EMS Systems
This is the network of coordinated resources that provides emergency medical care to a community.
What is an EMS system?
The legal obligation to provide care while on duty.
What is duty to act?
The EMT’s first priority on every call.
What is scene safety
The written legal record of patient findings and treatments.
What is the patient care report (PCR)?
Permission given by a patient to receive treatment.
What is consent?
This term describes seamless care from first patient contact through hospital treatment and recovery.
What is the continuum of care?
The difference between what EMTs are legally allowed to do versus what they should do according to training and protocols.
What are scope of practice and standard of care?
Gloves, masks, gowns, and eye protection are examples of this.
What is PPE (personal protective equipment)?
This communication process ensures a clear, organized transfer of patient information at the hospital.
What is a handoff report?
Failing to provide expected care and causing harm.
What is negligence?
The public access number that connects callers to emergency services and dispatch.
What is E911?
One behavior that builds patient trust, such as clear explanations, respect, or confidentiality.
What is professionalism?
Team strategies that improve safety and reduce errors through communication and shared decision-making.
What is crew resource management (CRM)?
Securing reports, Sharing information with those involved in patient care, and password protections
What are HIPAA-compliant actions
Ending care without proper transfer to an equal or higher provider.
What is abandonment?
Physician supervision that guides protocols, training, and authorization to practice.
What is medical oversight (medical direction)?
Preventive and follow-up care given to community citizens
What are Community Paramedicine programs
Lifting with the legs, keeping the load close, and using devices helps prevent these.
What are work-related injuries?
We say this when we do patient handover (we came, we saw, we did)
What is SBAR (Situation-Background-Assessment-Recommendation)
Laws requiring EMTs to report suspected abuse or neglect fall under this responsibility.
What is mandatory reporting?
Pre-approved treatments EMTs may perform without contacting a physician.
What are standing orders/protocols?
This historical event significantly influenced modern EMS development
what is Highway Safety legislation or Department of Transportation
An organizational commitment to reducing harm and encouraging error reporting without blame.
What is a culture of safety?
Reviewing trends to improve system performance
What is quality improvement (QI)?
Legal documents that express a patient’s wishes for end-of-life care, such as a DNR.
What are advance directives?