Module One
Lesson 1-1: Introduction to Emergency Medical
Care COGNITIVE OBJECTIVES
➢ Define Emergency Medical Services (EMS) systems. (C-1; 1-1.1)
○ A multidisciplinary system that represents the combined efforts of several
professionals and agencies to provide prehospital emergency care to the sick
and injured.
➢ Differentiate the roles and responsibilities of the EMT from other prehospital care
providers. (C-3; 1-1.2)
○ The only difference between the EMT and the paramedic is the level of care that
is provided to the patient. EMT’s have a fundamental knowledge of emergency
care and provide basic life support (BLS), such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation,
bleeding control, bandaging and splinting, and basic airway management.
Paramedics have a comprehensive knowledge of emergency medical care, which
is built on a solid knowledge of BLS, and provide advanced life support
interventions, such as advanced airway management, cardiac monitoring, and
medication administration.
➢ Describe the roles and responsibilities related to personal safety. (C-1; 1-1.3)
○ ANSWER
➢ Discuss the roles and responsibilities of the EMT towards the safety of the crew,
the patient and bystanders. (C-1; 1-1.4)
○ ANSWER
➢ Define quality improvement and discuss the EMT’s role in the process. (C-1; 1-1.5)
○ The medical director is responsible for maintaining quality control, ensuring that
all staff members who are involved in caring for patients meet appropriate
medical care standards on each call. To provide the necessary quality control, the
medical director and other involved staff review patient care (PCR), audit
administrative records, and survey patients. Positive feedback is also discussed. If
a problem appears to be repeated by a single EMT or crew, the medical director
will discuss the details with those involved.
➢ Define medical direction and discuss the EMT's role in the process. (C-1; 1-1.6)
○ Each EMS system has a physician medical director who authorizes the EMTs in
the service to provide medical care in the field. The appropriate care for each
injury, condition, or illness that you will encounter in the field is determined by
the medical director and is described in a set of written standing orders and
protocols. Protocols are described in a comprehensive guide delineating the
EMT’s scope of practice. Standing orders are part of protocols and designate
what the EMT is required to do for a specific complaint or condition. Providers
are not required to consult medical direction before implementing standing
orders.
, ➢ State the specific statutes and regulations in your state regarding the EMS system. (C-
1; 1-1.7)
○ The state EMS office is responsible for authorizing, auditing, and regulating all
emergency medical services, training institutions, courses, instructors, and
providers within the state. In most states, the state EMS office obtains input from
an advisory committee made up of representatives of the services, service medical
directors, medical associations, hospitals, training programs, instructors’
associations, EMT associations, and the public in that state
➢ Describe Basic Principles of Public Health including Role, Laws and EMS Interface (C-
1; 1-1.8)
○ ANSWER
AFFECTIVE OBJECTIVES
➢ Assess areas of personal attitude and conduct of the EMT. (A-3; 1-1.8)
○ Consistent actions, a firm adherence to a code of honest behavior (Integrity),
aware of and thoughtful toward the needs of others (Empathy), ability to discover
problems and solve them without someone directing you (Self-Motivation), uses
persona to project a sense of trust, professionalism, knowledge and compassion
(Appearance and Hygiene), a state of being where you know what you know
AND know what you do not know; ability to ask for help (Self-Confidence),
ability to perform or delegate multiple tasks ensuring efficiency and safety (Time
Management), ability to understand others and have them understand you
(Communications), ability to work with others; to know your place within a team;
ability to communicate while giving respect to the listener (Teamwork and
Diplomacy), places others in high regard or importance; understands others are
more important than self (Respect), constantly keeping the needs of the patient at
the center of care (Patient Advocacy), and pays attention to detail; makes sure
what is being done for the patient is done as safely as possible (Careful Delivery
of Care).
➢ Characterize the various methods used to access the EMS system in your community. (A-
3; 1-1.9)
○ In most of the country, an emergency communication center that dispatches
fire, police, rescue and EMS units can be reached by dialing 9-1-1. A system
called emergency medical dispatch (EMD) was developed to assist dispatchers
in providing callers with vital instruction to help them deal with a medical
emergency until EMS crews arrive.
➢ Discuss the value of the EMT in the process of Public Health. (A-3; 1-1.10)
○ The focus of the public health arm of health care is prevention. (1) If a major
outbreak were to occur in the United States, EMTs may be called on to assist
in the administration of vaccinations. (2) There are several ways EMTs can
contribute to primary prevention efforts. You can become involved in
programs
Lesson 1-1: Introduction to Emergency Medical
Care COGNITIVE OBJECTIVES
➢ Define Emergency Medical Services (EMS) systems. (C-1; 1-1.1)
○ A multidisciplinary system that represents the combined efforts of several
professionals and agencies to provide prehospital emergency care to the sick
and injured.
