Ch. 1 "EMS Systems, Research, Health" Key Terms and Definitions

                       

• Key historical events: What happens to an injured patient before he reaches a hospital is critical. Wars helped teach us this lesson. The Korean and Vietnam wars made it evident that soldiers injured on the battlefield with medical care on the field before transport had the most success rate.The modern EMS has evolved beginning in the 1960's when The President's committee for Traffic Safety showed a need to reduce injuries and deaths on highways. The Highway Safety Act of 1966 took a leadership role in the development of EMS.

• Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT): Provides all skills of the EMT(see below EMT) and in addition the use advanced airway devices, monitoring blood glucose, initiation of intravenous and introsseous (in the bone) infusions and the administration of select number of medications.
• American with Disabilities Act (ADA):Protects those who have disabilities from being denied initial or continued employment.
• Emergency Medical Responder (EMR): First Responder level, provides immediate lifesaving care to those who have accessed the EMS system, while waiting for response from a higher-level EMS practitioner. EMR use basic airway, ventilation, and oxygen devises;takes vital signs; provides stabilization; eye irrigation, bleeding control, emergency moves, CPR, AED, and emergency child-birth care.
• Emergency Medical Technician (EMT): provides emergency care and transportation to patients who access the EMS System. EMT's use basic level equipment on the ambulance. In addition to EMS skills, we provide advanced oxegen therapy, ventilation equipment, pulse oximetry, use of automated blood pressure monitoring equipment as well as limited medication administration.
• Emergency Medical Services (EMS) System: Permits patient care to begin at scene of injury or illness through to rehabilitation or discharge.
• evidence-based medicine: Focuses on Research provided with clear evidence that certain procedures, medications, and equipment improve the patients out come.
• medical director: The physician who is legally responsible for the clinical and patient care aspects of the EMS System. They oversee continuing education and quality improvement systems.
• medical direction: The director is responsible for medical direction, establishing protocols- guidelines under which the EMS personnel function.
• medical oversight:(emerging term) The medical Directors responsibilities.
• off-line medical direction: Provided by a set of guidelines that are predetermined to allow EMT's to use their judgment to administer medical care without having to contact a physician.
• on-line medical direction: requires EMT's to receive permission from a physician(via cellphone, radio etc..) prior to administering specific emergency care.
• Paramedic: In addition to EMT and AEMT skills, Paramedics are the highest level of prehospital care. They perform advanced assessments, provide invasive and drug interventions and transport. Paramedics care is designed to reduce disability and death to those who have accessed the EMS System.
• prehospital care: Emergency medical treatment given to patients before they are transported to a hospital or other facility.
• protocols: Comprise a full set of guidelines that define the entire scope of medical care.
• quality improvement: A system of internal and external reviews(audits) to ensure a high quality of care.
• standing orders: Preauthorized treatment procedures.