Iaed Emd Course |88 Questions Fully Solved & Updated 2024

Common Misconceptions About EMDs 1. Callers are too upset to provide accurate and useful responses to the EMD 2. Callers would not be able to provide the EMD with required information that is necessary to effectively dispatch emergency medical resources 3. The medical expertise required for effective emergency medical dispatch is not important, therefore public safety officials should use non-EMD dispatchers to dispatch resources 4. All EMS calls will be answered "lights and sirens" 5. The EMD is too busy dispatching to worry about asking all those questions, to provide instructions or use their protocol cards (EMDPRS) 6. Medical advice (provided over the phone) cannot help patients and could actually be dangerous 7. Using the EMDPRS increases the amount of time and resources required to process a call Attributes/Behaviors of the Successful EMD - Helpful and compassionate - Handles the emotional stress involved in caller/patient crisis situations and clearly guides callers in these situations - Masters the skills, philosophy and knowledge of Emergency Medical Dispatch - Effectively gathers information from callers, prioritizes that information and consolidates that information in a useful format - Assists other EMD personnel in reaching the patient's location - Determines the nature of the medical emergency without diagnosing the medical problem or condition - Assists EMS personnel on the scene as requested by EMS personnel and avoid making patient care decisions by long distance - Reacts passively to hostile callers, making no judgements based on the caller's demeanor or past experience with the caller - Maintains confidentiality Three Phases of the Dispatch Function Phase 1 - Call-Receiving Activities (Collect) - an E.M.D takes an incoming call and goes through an "initial survey" sequence - Where? What? How? Who? When? Phase 2 - Dispatch Activities (Dispatch) - EMD goes to proper protocol - Protocols give appropriate response mode - Established by local medical authority Phase 3 - Post-Dispatch Activities ( Provide) - EMD prepares caller for responding personnel and can be providing medical instructions as indicated by the E.M.D Guidecards Resources Commonly Found in an EMS System 1. Basic Life Support (BLS)/ Advanced Life Support (ALS) 2. Fire 3. Police 4. Hospitals/Emergency Care Facilities 5. Other - These include hazardous materials units (aka "HAZMAT" ), Sexual AssauIt Centers, Hyperbaric Centers, Trauma Centers, Poison Control Centers, Burn Centers, Language Translator Services, etc. Tiered EMS System Structures (Not all systems have these tiers) An EMS system with more than 1 level of response Tier 1 (First Responders) - Police and fire departments - Normally trained in BLS Tier 2 (Basic Life Support) - Transport ambulance - Normally staffed by EMTs - Trained in Patient Assessment, Minor Injuries, Performing CPR Tier 3 (Advanced Life Support) - Ambulance or non-transport capable chase vehicle - Staffed by 2 paramedics - Work under a physician's license - Capable of cardiac monitoring, drug therapy, and breathing support methods Tier 4 (Aeromedical services) -Advanced Life Support - Paramedics - Nurses Used to transport most severe cases where transport time to the hospital may be the determining factor in the patient's survival Response Modes "Cold" responses - No lights, no sirens - Responders are a part of normal traffic flow "Hot" responses - Lights and sirens - Emergency vehicle traffic laws still apply - May be permitted to exceed the speed limit Liability You are ultimately responsible for your actions/lack of action Negligence - Failure to act or perform in a particular situation as any other reasonable, prudent dispatcher (with the same or similar training) would under the same or similar circumstances - Failure to meet standard of care Proving Negligence To prove negligence, the court must determine 4 things: 1. Duty 2. Breach of Duty 3. Injury/Damage 4. Proximate Cause/Causation - All 4 components must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt Two Types of Negligence - Simple negligence - negligent conduct that was not purposeful or due to "malicious intent" - Gross negligence - a negligent action that was undertaken with malicious intent and with willful disregard for the safety of persons and/or property Standard of Care and Establishing it The court generally uses four measures of conduct to determine the local "standard of care". These four measures are: 1. The EMD's behavior and conduct is judged in comparison to others with similar training and experience 2. The EMD's behavior and conduct is judged in comparison to locally approved protocols and guidelines 3. The EMD's behavior and conduct is judged in comparison to local or state statutes, local ordinances, case law or administrative orders that address the standard of care 4) The EMD's behavior and conduct is judged in comparison to professional standards published by organizations involved in the development of emergency medical service standards such as the National Academy of Emergency Medical Service Physicians (NAEMSP) and the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Abandonment Leaving a patient after care has been initiated and before the patient has been transferred to someone with equal or greater medical training. Foreseeability You must solely rely on the information you get from callers (you can't actually see what is happening at the scene) Detrimental Reliance A person expects that a certain action will be taken based on the fact that it has been reported in the media ("it was done before for other people"), public education or through simple reasonable expectation. If this action does not occur then the person can claim that they "relied" on the system to act in a certain way, and by doing so it ended up hurting them. Consent Refers to permission to treat the sick or injured Two Types of Consent - Implied consent - refers to situations where if patients are unconscious and can't respond, it is safe for us to assume that they would want to be helped - Actual Consent is direct verbal or non-verbal communication to someone giving aid. Immunity - Bystander immunity - Good Samaritan Law - Not getting paid, acting in good faith, and not participating in negligence - Governmental immunity - Covered if you work for the state, municipal, or local agency - Not covered for third party Patient Confidentiality Issues