and nutrient/waste exchange with the body's cells takes place

cardiac conduction system

a system of specialized muscle tissues that conducts electrical impulses that stimulate the heart to beat

cardiac muscle

specialized involuntary muscle found only in the heart

cardiovascular system

the system made up of the heart (cardio) and the blood vessels (vascular); the circulatory system

carotid arteries

the large neck arteries, one on each side of the neck, that carry blood from the heart to the head

carpals

wrist bones