1. The Emergency Medical Services System and the Medical First Responder

2. EMS System A network of resources linked together for the purpose of providing emergency care and transport to victims of sudden illness or injury.A network of resources linked together for the purpose of providing emergency care and transport to victims of sudden illness or injury.

3. History of Emergency Medical Services (1 of 3)   Emergency care developed during warfare at the beginning of the 20th century.   By the 1960s, domestic emergency care lagged behind.   Staffed emergency departments were often limited to large urban areas.

4. History of Emergency Medical Services (2 of 3)   Accidental Death and Disability: The Neglected Disease of Modern Society (1966)   Recommended:   Development of training   Development of federal guidelines and policies   Provide emergency care and transport   Establish staffed emergency departments

5. History of Emergency Medical Services (3 of 3)   Highway Safety Act and the Emergency Medical Act created funding   DOT developed the first National Standard Curriculum for training EMTs in the early 1970s   EMS established in most of the United States by 1980

6. Levels of Training   Lay Rescuer   First Responder   EMT-B   EMT-Intermediate   EMT-Paramedic

7. Components of the EMS System (1 of 5)   Access   Easy access in an emergency is essential.   Administration and Policy   Policies and procedures are essential.

8. Components of the EMS System (2 of 5)   Medical Direction and Control   Each EMS system must have a medical director.   Medical control may take place online or off-line.   Quality Control and Improvement   Process used to assure patient care meets standards.

9. Components of the EMS System (3 of 5)   Other physician input   Local, state and national specialists provide guidance.   State-specific statutes and regulations   All EMS systems are subject to state regulations.   Equipment   Properly maintained equipment is essential.

10. Components of the EMS System (4 of 5)   Ambulance   EMT-Bs must be familiar with the ambulance and its functions.   Specialty Centers   Focusing on care for certain types of patients   Interfacility Transports   Transportation of patients from one care facility to another

11. Components of the EMS System (5 of 5)   Hospital Staff   EMS is part of the whole continuum of care.   Working with Public Safety Agencies   First Responders should understand the role of each agency.   Training   Quality of care depends on training.

12. Providing a Coordinated Continuum of Care   1st Phase—out of hospital care   2nd Phase—emergency department care   3rd Phase—definitive care

13. THE BLUE “STAR OF LIFE”

14. The symbol applies to all emergency medical goods and services which are funded under the DOT/EMS programs. Designed by Leo R. Schwartz, chief of the EMS Branch, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration(NHTSA) The first Symbol was an Omaha Orange Cross on a square background of reflectorized white. The “Star of Life” was created after the American Red Cross complained in 1973.

15. The newly designed, six barred cross, was adopted from the Medical Identification Symbol of the American Medical Association and was registered as a certification mark on February 1, 1977 with the commissioner of patents and Trade-marks in the name of the National Highway Traffic Safety and Administration.

16. Each of the six "points" of the star represents an aspect of the EMS System. They are: Detection Reporting Response On Scene Care Care in Transit Transfer to Definitive Care The staff on the star represents Medicine and Healing.

17. Medical First Responder  The first person on the scene of an incident with emergency medical care skills typically trained to the most basic EMS level.

18. Qualities of the MFR  Responsibility  Scope of care – actions that are legally allowed for the MFR when providing patient care.  Duty to act - the contractual or legal obligation of the MFR to provide care.  Breaches of Responsibility  Abandonment - discontinuing emergency medical care without making sure that another healthcare professional with equal or better training has taken over.  Negligence – failure to provide the expected standard of care, causing injury or death of the patient.

19. Qualities of the MFR  Sociability  Honest  Pride (Hygiene, uniform, personal appearance)  Emotional stability  Professional demeanor  Good physical condition  Demonstrated ability

20.  Protect your safety and safety of your crew, the patient, and bystanders.  Gain access to the patient.  Assess the patient to identify life threatening problems.  Alert additional EMS resources.  Provide care based on assessment findings. Duties of MFR

21.  Assist other EMS personnel.  Participate in record keeping & data collection as received.  Act as liaison with other public safety workers.  Perform patient packaging & preparation for movement & transport. Duties of MFR

22.  To solicit and received pre-hospital care.  Confidentiality regarding personal information and condition.  To pursue legal recourse for acts of negligence, abandonment, and/or violation of confidentiality.  In some situation, the patient has the right to refuse care. Rights of the Patient

23.  Competent – one who understands your questions and implications of decisions made about medical care.  Expressed Consent – permission that must be obtained from every responsive, competent adult patient before providing emergency care. It may be oral consent or an affirmative gesture.  Implied Consent – assumed on the part of an unconscious, confused or seriously injured patient or, in a minor patient who cannot make decisions. Competent and Incompetent

24.  Parental /Minor Consent – permission that must be obtained from the parent or legal guardian when the parent is a minor. Competent and Incompetent

25.  Incompetent – influence of alcohol or drugs, altered mental status, serious illness that could affect judgment, mentally ill. Competent and Incompetent