➢ Differentiate the roles and responsibilities of the EMT from other prehospital care
providers. (C-3; 1-1.2)
○ The only difference between the EMT and the paramedic is the level of care that
is provided to the patient. EMT’s have a fundamental knowledge of emergency
care and provide basic life support (BLS), such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation,
bleeding control, bandaging and splinting, and basic airway management.
Paramedics have a comprehensive knowledge of emergency medical care, which
is built on a solid knowledge of BLS, and provide advanced life support
interventions, such as advanced airway management, cardiac monitoring, and
medication administration.
➢ Describe the roles and responsibilities related to personal safety. (C-1; 1-1.3)
○ ANSWER
➢ Discuss the roles and responsibilities of the EMT towards the safety of the crew,
the patient and bystanders. (C-1; 1-1.4)
○ ANSWER
➢ Define quality improvement and discuss the EMT’s role in the process. (C-1; 1-1.5)
○ The medical director is responsible for maintaining quality control, ensuring that
all staff members who are involved in caring for patients meet appropriate
medical care standards on each call. To provide the necessary quality control, the
medical director and other involved staff review patient care (PCR), audit
administrative records, and survey patients. Positive feedback is also discussed. If
a problem appears to be repeated by a single EMT or crew, the medical director
will discuss the details with those involved.
➢ Define medical direction and discuss the EMT's role in the process. (C-1; 1-1.6)
○ Each EMS system has a physician medical director who authorizes the EMTs in
the service to provide medical care in the field. The appropriate care for each
injury, condition, or illness that you will encounter in the field is determined by
the medical director and is described in a set of written standing orders and
protocols. Protocols are described in a comprehensive guide delineating the
EMT’s scope of practice. Standing orders are part of protocols and designate
what the EMT is required to do for a specific complaint or condition. Providers
are not required to consult medical direction before implementing standing
orders.
, ➢ State the specific statutes and regulations in your state regarding the EMS system. (C-
1; 1-1.7)
○ The state EMS office is responsible for authorizing, auditing, and regulating all
emergency medical services, training institutions, courses, instructors, and
providers within the state. In most states, the state EMS office obtains input from
an advisory committee made up of representatives of the services, service medical
directors, medical associations, hospitals, training programs, instructors’
associations, EMT associations, and the public in that state
➢ Describe Basic Principles of Public Health including Role, Laws and EMS Interface (C-
1; 1-1.8)
○ ANSWER
AFFECTIVE OBJECTIVES
➢ Assess areas of personal attitude and conduct of the EMT. (A-3; 1-1.8)
○ Consistent actions, a firm adherence to a code of honest behavior (Integrity),
aware of and thoughtful toward the needs of others (Empathy), ability to discover
problems and solve them without someone directing you (Self-Motivation), uses
persona to project a sense of trust, professionalism, knowledge and compassion
(Appearance and Hygiene), a state of being where you know what you know
AND know what you do not know; ability to ask for help (Self-Confidence),
ability to perform or delegate multiple tasks ensuring efficiency and safety (Time
Management), ability to understand others and have them understand you
(Communications), ability to work with others; to know your place within a team;
ability to communicate while giving respect to the listener (Teamwork and
Diplomacy), places others in high regard or importance; understands others are
more important than self (Respect), constantly keeping the needs of the patient at
the center of care (Patient Advocacy), and pays attention to detail; makes sure
what is being done for the patient is done as safely as possible (Careful Delivery
of Care).
➢ Characterize the various methods used to access the EMS system in your community. (A-
3; 1-1.9)
○ In most of the country, an emergency communication center that dispatches
fire, police, rescue and EMS units can be reached by dialing 9-1-1. A system
called emergency medical dispatch (EMD) was developed to assist dispatchers
in providing callers with vital instruction to help them deal with a medical
emergency until EMS crews arrive.
➢ Discuss the value of the EMT in the process of Public Health. (A-3; 1-1.10)
○ The focus of the public health arm of health care is prevention. (1) If a major
outbreak were to occur in the United States, EMTs may be called on to assist
in the administration of vaccinations. (2) There are several ways EMTs can
contribute to primary prevention efforts. You can become involved in
programs
