Santa Clara County EMS Orientation Exam Study
Guide– Questions With Detailed Solutions
What Policy is this?
The purpose of this Policy is to establish standardized criteria for the
timely reporting and submission of EMS system variances to the Santa
Clara County EMS Agency, and to define the reporting criteria for each
level of variance. Correct Answer - Policy #108
What level variance is this?
Variances are any incident that result in a threat to public
safety, patient, by-stander or responder harm. Correct Answer - Level A
Level A Variance include but are not limited to the following Correct Answer
- a) Any deviation from an EMS Agency policy or treatment protocol
with patient harm.
b) Medication or procedural errors with patient harm.
c) Failure or refusal to respond to request for aid, whether from the
public or another system provider.
d) Equipment failure or malfunction with patient harm.
e) Any significant EMS related event that would be reported to
another regulatory agency including, but not limited to, the EMS
Authority, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and
the Department of Public Health.
f) The following occurrences as defined as a threat to the public
health and safety cited in Health and Safety Code §1798.200(c):
1) Fraud in the procurement of any certificate or license under
this division.
2) Gross negligence.
3) Repeated negligent acts.
4) Incompetence.
5) The commission of any fraudulent, dishonest, or corrupt act
that is substantially related to the qualifications, functions,
and duties of prehospital personnel.
6) Conviction of any crime which is substantially related to the
qualifications, functions, and duties of prehospital personnel.
The record of conviction or a certified copy of the record shall
be conclusive evidence of the conviction.
, 7) Violating or attempting to violate directly or indirectly, or
assisting in or abetting the violation of, or conspiring to
violate, any provision of this division or the regulations
adopted by the authority pertaining to prehospital personnel.
8) Violating or attempting to violate any federal or state statute
or regulation that regulates narcotics, dangerous drugs, or
controlled substances.
9) Addiction to, the excessive use of, or the misuse of, alcoholic
beverages, narcotics, dangerous drugs, or controlled
substances.
10)Functioning outside the supervision of medical control in the
field care system operating at the local level, except as
aut
How and when should level A variances be reported? Correct Answer -
Level A variances shall be reported immediately to the EMS Duty Chief via
County Communications. The reporting party shall submit the EMS System
Variance Report (EMS Form # 903) to the EMS Agency shall be submitted
within 24 hours. In addition to the 903 form, copies of dispatch records
patient care record (PCR) and
statements from those involved in the incident should be turned in as well
What level variance is this?
Any incident that does not result in patient harm,
but is a deviation from EMS Agency policies, procedures, and
protocols. Correct Answer - Level B
Examples of a Level B Variance may include but are not limited to
the following: Correct Answer - a) Potential Clinical Care Variance
b) Potential Policy Variance
c) Poor interagency Coordination
d) General Complaint (Public)
e) Communications System Variance.
f) Equipment failure or malfunction.
Level B variances should be reported to? Correct Answer - EMS Agency
within five
(5) business day using EMS Form # 903 (System Performance
Variance Report). In addition to EMS Form # 903 the following
Guide– Questions With Detailed Solutions
What Policy is this?
The purpose of this Policy is to establish standardized criteria for the
timely reporting and submission of EMS system variances to the Santa
Clara County EMS Agency, and to define the reporting criteria for each
level of variance. Correct Answer - Policy #108
What level variance is this?
Variances are any incident that result in a threat to public
safety, patient, by-stander or responder harm. Correct Answer - Level A
Level A Variance include but are not limited to the following Correct Answer
- a) Any deviation from an EMS Agency policy or treatment protocol
with patient harm.
b) Medication or procedural errors with patient harm.
c) Failure or refusal to respond to request for aid, whether from the
public or another system provider.
d) Equipment failure or malfunction with patient harm.
e) Any significant EMS related event that would be reported to
another regulatory agency including, but not limited to, the EMS
Authority, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and
the Department of Public Health.
f) The following occurrences as defined as a threat to the public
health and safety cited in Health and Safety Code §1798.200(c):
1) Fraud in the procurement of any certificate or license under
this division.
2) Gross negligence.
3) Repeated negligent acts.
4) Incompetence.
5) The commission of any fraudulent, dishonest, or corrupt act
that is substantially related to the qualifications, functions,
and duties of prehospital personnel.
6) Conviction of any crime which is substantially related to the
qualifications, functions, and duties of prehospital personnel.
The record of conviction or a certified copy of the record shall
be conclusive evidence of the conviction.
, 7) Violating or attempting to violate directly or indirectly, or
assisting in or abetting the violation of, or conspiring to
violate, any provision of this division or the regulations
adopted by the authority pertaining to prehospital personnel.
8) Violating or attempting to violate any federal or state statute
or regulation that regulates narcotics, dangerous drugs, or
controlled substances.
9) Addiction to, the excessive use of, or the misuse of, alcoholic
beverages, narcotics, dangerous drugs, or controlled
substances.
10)Functioning outside the supervision of medical control in the
field care system operating at the local level, except as
aut
How and when should level A variances be reported? Correct Answer -
Level A variances shall be reported immediately to the EMS Duty Chief via
County Communications. The reporting party shall submit the EMS System
Variance Report (EMS Form # 903) to the EMS Agency shall be submitted
within 24 hours. In addition to the 903 form, copies of dispatch records
patient care record (PCR) and
statements from those involved in the incident should be turned in as well
What level variance is this?
Any incident that does not result in patient harm,
but is a deviation from EMS Agency policies, procedures, and
protocols. Correct Answer - Level B
Examples of a Level B Variance may include but are not limited to
the following: Correct Answer - a) Potential Clinical Care Variance
b) Potential Policy Variance
c) Poor interagency Coordination
d) General Complaint (Public)
e) Communications System Variance.
f) Equipment failure or malfunction.
Level B variances should be reported to? Correct Answer - EMS Agency
within five
(5) business day using EMS Form # 903 (System Performance
Variance Report). In addition to EMS Form # 903 the following
