The Professional Rescuer American Red Cross Certification Chapter

The Professional Rescuer American Red Cross Certification

Chapter 1 n A professional rescuer has many responsibilities. n n Having a duty to respond to emergencies Using techniques learned in professional training Ensuring your personal safety and the safety of fellow rescue team members and bystanders. Gaining safe access to the victim

Chapter 1 Responsibilities Continued: n n Determine any threats to the victim’s life. Summoning more advanced medical personnel when necessary Provided need care for the victim Assisting more advance medical personnel.

Chapter 1 n Personal characteristic of a professional rescuer n Maintain a professional appearance and attitude q n n Keeping your skills and knowledge up to date Controlling your own fears q q n Be compassionate , knowing that anger results from fear You may need to compose yourself before you act. Blood, vomit and the nature of the injury may be disturbing Maintaining a healthy lifestyle

Chapter 1 n n The emergency medical services system is a network of community resources and medical personnel that provides emergency care to the victims of injury or sudden illness. Survival depends on a carefully orchestrated series of events in which all participants fulfill the roles within the EMS system. Each part needs to work effectively

Chapter 1 n 6 steps in the EMS q q q Recognize and response by the lay responder Early Activation of the EMS Professional rescuer care Prehospital care provided by the advanced medical personnel Hospital care Rehabilitation

Chapter 1 n n The role of the professional rescuer in the EMS system includes providing a critical transition between the actions of the lay responder and the care provided by more advance medical personnel. The basic purpose of the EMS system is to bring rapid medical care to the victim.

Chapter 1 n Legal Considerations- Lawsuits against those who provide care at the scene of an emergency are highly unusual and rarely successful.

Good Samaritan Laws n This law protects you from legal action as long as you act in good faith and do not go beyond your scope of training

Legal Considerations n Duty to act- n Scope of practice- A set of skills and knowledge acquired Employees who by occupation have a responsibility to provide care at the scene of the emergency. in training and which a rescuer is authorized by certification to practice. It establishes the limit of care that a rescuer can provided. n Standard of Care- Training guidelines and expectations of level of knowledge and skills for professional rescuers.

n Negligence- Failure to follow the stand of care of failure to act which results in injury or causes further harm to a victim. n Abandonment- Leaving the scene of an emergency. n Consent- Before providing care to a conscious victim, you must first ask obtain his/her consent. For a minor, must get consent from parent of guardian. If a victim is unconscious, this is considered applied consent.

n Refusal of Care-If a victim refuses care, honor their wishes and document. n Advanced Directives- Are written instructions that provide the wishes of the person regarding medical treatment or health care decisions in the event the person becomes incapacitated and can no longer express his/her wishes. n Documentation- Documenting an injury or sudden illness establishes a record of what events or significant findings have occurred since the accident occurred. It is also a record that can provide legal documentation of what you saw, heard and what you did at the scene.