1. Medical Direction: Oversight of the patient-care aspects of an EMS system by
the Medical Director.
2. Protocols: lists of steps, such as assessments and interventions, to be taken in
different situations. Protocols are developed by the Medical Director of an EMS system
3. Offline Direction: consists of standing orders issued by the medical director that allows
EMTs to give certain medications or perform certain procedures without speaking to the
medical director or another physician.
4. Online Direction: consists of orders from the on-duty physician given directly to an
EMT-B in the field by radio or telephone.
5. Standing Orders: A policy or protocol issued by a Medical Director that autho- rizes
EMT-Bs and others to perform particular skills in certain situations.
,6. HEPA Mask: High Efficiency Particulate Air respirator; used for patients with
suspected TB; worn by the EMT provider to prevent airborne transmission
7. Hepatitis B: infectious inflammation of the liver caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV)
that is transmitted sexually or by exposure to contaminated blood or body fluid
8. Hepatitis C: inflammation of the liver caused by the hepatitis C virus, transmitted by
exposure to infected blood (rarely contracted sexually)
9. Tuberculosis: Infectious disease caused by the tubercle bacillus, Mycobacterium
tuberculosis. Most commonly affects the respiratory system and causes inflamma- tion
and calcification of the system.
10. Acute Stress: short term ; fight or flight response ; effects disappear quickly after it is
over
11. Scope of Practice: What we are allowed to do or trained to do
12. Standard Care: the degree of care that a reasonably prudent person should
,exercise under the same or similar circumstances
13. Duty to Act: an obligation to provide care to a patient
14. Good Samaritan: a person who voluntarily offers help or sympathy in times of
trouble
15. Expressed Consent: Permission that must be obtained from every conscious,
mentally competent adult before emergency treatment may be provided
16. Implied Consent: The consent it is presumed a patient or patient's parent or
gaurdian would give if they could, such as for an unconscious patient or a parent who
cannot be contacted when care is needed.
17. Treatment of a Minor: Must be given by legal guardian
18. Involuntary: Mentally incompetent person
19. Advanced Directive: a legal document prepared by a living, competent adult to
provide guidance to the health care team if the individual should become unable to
, make decisions regarding his or her medical care; may also be called a living will or
durable power of attorney for health care
20. Polst: Physicians orders for life sustaining treatment. May include order for DO NOT
RESUSCITATE
21. PCR: Prehospital care report
22. Emergency Move: a move made when there is an immediate danger to the
patient.
23. Urgent Move: Move used if a scne factor causes a decline in patient's condition, or if
the treatment of a patient requires a move.
24. Non urgent move: No immediate threat to life, are carried out in such a way as to
prevent injury and to avoid discomfort and pain.
25. bariatric stretcher: Stretcher for obese patients
26. scoop stretcher: this cot splits in tow or four sections, so it can be used where larger
stretchers cannot fit.
27. basket stretcher: designed to surround and protect the patient, this stretcher is used
to move a patient from one level to another to over rough terrain.
28. flexible stretcher: made of canvas or rubberized or other flexible material, often with
wooden slats sewn into pockets and three carrying handles on each side. can be useful in
restricted areas or narrow hallways
29. anatomical planes: 1. coronal (vertical cut into front and back halves) 2. trans- verse
(horizontal cut into upper and lower) 3. sagittal (vertical cut into left and right halves)
30. fowler position: a bed sitting position with the head of the bed raised to 45
degrees
31. semi fowler position: the head of the bed is raised 30 degrees; or the head of the