1. Paramedic Care: Principles & Practice Volume 1: Introduction to Paramedicine CHAPTER Fourth Edition ©2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Paramedic Care: Principles & Practice, 4 th Ed. Introduction to Paramedicine 1

2. ©2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Paramedic Care: Principles & Practice, 4 th Ed. Standard Preparatory (EMS Systems)

3. ©2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Paramedic Care: Principles & Practice, 4 th Ed. Competency Integrates comprehensive knowledge of EMS systems, the safety and well-being of the paramedic, and medical-legal and ethical issues, which is intended to improve the health of EMS personnel, patients, and the community.

4. ©2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Paramedic Care: Principles & Practice, 4 th Ed. Introduction Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Paramedic: –Highly trained health care professional –Provides comprehensive, compassionate, efficient prehospital emergency medical care

5. ©2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Paramedic Care: Principles & Practice, 4 th Ed. The paramedic of the twenty-first century is a highly trained health care professional.

6. ©2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Paramedic Care: Principles & Practice, 4 th Ed. Introduction Description of the Profession –Levels of EMS Providers  Emergency Medical Responder (EMR): immediate lifesaving care to critical patients.  Emergency Medical Technician (EMT): basic emergency medical care; transportation for critical and emergent patients.

7. ©2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Paramedic Care: Principles & Practice, 4 th Ed. Introduction Description of the Profession –Levels of EMS Providers  Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT): basic and limited advanced emergency medical care; transportation for critical and emergent patients.  Paramedic: highest level of prehospital care provider; leader of prehospital care team.

8. ©2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Paramedic Care: Principles & Practice, 4 th Ed. Introduction The Modern Paramedic –Combination of public health, public safety, health care –Provides emergency medical care in out-of-hospital setting –Makes accurate independent judgments –Has appropriate licensing or credentialing

9. ©2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Paramedic Care: Principles & Practice, 4 th Ed. Modern EMS is a combination of public health, public safety, and health care.

10. ©2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Paramedic Care: Principles & Practice, 4 th Ed. Introduction The Modern Paramedic –Functions under direction of EMS system's medical director –Knowledge, skills, attitudes consistent with expectations of public and profession –Component in continuum of care

11. ©2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Paramedic Care: Principles & Practice, 4 th Ed. Introduction The Modern Paramedic –Link between health resources –Maintains high-quality health care at reasonable cost –Advocates for patient –Ensures patient receives best possible care without regard to ability to pay or insurance status

12. ©2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Paramedic Care: Principles & Practice, 4 th Ed. Introduction The Modern Paramedic –Public education, health promotion, participation in injury and illness prevention programs

13. ©2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Paramedic Care: Principles & Practice, 4 th Ed. Introduction Paramedic Characteristics –Flexible –Confident leader –Excellent judgment –Prioritizes decisions –Has rapport with wide variety of patients –Functions independently

14. ©2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Paramedic Care: Principles & Practice, 4 th Ed. Introduction Paramedic: A True Health Professional –Continuing education programs –Reviews skills and procedures –Peer evaluation –Active role in professional and community organizations

15. ©2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Paramedic Care: Principles & Practice, 4 th Ed. Public education is an important part of the paramedic's job.

16. ©2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Paramedic Care: Principles & Practice, 4 th Ed. Introduction Paramedic: A True Health Professional –National Emergency Medical Services Education Standards: Paramedic Instructional Guidelines –Participates in research –Acceptance of and adherence to code of professional ethics and etiquette

17. ©2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Paramedic Care: Principles & Practice, 4 th Ed. Expanded Scope of Practice 911 response Critical care transport Helicopter EMS Tactical EMS Primary care Industrial medicine Sports medicine Corrections medicine Hospital emergency department

18. ©2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Paramedic Care: Principles & Practice, 4 th Ed. Expanded Scope of Practice Critical care transport: vehicles to move patients between facilities. –Specialized ground ambulances –Fixed-wing aircraft –Helicopters –Large vehicles mounted on truck chassis

19. ©2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Paramedic Care: Principles & Practice, 4 th Ed. The modern critical care transport vehicle provides virtually all the capabilities of the hospital intensive care unit.

20. ©2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Paramedic Care: Principles & Practice, 4 th Ed. Expanded Scope of Practice Helicopter EMS (HEMS) –Staff: two medical crew members; often paramedics. –Education: flight physiology, aircraft operations, flight safety.

21. ©2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Paramedic Care: Principles & Practice, 4 th Ed. The helicopter has become an important part of the modern EMS system. (© REACH Air Medical Services)

22. ©2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Paramedic Care: Principles & Practice, 4 th Ed. Expanded Scope of Practice Tactical EMS –Enhance safety of special operations personnel and public –Cross trained as police officers; carry weapons –Lifesaving care (dangerous environments); patient safely evacuated to EMS

23. ©2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Paramedic Care: Principles & Practice, 4 th Ed. Expanded Scope of Practice Primary Care –Care at scene without transport to hospital –Specialized crews periodically assess and monitor high-risk patients.

24. ©2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Paramedic Care: Principles & Practice, 4 th Ed. Expanded Scope of Practice Industrial Medicine –Safety inspection –Accident prevention –Medical screening of employees –Vaccinations and immunizations –Increased employee safety –Decreased time lost from work

25. ©2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Paramedic Care: Principles & Practice, 4 th Ed. The industrial paramedic provides several important services in addition to emergency care.

26. ©2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Paramedic Care: Principles & Practice, 4 th Ed. Expanded Scope of Practice Sports Medicine –Injury prevention –Injuries specific to sports Corrections Medicine –Initial prisoner medical intake assessment –Oversee medical needs of prison population; emergencies

27. ©2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Paramedic Care: Principles & Practice, 4 th Ed. Expanded Scope of Practice Hospital Emergency Departments –Role varies state to state –Assist medical and nursing staff with skills and responsibilities within scope of paramedicine

28. ©2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Paramedic Care: Principles & Practice, 4 th Ed. Summary EMS recognized as staple in health care system. Paramedics identified as underutilized medical experts. As scope of practice for paramedicine continues to expand, so will demand for skilled practitioners.

29. ©2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Paramedic Care: Principles & Practice, 4 th Ed. Summary Paramedic first member of health care system with whom patient interacts. Results can affect patient's opinion of health care system in general. EMS is a profession in which you can make a difference. Every call and every patient interaction has the potential to make the difference between life and death.