| A | B |
|---|
| designated agent | an EMT-B or other person authorized by a medical director to give medications and provide emergency care. The transfer of such authorization to a designeated agent is an extension of the medical cirector's license to practice medicine |
| medical direction | oversight of the patient care aspects of an EMS system by the medical director. Offline medical direction consists of standing orders issued by mthe medical director that allow EMTs to give certain medications and perform certain procedures without speaking th the medical director or another physician. On-line medical direction consists of orders from the on-duty physician given directly to an EMT-B in the field by radio or telephone. |
| medical director | a physician who assumes ultimate responsibility for the patient care aspects of the EMS system |
| 9-1-1 system | a system for telephone access to report emergencies. A dispatcher takes the information and laerts EMS or the fire or police departments as needed. Enhanced 9-1-1 has the additional capability of automatically identifying the caller's phone number and location. |
| protocols | lists of steps, such as assessment and interventions, to be taken in different situations. Protocols are developed by the medical director of an EMS system |
| quality improvement | a process of continuous self-review with the purpose of identifying and correcting aspects of the system that require improvement. |
| standing orders | a policy or protocol issued by a medical director that authorizes EMT-Bs and others to perform particular skills in certain situations. |
| body substance isolation (BSI) | a form of infection control based on the presumption that all body fluids are infectious. |
| contamination | the introduction of dangerous chemicals, disease, or infectious materials. |
| critical incident stress briefing (CISD) | a process in which teams of professional and peer counselors provide emotional and psychological support to EMS personnel who are or have been involved in a critical (highly stressful) incident. |
| decontamination | the removal or cleansing of dangerous chemicals and other dangerous or infectious materials |
| hazardous-materials incident | the release of a harmful substance into the environment |
| multiple-casualty incident (MCI) | an emergency involving multiple patients |
| pathogens | the organims that cause infection, such as viruses and bacteria |
| personal protective equipment (PPE) | equipment that protects the EMS worker from infection and/or exposure to the dangers of rescue operations. |
| abandonment | leaving a patient after care has been initiated and before the patient has been transferred to someone with equal or greater medical training. |
| confidentiality | the obligation not to reveal information obtained about a patient except to other healthcare professionals involved in the patient's care, or under subpoena, or in a court of law, or when the patient has signed a release of confidentiality. |
| consent | permission from the patient for care or other action by the EMT-B. |
| crime scene | the location where a crime has been committed or any place that evidence relating to a crime may be found. |
| do not resuscitate (DRN) order | a legal document, usually signed by the patient and his physician, which states that the patient has a terminal illness and does not wish to prolong life through resuscitative efforts. |
| duty to act | an obligation to provide care to a patient. |
| expressed consent | consent given by adults who are of legal age and mentally competent to make a rational decisiion in regard to their medical well-being. |
| Good Samaritan laws | a series of laws, varying in each state, designed to provide limited legal protection for citizens and some health-care personnel when they are administering emergency care. |
| implied consent | the consent it is presumed a patient or patient's parent or guardian would give if they could, such as for an unconscious patient or a parent who cannot be contacted when care is needed. |
| liability | being held legally responsible |
| negligence | a finding of failure to act properly in a situation in which there was a duty to act, needed care as would reasonable be expected of the EMT-B was not provided, and harm was caused to the patient as a result. |
| organ donor | a person who has completed a legal document that allows for donation of organs and tissues in the event of death |
| scope of practice | a set of regulations and ethical considerations that define the scope, or extend and limits, of the EMT-B's job. |
