WITH CORRECT ANSWERS 2026
How it began - CORRECT ANSWER -- 1790s -
French carried patients off the battlefield to medical care
- Civil War, WWI, Vietnam War, also early examples of EMS
- Nonmilitary ambulance services 1900s
EMS today - CORRECT ANSWER -- 1960s - development of modern EMS system
- Department of Transportation = DOT (developing EMS standards
- 1970 - National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians *(NREMT)*
- 1973 -
National Emergency Medical Services Systems Act *(NEMSSA)* (cornerstone of federal effort to im
prove EMS)
- *NHTSA* - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) - CORRECT ANSWER -
1. Regulation and policy (laws/policies)
2. Resources management (patients have equal access)
3. Human resources and training (al least EMT level)
4. Transportation (safe/reliable ambulance rides)
5. Facilities (hospital, etc)
6. Communication (911)
7. Public information and education (educate public)
8. Medical direction (physician as medical director)
9. Trauma systems (legislation exists for trauma centers, etc)
10. Evaluation (improving EMS system)
911 system - CORRECT ANSWER -
a system for telephone access to report emergencies. A dispatcher takes the information and alerts
EMS or the fire or police department as needed. Enhanced 911 also identifies the callers phone n
umber and location automatically
,Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) - CORRECT ANSWER -
person who is often first at the scene (police, firefighters, industrial health personnel function in th
is capacity)
Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) - CORRECT ANSWER -
the minimum level of training for ambulance personnel; provide basic-
level medical and trauma care and transportation to a medical facility and frequently work with ad
vanced EMS providers
Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT) - CORRECT ANSWER -
provides some advanced level care along with basic level care; may use advanced airway devices a
nd administer fluids or meds via intravenous and intraosseous (IV/IO)
Paramedic - CORRECT ANSWER -
performs all the skills of the EMT and AEMT plus additional advanced-
level assessment; decision making; provides the most advanced level of prehospital care
Responsibilities of the EMT - CORRECT ANSWER -
*Personal safety*; safety of the crew, patient, and bystanders; working with other public safety pro
fessionals; patient assessment; patient care; lifting and moving ; transport; transfer of care; patient
advocacy
Physical traits - CORRECT ANSWER -
be able to lift and carry up to 125 pounds; good eyesight; be able to communicate
Personal traits - CORRECT ANSWER -pleasant, sincere, cooperative, resourceful, a self-
starter, emotionally stable, able to lead, neat and clean, of good moral character and respectful of
others, in control of personal habits, controlled in conversation and able to communicate properly
able to listen to others, nonjudgemental and fair
National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) - CORRECT ANSWER -
maintains standards for EMTs, provides registration to EMR, EMT, AEMT, and paramedics. Registrati
on is obtained after successful completion of NREMT practical
, Quality Improvement - CORRECT ANSWER -a process of continuous self-
review with the purpose of identifying and correcting aspects of the system that require improvem
ent
Medical Director - CORRECT ANSWER -
a physician who assumes ultimate responsibility for the patient-care aspects of the EMS system
Medical direction - CORRECT ANSWER -
oversight of the patient care aspects of an EMS system by the Medical Director. Direction can be e
ither *off-line or on-line*
Off-line medical direction - CORRECT ANSWER -
consists of standing orders issued by the Medical Director that allow EMTs to give certain medicati
ons or perform certain procedures without speaking to the Medical Director or another physician
On-line medical direction - CORRECT ANSWER -consists of orders from the on-
duty physician given directly to an EMT in the field by radio or telephone
Protocols - CORRECT ANSWER -
lists of steps, such as assessments and interventions, to be taken in different situations. Protocols a
re developed by the Medical Director of an EMS system
Standing orders - CORRECT ANSWER -
a policy of protocol issued by a Medical Director that authorizes EMTs and others to perform parti
cular skills in certain situations
Patient outcomes - CORRECT ANSWER -thr long-term survival of patients
evidence-based techniques - CORRECT ANSWER -
techniques or practices that are supported by scientific evidence of their safety and efficacy, rather
than merely on supposition and tradition
pathogens - CORRECT ANSWER -the organisms that cause infection, such as viruses and bacteria