COMMUNICATIONS EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN BASIC 1 PHASES IN

COMMUNICATIONS EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN BASIC 1

PHASES IN EMS COMMUNICATIONS • ACCESS/NOTIFICATION – Communication between party needing help and dispatcher – Via public telephone – Via non-public telephone or radio from fire, police 2

PHASES IN EMS COMMUNICATIONS • DISPATCH – Alert personnel and direct to scene – Radio paging, telephone, radio voice communications 3

PHASES IN EMS COMMUNICATIONS • COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN DISPATCH AND EMS UNIT – En route – On-scene – Departure from scene – Arrival at receiving facility – In-service 4

PHASES IN EMS COMMUNICATIONS • COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN DISPATCH AND EMS UNIT (Cont. ) – Assistance with mechanical or navigational problem – Immediate assistance or information from police, fire, or highway department – General coordination of units 5

PHASES IN EMS COMMUNICATIONS • COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN EMS UNIT AND HOSPITAL/PHYSICIAN – Early alert of hospital to incoming patients – On-line medical direction – Diversion to specialized health care facilities 6

PHASES IN EMS COMMUNICATIONS • COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN HOSPITALS – Direct link for medical resources and patient transfers – Back-up communications link 7

PHASES IN EMS COMMUNICATIONS • COMMUNICATIONS WITH SUPPORT AGENCIES – Through dispatch centers – Directly between field units 8

PHASES IN EMS COMMUNICATIONS • COORDINATION WITH OTHER COMMUNICATION NETWORKS – Amateur radio – Citizen’s band – Commercial broadcast – Business radio 9

EMS Communications & the FCC • Control all radio communications • Allocate specific radio frequencies for use by EMS providers • License base stations and assign call signs 10

EMS Communications & the FCC • Establish licensing standards and operating specifications • Establish limits for transmitter power output • Monitor radio operations 11

EMS COMMUNICATIONS COMPONENTS • BASE STATION – Transmitter/Receiver at fixed location – Used for dispatch, coordination, medical control – Geography/Terrain influence installation – Power output is 42 -275 watts – Multi-channel bases can receive on all channels simultaneously but can transmit on only one channel at a time 12

EMS COMMUNICATIONS COMPONENTS • MOBILE TRANSMITTER/RECEIVERS – Physically mounted in vehicles – Power output is 20 -50 watts – Range is 10 -12 miles over average terrain • decreases in mountainous areas, areas with large buildings • increases on water or flat terrain – All mobiles in local system have multiple channel capacity 13

EMS COMMUNICATIONS COMPONENTS • PORTABLE TRANSMITTER/RECEIVERS – Hand-held - “walkie-talkie” – Range limited by low output power – May be single or multi-channel – May be designed to retransmit through mobile unit to increase range – Best signal quality - antenna perpendicular 14

EMS COMMUNICATIONS COMPONENTS • REPEATERS – Extend range of mobile and portable units – Receive signal on one frequency and retransmit it on second frequency at higher power – May be fixed or mobile 15

EMS COMMUNICATIONS COMPONENTS • SATELLITE RECEIVERS – Additional receivers located about area of desired radio coverage to insure low power mobiles and portables are always in range – Connected to base station or repeater by telephone lines or microwave relay 16

EMS COMMUNICATIONS COMPONENTS • REMOTE CONSOLES – Control console and microphone connected to base station by telephone lines, microwave, radio – Allows remote locations such as hospitals to use base station • ENCODERS/DECODERS 17

TRANSMITTING INFORMATION • Have all information you need to report available BEFORE you start talking • Report the status of the ABC’s, the chief complaint, and the vital signs EARLY • Do Not Diagnose; Describe the patient’s problem 18

TRANSMITTING INFORMATION • Use standard medical terminology – If you don’t know the word, use plain English • Repeat all orders – if you are uncertain about what the physician said or you think an order is incorrect, ask him/her to repeat the order 19

TRANSMITTING INFORMATION • Avoid on-going transmissions – Stop talking every minute and assure that the receiving station has copied • Use a standard format for reporting patient information report the same way, every time 20

TRANSMITTING INFORMATION • If a standard format is not used. – all the essential information is not provided – time is wasted – patient care is delayed while the hospital attempts to get needed information – frustration will result 21

TRANSMITTING INFORMATION • The better the picture you can paint for the receiving personnel, the better prepared they will be to receive your patient • REMEMBER: Your job is to communicate, not to show off! 22

PRESENTING INFORMATION • IDENTIFY YOURSELF – Identify service, unit number, personnel I. D. number • IDENTIFY PATIENT – Age, sex, and weight (no names) 23

PRESENTING INFORMATION • IDENTIFY SITUATION – Causes – Mechanism of Injury • IDENTIFY CHIEF COMPLAINT/INJURIES – An elaboration of the chief complaint 24

PRESENTING INFORMATION • PHYSICAL EXAMINATION – Pulse – Respirations – Blood Pressure – Pupils – Skin – Neurological Condition – Vascular Signs – Pertinent findings in order from head to toe 25

PRESENTING INFORMATION • PAST Medical History – Pertinent medical history – Allergies – Medications • PROTOCOL TREATMENT – Treatment given prior to transmission – Confirmation of treatment ordered 26

PRESENTING INFORMATION • CHANGE IN PT. CONDITION • PHYSICIAN • DESTINATION – Signal, code, ETA 27

MULTIPLE PATIENTS • Number each patient • Present complete information on each patient before continuing to next • Present most serious to least serious 28

USING A TRANSMITTER/ RECEIVER • Know what you are going to say before you start talking. Do not waste air time • Never transmit without monitoring the frequency first • Wait two seconds after keying the microphone before talking 29

USING A TRANSMITTER/ RECEIVER • Identify yourself on every transmission • Speak at close range, directly into the microphone • Do not yell, use normal conversational tone and speed 30

USING A TRANSMITTER/ RECEIVER • Articulate clearly • Use proper English • Avoid using codes 31

USING A TRANSMITTER/ RECEIVER • Be courteous • Don’t show emotion; don’t curse or use obscene language • Do not vocalize pauses • Do not unkey your microphone until you have finished talking 32

INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION • Make and keep eye contact • Be Confident – Confidence in yourself will inspire trust from the Pt. 33

INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION • Be Respectful – Use proper names unless told otherwise – Do not speak condescendingly • “Hon” • “Darling” – Be conscious of cultural differences 34

INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION • Be Courteous – Please – Thank you – Yes Ma’am/Sir – No Ma’am/Sir • Be Truthful 35

INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION • Use terms that the pt/Family will understand • Be careful of what you say about the Pt and where you say it • Be aware of your body language 36

INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION • Speak slowly/enunciate • Allow time for the Pt to answer questions 37

SPECIAL PATIENTS • Non-English speaking – Use Interpreter – Do not attempt language if unsure – Use Flash Cards 38

SPECIAL PATIENTS • Hearing Impaired – Use Interpreter – Face Pt. when speaking • Allows them to see your lips • Allows them to see your facial expression 39

SPECIAL PATIENTS • Children – Get on their “level” – Approach slowly – Avoid threatening postures – Explain everything that you do 40

SPECIAL PATIENTS • Children – Don’t lie – Respect a child’s modesty – Use parents to calm child (If parent is calm) – Let Parent hold child if not contraindicated – Allow child to keep familiar objects 41

SPECIAL PATIENTS • Elderly – Use last names of older patients until told otherwise – Don’t use slang – Don’t assume senility/deafness/infirmities – Be aware of cultural differences – Don’t rush Pt – Attend to family 42