Exam 1

Emergency Medical Technician (EMT):
- Primary provider level in many EMS systems.
- May receive training in:
  - Advanced airway intervention.
  - Limited medication administration.
  - IV fluid therapy.
- Scope of Practice: Expanded scope is not recognized at a different certification level.
Paramedic:
- Highest EMS skill level for national certification or licensure.
- Significant changes in training since 1998 US DOT paramedic curriculum revision.
- In 2009, new National EMS standards were established.
- By 2013, paramedic students must complete accredited programs and pass the NREMT exam (some states have separate tests).
- Training hours required: 1000-1500.
- Paramedics operate under the guidance of a licensed physician.
- Pharmacological Intervention: Considered the biggest differentiator from EMTs.

On and Off Duty Attributes: Expected to exhibit integrity, empathy, self-motivation, confidence, communication skills, teamwork, respect, patient advocacy, injury prevention, careful service delivery, time management, and administrative skills.
Primary Responsibilities Include:
- Preparation for service.
- Responding to emergencies.
- Scene management.
- Patient assessment and care.
- Patient transfer and report documentation.
- Returning to service.
Ethical Standards: Must adhere to a code of ethics, maintain credibility, and uphold a professional appearance.

Mobile Army Surgical Hospitals (MASH):
- Developed during the 1950s and the Korean War.
- Introduced to deliver hospital-type services closer to combat zones, improving patient survival rates.
- Employs helicopters for patient transport.

CQI Goals:
- Focus on assessing current EMS practices and improving them to reduce problems proactively.
- CQI Process Should Include:
  - Identifying system-wide issues.
  - Evaluating issues and forming remedy lists.
  - Developing action plans with enforcement timelines.
  - Re-examining processes and modifying protocols as necessary.
  - Aiming for excellence in patient care through constructive feedback, not punitive measures.

Ethics:
- Professional codes established by organizations guiding care delivery focused on duty and fairness.
Morals:
- Personal principles influenced by culture and experience, guiding individual decisions in complex situations.
Law:
- Codified rules enforcing behavior and rights, including confidentiality and duty of care; failure could lead to legal consequences.
- Unlawful Practice: Performing paramedic functions without proper licensure is illegal.

Stress:
- Any event prompting physical, emotional, or mental reactions that require adaptive responses.
- Types of Stress:
  - Eustress: Positive stress motivating achievement.
  - Biologic Stress: Body’s non-specific response to demands.
Response to Stress: Fear, anxiety, anger, or confusion can arise as reactions.

Strategies to prevent injury while lifting:
- Coordinate lifts before executing.
- Maintain a strong back posture; lift with legs, not back.
- Avoid carrying heavy loads alone; utilize equipment.

Used post-trauma to help EMS personnel express feelings about incidents and aiming to mitigate PTSD risks.
Timing:
- Diffusing sessions should take place shortly after a traumatic event, while formal counseling happens later.

Follow infection control policies if exposed to patients' bodily fluids:
- Turn care over to another provider.
- Clean affected areas and comply with reporting protocols.

Physical fitness aids quicker recovery and reduces injury risk.
American Heart Association’s 7 Factors for Heart Health:
- Get active, control cholesterol, eating better, manage blood pressure, maintain a healthy weight, reduce blood sugar, quit smoking.

Engineering Control/Passive Intervention:
- Modifying product designs to prevent injury.
Primary Prevention:
- Actions stopping injuries before they happen.
Secondary Prevention:
- Interventions after injury to prevent worsening.
4 E’s of Prevention:
- Education, enforcement, economic incentives, and engineering/environment modifications.

Effective teaching strategies:
- Use good judgment, be nonjudgmental, adapt messages.
- Tailor examples based on target groups and situation sensitivity.

Advance Directive:
- Written document laying out a patient’s wishes for future medical care.
- Types include Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) and organ donation orders.
Good Samaritan Law:
- Provides legal immunity when helping injured persons voluntarily.

Laws:
- Codified rules regulating behavior, with potential penalties for violations.
Ethics:
- Principles guiding professional conduct, often detailed in codes of conduct.

HIPAA:
- Safeguards patient privacy and offers sanctions for breaches.
- Requires EMS agencies to appoint a privacy officer.
Exceptions: Circumstances like mandatory reporting or valid law enforcement requests.

Components of Negligence:
- Legal duty to act, breach of duty, proximate cause, and resulting harm.

Communication Process:
- Involves encoding messages, human interactions, and feedback loops.
Enhanced 911 System: Gathers and displays location information for dispatch.
Radio Communication Standards:
- Speak clearly and slowly utilizing standard protocols; communicate necessary medical information.

Transverse Plane: Divides the body into upper and lower sections.
Directional Terms:
- Superior/Inferior, Lateral/Medial, Proximal/Distal, etc. defines body positions clearly.

Hyperglycemia: High blood sugar resulting from lack of insulin.
Electrolyte Functions:
- Facilitate bodily functions and nerve signal transmission.

Prolonged Stress: Negatively affects health, causing conditions such as depression, heart disease, and others.

Dysarthria: Speech impairment likely caused by neurological issues.
General Impression: Initial assessment guiding care prioritization based on observed symptoms and environment.
Palpation Techniques: Specific methods for assessing abdominal conditions and identifying tenderness or distress.

Sonorous Respirations: Often indicate partial airway obstruction due to tongue positioning.
Orthopnea: Indicates breathing difficulty while lying flat; patients often prefer sitting or propped up.