NOLS WEMT Course Terms and Questions preliminary
readings (ch 1,5,6) with Answers.
*CH1
Define "designated agent". - Correct Answer an EMT or other person authorized by a
Medical Director to give medications and provide emergency care
Where does the transfer of authorization to a designated agent come from? - Correct
Answer it is an extension of the Medical Director's license to practice medicine
Define "evidence-based". - Correct Answer description of medial techniques or practices
that are supported by scientific evidence of their safety and efficiency, rather than by
supposition and tradition
Define "medical direction". - Correct Answer oversight of the patient-care aspects of an
EMS system by the Medical Director
Define "Medical Director". - Correct Answer a physician who assumes ultimate
responsibility for the patient-care aspects of the EMS system
Define "911 system". - Correct Answer a system for telephone access to report
emergencies.
Who can a 911 dispatcher alert in the event of an emergency? - Correct Answer EMS, fire
or police departments as needed
What does "enhanced 911" have the additional capability of doing? - Correct Answer
automatically identifying the caller's phone number and location
Define "off-line medical direction". - Correct Answer standing orders issued by the Medical
Director that allow EMTs to give certain medications or perform certain procedures
without speaking to the Medical Director or another physician
Define "patient outcomes". - Correct Answer the long-term survival of patients
Define "protocols". - Correct Answer lists of steps, such as assessments and
interventions, to be taken in different situations.
,Who gets to develop the "protocols"? - Correct Answer the Medical Director of an EMS
system
Define "quality improvement". - Correct Answer a process of continuous self-review with
the purpose of identifying and correcting aspects of the system that require improvement
Define "standing orders". - Correct Answer a policy or protocol issued by a Medical
Director that authorizes EMT's and others to perform particular skills in certain situations
What are the 5 primary components of the Emergency Medical Services system? -
Correct Answer 1. 911 & emergency medical dispatchers
2. Emergency Medical Responders
3. EMTs (all levels) & ambulances
4. emergency department
5. other hospital units
What are some of the special designations that hospitals may have? - Correct Answer
trauma centers, burn centers, pediatric care centers, poison control centers, cardiac
centers, and stroke centers
What are the 4 national levels of EMS training and certification? - Correct Answer 1.
Emergency Medical Responder (EMR)
2. Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
3. Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT)
4. Paramedic
What are the 8 roles and responsibilities of the EMT? - Correct Answer 1. Safety of the
crew, patient, and bystanders
2. patient assessment
3. patient care
4. lifting and moving
5. transport
6. transfer of care
, 7. patient advocacy
8. promotion of public health and safety
What are the 4 desirable personal and physical attributes of the EMT? - Correct Answer 1.
being in good health, able to lift and carry up to 125 pounds
2. having good eyesight and hearing
3. being able to clearly communicate in written and oral forms
4. being pleasant/sincere/cooperative/resourceful/a self-starter/emotionally stable/able to
lead/neat and clean
What is the difference between on-line and off-line medical direction? - Correct Answer
on-line: the on-duty physician gives orders directly to the EMT by telephone or radio
of-line: the EMT carries out written standing orders from the Medical Director
*CH2
Define "compound" (in terms of language). Give an example of one. - Correct Answer a
word formed from two or more whole words (EX: smallpox)
Define "root" (in terms of language). Give an example of one. - Correct Answer foundation
of a word that is not a word that can stand on its own (EX: therm, meaning "heat")
Define "combining form" (in terms of language). Give an example of one. - Correct Answer
a word root with an added vowel that can be joined with other words, roots, or suffixes to
form a new word (EX: thermo)
Define "prefix" (in terms of language). - Correct Answer word part added to the beginning
of a root or word to modify or qualify its meaning
Define "suffix" (in terms of language). - Correct Answer word part added to the end of a
root or word to complete its meaning
Are abbreviations and acronyms always safe to use in the EMS system? - Correct Answer
no, they can cause communication errors; try not to abbreviate stuff
Who should you not use complex medical terminology with? - Correct Answer patients
and families
readings (ch 1,5,6) with Answers.
