Ambulance Module

Question 1

When an EMT takes the role of the Driver, what do they check for?

Answer 1

• Responsible for mechanical check
  
  • Tires
  • Gas level
  • Oil
  • Brakes
  • Emergency lights
  • etc…
• Cleaning the ambulance because attendant is busy

Question 2

What is the attendant (person in the back w/ patient) responsible for?

Answer 2

• Responsible for medical supplies
  
  • Back boards
  • Oxygen
  • Splints
  • Jump bag
  • Bandages, etc…
• Other…
  
  • Paperwork
  • Radio reporting
  • Verbal to ER staff

Question 3

What are the two destinct roles of an EMT on the scene?

Answer 3

• Patient Contact
• Scene manager (until higher power takes over)

Question 4

What are the two types of driving for an ambulance (hint. code)?

Answer 4

• CODE 2: Non-Emergency (normal driving)
• CODE 3: Emergency (operating as emergency vehicle)

Question 5

When do you activate Code 3 Driving? Who initially makes the decision to start CODE 3? How about to the hospital? Do you fully adhere to most traffic regulations during CODE 3? How fast can you drive? What should you really be careful of?

Remember, you are NEVER exempt from operating safely, you can be charged with a crime if you operate unsafely.

Answer 5

Since you must justify going on code there, reasons of activation include…

ABC problems

• Airway obstruction
• Respiratory Distress
• Shock

Dispatch initially decides if you activate code 3, from there you decide whether you should activate it again on the way to the hospital such as with an ABC problem.

You are exempt from most traffic regulations.
You can drive 10 mph over the posted speed limit

You should be extremely careful of intersections since most accidents happen there.

Question 6

What should you use before navigating to the emergency? Who should help with navigation? Should you trust other drivers?

Answer 6

• Always use maps (or gps) before you begin to move
• The attendant is responsible for the response and navigation to the patient.
• Make eye-contact with other drivers, DO NOT TRUST THEM

Question 7

When responding to a freeway issue, should you use your lights and sirens? Which flashers should you use if you do? When do you use all the lights?

Answer 7

• Not really, only when you’re blocked.
• Use forward steady red and rear flashers only, drivers won’t see side flashers.
• Use all the lights when you park in front of the accident for your protection.

Question 8

How should you approach and stage the ambulance when going to a violent scene? How should you park the ambulance?

Answer 8

• Approach slowly and silently
• Stage 1-2 blocks away until cops come

You should use parking as a TACTIC, beware dead ends and alleys.

Question 9

How should prepare your radio report before you start? How should your report be when you are delivering it? What should your radio report include?

Answer 9

Before you started the radio report…

• Be composed
• Be prepared before you start
• Be structured - same format every time

While delivering your radio report

• Be composed
• Be brief
• Be specific with what you want
• State the purpose of your request

The radio report should contain…

• Unit to base
• Location
• Age - sex - weight of patient
• Cheif complaint (C/C) of patient
• Expanded Cheif complaint
• Level of consciousness (LOC)
• Pupils and skin signs
• Vital signs
• Past medical history (PMH)
• Physical Exam (PE)
• Treatment given (RX)
• Destination
• Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA)

Question 10

What documentation should you provide? What are the rules for documentation?

Remember, these are legal documents so it can be used in court. These documents are a reflection of the care you provide.

Answer 10

• EMS Form
• Run Sheet
• Patient Chart

The rules for documentation include…

• If you did not write it down, you did not do it.
• Incomplete paperwork = incomplete care
• Sloppy paperwork = sloppy care

Question 11

What are communicable diseases? How do you minimize risk?

Answer 11

• Diseases that can be transmitted from one person to another.
• Risk can be minimized with proper protection (PPE) and immunizations.

Question 12

What are the different routes of transmission?

Answer 12

• Direct: disease was transmitted from body to body directly with no medium such as sexual intercourse, kissing, biting, licking, etc…
• Vector-borne: a disease that is transmitted from a infected living body (usually an insect) to another living body with this organism being the medium.
• Vehicle (indirect): a disease that is transmitted to a body from an infected object
• Airborne: a disease that was transmitted from the air to your body.

Question 13

Define these common terms…

• Exposure
• Universal precaution
• BSI
• Exposure Control Plan

Answer 13

• Exposure: coming to contact with the disease directly/indirectly, does not exactly mean you have it, only a possiblity.
• Universal precaution: practice of treating all human body substances as if they are infectious
• Body Substance Isolation (BSI): keeping the patient’s substances to themselves by using gloves, mask, etc…
• Exposure control plan: how a company will provide treatment if you are exposed to a disease.

Question 14

What are the common BSI for EMT personnel?

Answer 14

• Hand washing
• Gloves
• Eye protection
• Mask
• Gowns (rare)

Question 15

What is the Duty to Act? What happens when you do not follow it?

Answer 15

• The Duty to Act states that we cannot deny care to a patient with a suspected communicable disease
• Failure to do so can result in being charged with abandonment/breach of duty/negligence.

Question 16

What are some diseases of special concern as an EMT?

Answer 16

• HIV infection (human immunodeficiency virus)
• Hepatitis (A, B, C, D, E) (liver infllammation)
• Meningitis (flammation of the meningies)
• Tuberculosis (TB)
• MRSA (Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus) (antibiotic resistant)
• VRE (Vanocomycin-resistant Enterococci) (antibiotic resistant)

Question 17

What should you do as general post-exposure management?

Answer 17

• See a doctor immediately.