1 COMMUNICATIONS EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN - BASIC

2 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

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

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

5 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

6 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

13 EMS COMMUNICATIONS COMPONENTS MOBILE TRANSMITTER/RECEIVERS –Physically mounted in vehicles –Power output is watts –Range is 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

14 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

15 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

16 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

17 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

18 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

19 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

20 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

21 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

22 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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

29 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

30 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

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

32 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

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

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

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

36 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

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

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

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

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

41 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

42 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