EMT 1010 - Foundations of EMS

1. Define Emergency Medical Services (EMS) systems.
2. Differentiate the roles and responsibilities of the EMT-Basic from other prehospital care providers.
3. Describe the roles and responsibilities related to personal safety.
4. Discuss the roles and responsibilities of the EMT-Basic towards the safety of the crew, the patient and bystanders.
5. Define quality improvement and discuss the EMT-Basic’s role in the process.
6. Define medical direction and discuss the EMT-Basic’s role in the process.
7. State the specific statutes and regulations in your state regarding the EMS system.
8. Assess areas of personal attitude and conduct of the EMT-Basic.
9. Characterize the various methods used to access the EMS system in your community.
10. List possible emotional reactions that the EMT-Basic may experience when faced with trauma, illness, death and dying. 
11. Discuss the possible reactions that a family member may exhibit when confronted with death and dying.
12. State the steps in the EMT-Basic’s approach to the family confronted with death and dying.
13. State the possible reactions that the family of the EMT-Basic may exhibit due to their outside involvement in EMS.
14. Recognize the signs and symptoms of critical incident stress.
15. State possible steps that the EMT-Basic may take to help reduce/alleviate stress.
16. Explain the need to determine scene safety. 
17. Discuss the importance of body substance isolation (BSI).
18. Describe the steps the EMT-Basic should take for personal protection from airborne and blood borne pathogens.
19. List the personal protective equipment necessary for each of the following situations: Hazardous materials - Rescue operations - Violent scenes - Crime scenes
20. Define the EMT-Basic scope of practice. 
21. Discuss the importance of Do Not Resuscitate [DNR] (advance directives) and local or state provisions regarding EMS application.
22. Define consent and discuss the methods of obtaining consent.
23. Differentiate between expressed and implied consent. 
24. Explain the role of consent of minors in providing care.
25. Discuss the implications for the EMT-Basic in patient refusal of transport.
26. Discuss the issues of abandonment, negligence, and battery and their implications to the EMT
27. State the conditions necessary for the EMT-Basic to have a duty to act.
28. Explain the importance, necessity and legality of patient confidentiality.
29. Discuss the considerations of the EMT-Basic in issues of organ retrieval.
30. Differentiate the actions that an EMT-Basic should take to assist in the preservation of a crime scene. State the conditions that require an EMT-Basic to notify local law enforcement officials.
31. Explain the role of EMS and the EMT-Basic regarding patients with DNR orders. 
32. Explain the rationale for the needs, benefits and usage of advance directives.
33. Explain the rationale for the concept of varying degrees of DNR.
34. Identify the following topographic terms: Medial, lateral, proximal, distal, superior, inferior, anterior, posterior, midline, right and left, mid-clavicular, bilateral, mid-axillary. 
35. Describe the anatomy and function of the following major body systems: Respiratory, circulatory, musculoskeletal, nervous and endocrine.
36. Identify the components of vital signs.
37. Describe the methods to obtain a breathing rate.
38. Identify the attributes that should be obtained when assessing breathing.
39. Differentiate between shallow, labored and noisy breathing.
40. Describe the methods to obtain a pulse rate. 
41. Identify the information obtained when assessing a patient’s pulse.
42. Differentiate between a strong, weak, regular and irregular pulse.
43. Describe the methods to assess the skin color, temperature, condition (capillary refill in infants and children).
44. Identify the normal and abnormal skin colors.
45. Differentiate between pale, blue, red and yellow skin color.
46. Identify the normal and abnormal skin temperature.
47. Differentiate between hot, cool and cold skin temperature.
48. Identify normal and abnormal skin conditions.
49. Identify normal and abnormal capillary refill in infants and children.
50. Describe the methods to assess the pupils.
51. Identify normal and abnormal pupil size.
52. Differentiate between dilated (big) and constricted (small) pupil size.
53. Differentiate between reactive and non-reactive pupils and equal and unequal pupils.
54. Describe the methods to assess blood pressure. 
55. Define systolic pressure.
56. Define diastolic pressure.
57. Explain the difference between auscultation and palpation for obtaining a blood pressure.
58. Identify the components of the SAMPLE history.
59. Differentiate between a sign and a symptom. 
60. State the importance of accurately reporting and recording the baseline vital signs.
61. Discuss the need to search for additional medical identification.
62. Explain the value of performing the baseline vital signs. 
63. Recognize and respond to the feelings patients experience during assessment.
64. Defend the need for obtaining and recording an accurate set of vital signs.
65. Explain the rationale of recording additional sets of vital signs.
66. Explain the importance of obtaining a SAMPLE history.
67. Demonstrate the skills involved in assessment of breathing.
68. Demonstrate the skills associated with obtaining a pulse. 
69. Demonstrate the skills associated with assessing the skin color, temperature, condition, and capillary refill in infants and children.
70. Demonstrate the skills associated with assessing the pupils.
71. Demonstrate the skills associated with obtaining blood pressure.
72. Demonstrate the skills that should be used to obtain information from the patient, family, or bystanders at the scene.
73. Define body mechanics.
74. Discuss the guidelines and safety precautions that need to be followed when lifting a patient.
75. Describe the safe lifting of cots and stretchers.
76. Describe the guidelines and safety precautions for carrying patients and/or equipment.
77. Discuss one-handed carrying techniques.
78. Describe correct and safe carrying procedures on stairs.
79. State the guidelines for reaching and their application.
80. Describe correct reaching for log rolls.
81. State the guidelines for pushing and pulling
82. Discuss the general considerations of moving patients.
83. State three situations that may require the use of an emergency move.
84. Identify the following patient carrying devices: Wheeled ambulance stretcher, Portable ambulance stretcher, Stair chair, Scoop stretcher, Long spine board, Basket stretcher, Flexible stretcher 
85. Explain the rationale for properly lifting and moving patients.
86. Working with a partner, prepare each of the following devices for use, transfer a patient to the device, properly position the patient on the device, move the device to the ambulance and load the patient into the ambulance: Wheeled ambulance stretcher, Portable ambulance stretcher, Stair chair, Scoop stretcher, Long spine board, Basket stretcher, Flexible stretcher 
87. Working with a partner, the EMT-Basic will demonstrate techniques for the transfer of a patient from an ambulance stretcher to a hospital stretcher.