*CH1
Define "designated agent". - Correct Answer an EMT or other person authorized by a
Medical Director to give medications and provide emergency care
Where does the transfer of authorization to a designated agent come from? - Correct
Answer it is an extension of the Medical Director's license to practice medicine
Define "evidence-based". - Correct Answer description of medial techniques or practices
that are supported by scientific evidence of their safety and efficiency, rather than by
supposition and tradition
Define "medical direction". - Correct Answer oversight of the patient-care aspects of an
EMS system by the Medical Director
Define "Medical Director". - Correct Answer a physician who assumes ultimate
responsibility for the patient-care aspects of the EMS system
Define "911 system". - Correct Answer a system for telephone access to report
emergencies.
Who can a 911 dispatcher alert in the event of an emergency? - Correct Answer EMS, fire
or police departments as needed
What does "enhanced 911" have the additional capability of doing? - Correct Answer
automatically identifying the caller's phone number and location
Define "off-line medical direction". - Correct Answer standing orders issued by the Medical
Director that allow EMTs to give certain medications or perform certain procedures
without speaking to the Medical Director or another physician
Define "patient outcomes". - Correct Answer the long-term survival of patients
Define "protocols". - Correct Answer lists of steps, such as assessments and
interventions, to be taken in different situations.
,Who gets to develop the "protocols"? - Correct Answer the Medical Director of an EMS
system
Define "quality improvement". - Correct Answer a process of continuous self-review with
the purpose of identifying and correcting aspects of the system that require improvement
Define "standing orders". - Correct Answer a policy or protocol issued by a Medical
Director that authorizes EMT's and others to perform particular skills in certain situations
What are the 5 primary components of the Emergency Medical Services system? -
Correct Answer 1. 911 & emergency medical dispatchers
2. Emergency Medical Responders
3. EMTs (all levels) & ambulances
4. emergency department
5. other hospital units
What are some of the special designations that hospitals may have? - Correct Answer
trauma centers, burn centers, pediatric care centers, poison control centers, cardiac
centers, and stroke centers
What are the 4 national levels of EMS training and certification? - Correct Answer 1.
Emergency Medical Responder (EMR)
2. Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
3. Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT)
4. Paramedic
What are the 8 roles and responsibilities of the EMT? - Correct Answer 1. Safety of the
crew, patient, and bystanders
2. patient assessment
3. patient care
4. lifting and moving
5. transport
6. transfer of care
, 7. patient advocacy
8. promotion of public health and safety
What are the 4 desirable personal and physical attributes of the EMT? - Correct Answer 1.
being in good health, able to lift and carry up to 125 pounds
2. having good eyesight and hearing
3. being able to clearly communicate in written and oral forms
4. being pleasant/sincere/cooperative/resourceful/a self-starter/emotionally stable/able to
lead/neat and clean
What is the difference between on-line and off-line medical direction? - Correct Answer
on-line: the on-duty physician gives orders directly to the EMT by telephone or radio
of-line: the EMT carries out written standing orders from the Medical Director
*CH2
Define "compound" (in terms of language). Give an example of one. - Correct Answer a
word formed from two or more whole words (EX: smallpox)
Define "root" (in terms of language). Give an example of one. - Correct Answer foundation
of a word that is not a word that can stand on its own (EX: therm, meaning "heat")
Define "combining form" (in terms of language). Give an example of one. - Correct Answer
a word root with an added vowel that can be joined with other words, roots, or suffixes to
form a new word (EX: thermo)
Define "prefix" (in terms of language). - Correct Answer word part added to the beginning
of a root or word to modify or qualify its meaning
Define "suffix" (in terms of language). - Correct Answer word part added to the end of a
root or word to complete its meaning
Are abbreviations and acronyms always safe to use in the EMS system? - Correct Answer
no, they can cause communication errors; try not to abbreviate stuff
Who should you not use complex medical terminology with? - Correct Answer patients
and families