in confidentiality: You are expected to maintain confidentiality. Patients have the right to expect that any information they give you will be kept confidential. In terms of confidentiality, you: 1. can't relate information about patient names 2. can't talk about what the patient said 3. can't talk about unusual behaviors that are not related to the medical condition unless danger exists (to responders) 4. can't talk about aspects of a patient's lifestyle. Only information that is relevant to determine the proper medical response, related to scene safety, patient complaint and condition can be relayed . Avoiding Liability In an effort to avoid liability, it must be approached at two levels- agency and individual. Remember, avoiding liability means being able to avoid being found liable in a court of law . - Agency Methods Agencies can use the following methods in an effort to avoid liability. Look for these types of policies/procedures in your agency: 1. Existence of well-defined screening/hiring procedures, used in an effort to select the best candidates for EMD 2. Use of a well-organized, written orientation and training program for new employees 3. Regular and objective progress reports given to probationary personnel 4. Clearly defined job expectations and work descriptions 5. Regularly reviewed and updated policies and procedures 6. Proper EMD training and certification provided 7. Appropriate implementation of an EMD program 8. A well-managed EMD program 9. Existence of a formal relationship with a physician who gives medical direction to the EMD program 10. A quality assurance/quality im Seven Systems of The Body ~ Nervous System ~ Circulatory System ~ Respiratory System ~ Digestive System ~ Musculoskeletal System ~ Genito-Urinary System ~Skin The Nervous System The part of your body that controls all of your body functions and allows for interaction with the outside world through sensation The Nervous System is made of three smaller subsystems; the Central Nervous System, the Peripheral Nervous System and the Autonomic Nervous System Each of these systems is described below 1. The Central Nervous System is made up of the brain and the spinal cord 2. The Peripheral Nervous System is made up of motor and sensory nerves 3. The Autonomic Nervous System is also made up of motor nerves, like the peripheral nervous system - It provides automatic and unconscious monitoring and regulation of internal body functions (like heartbeat, bronchial diameter, etc.) The Spinal Cord The following may indicate a spinal cord injury: - Numbness, tingling, or loss of sensation in any extremity - Motor dysfunction, paralysis, or inability to move extremities Any fall victim reported to be unconscious or with associated head or facial injuries should be assumed to have a spinal cord injury The Circulatory System The circulatory system carries blood to and from all parts of the body. The blood takes nutrients and oxygen (02) to the cells of the body and takes carbon dioxide (C02) and other waste products from the cells for removal from the body. The circulatory system is made up of the heart, arteries, veins and capillaries, and blood Arteries - Carry oxygenated blood (blood that is carrying oxygen to cells) away from the heart to the body - Arteries have thick walls that expand and shrink as blood goes through them - They get smaller the further they get from the heart - Most arteries are protected from damage by being buried deep within the muscles or being protected by bones. If cut, arteries bleed a lot of bright red blood that comes out in "spurts" Veins - Carry blood toward the heart -This blood has dropped its oxygen payload off for use by the cells and carries cell waste products and carbon dioxide away from the cells, to be eliminated from the body - Veins get larger as you get closer to the heart and do not expand or contract like arteries. - If cut, they too can bleed a lot. - However, this blood "flows" (not spurts) from the wound and is a dark red color. Capillaries - Are thin-walled vessels. - Carry oxygenated blood from the arteries to the cells of the body and exchange it for carbon dioxide and other waste products made by the cells. Blood - Made. of plasma - Red blood cells carry oxygen to the cells and carbon dioxide away from the body - White blood cells fight diseases, and platelets are used to create clots. 95% of bleeding stops with direct pressure An average person has 5-6 liters of blood in their body Blood clotting takes 6-10 minutes The recommended means for control of bleeding is: Direct pressure The Respiratory System - Is the system that makes/lets us breathe. - It takes in the oxygen we need and is responsible for carrying out waste products, like excess water and carbon dioxide. - It is absolutely necessary to the survival of a human that breathing continues - If breathing stops, the person will die - Airway obstructions can occur at any point in the respiratory system - It is important to note this and that obstructions do not just occur in the "throat" Agonal Respirations - Breaths that occur after cardiac arrest - Ineffective in gathering oxygen for the body - Frequently described as: - Weak - Heavy - Gasping - Moaning The Digestive System - Responsible for eating, digesting food and liquids, and eliminating wastes The Musculoskeletal System - Vital organs like lungs and heart are protected by bones - Muscles are attached to bones - Muscles allow you to move through their contracting and relaxing actions - They also help us breathe (diaphragm), they help circulate blood (the heart is a muscle) and they aid in digestion (the stomach) The Genito-Urinary System - Made of organs of waste, elimination, and reproduction Skin - Outer covering of the body and largest organ of the body - Expels waste by sweat and converts the sun's energy into Vitamin D Two Parts of the Skin - Epidermis - The layer of skin made up of cells - Dermis - The inner layer of skin. It is the thickest layer of the skin. The dermis is made up of connective tissue that contains nerves, sweat glands and blood vessels. Sensations like heat, cold, touch, etc. are felt through the nerves found here Larynx Narrowest part of the respiratory system; aka "voice box" Illium, pubic symphysis, and iliac crest Parts of the pelvis Tendons connect muscles to bones heart, arteries, veins, capillaries Four major parts of the circulatory system Central, peripheral, and autonomic Three subsystems of the nervous system