Temple College EMS Professions1 COMMUNICATIONS EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN - BASIC

Temple College EMS Professions 1

COMMUNICATIONS

EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN - BASIC

Temple College EMS Professions 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

Temple College EMS Professions 3

PHASES IN EMS COMMUNICATIONS

• DISPATCH– Alert personnel and direct to scene– Radio paging, telephone, radio voice

communications

Temple College EMS Professions 4

PHASES IN EMS COMMUNICATIONS

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

Temple College EMS Professions 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

Temple College EMS Professions 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

Temple College EMS Professions 7

PHASES IN EMS COMMUNICATIONS

• COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN HOSPITALS– Direct link for medical resources and patient

transfers– Back-up communications link

Temple College EMS Professions 8

PHASES IN EMS COMMUNICATIONS

• COMMUNICATIONS WITH SUPPORT AGENCIES– Through dispatch centers– Directly between field units

Temple College EMS Professions 9

PHASES IN EMS COMMUNICATIONS

• COORDINATION WITH OTHER COMMUNICATION NETWORKS– Amateur radio– Citizen’s band– Commercial broadcast– Business radio

Temple College EMS Professions 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

Temple College EMS Professions 11

EMS Communications & the FCC

• Establish licensing standards and operating specifications

• Establish limits for transmitter power output

• Monitor radio operations

Temple College EMS Professions 12

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

Temple College EMS Professions 13

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

Temple College EMS Professions 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

Temple College EMS Professions 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

Temple College EMS Professions 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

Temple College EMS Professions 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

Temple College EMS Professions 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

Temple College EMS Professions 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

Temple College EMS Professions 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

Temple College EMS Professions 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

Temple College EMS Professions 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!

Temple College EMS Professions 23

PRESENTING INFORMATION

• IDENTIFY YOURSELF– Identify service, unit number, personnel I.D.

number

• IDENTIFY PATIENT– Age, sex, and weight (no names)

Temple College EMS Professions 24

PRESENTING INFORMATION

• IDENTIFY SITUATION– Causes– Mechanism of Injury

• IDENTIFY CHIEF COMPLAINT/INJURIES– An elaboration of the chief complaint

Temple College EMS Professions 25

PRESENTING INFORMATION• PHYSICAL EXAMINATION

– Pulse– Respirations– Blood Pressure– Pupils– Skin– Neurological Condition– Vascular Signs– Pertinent findings in order from head to toe

Temple College EMS Professions 26

PRESENTING INFORMATION

• PAST Medical History– Pertinent medical history– Allergies– Medications

• PROTOCOL TREATMENT– Treatment given prior to transmission– Confirmation of treatment ordered

Temple College EMS Professions 27

PRESENTING INFORMATION

• CHANGE IN PT. CONDITION

• PHYSICIAN

• DESTINATION– Signal, code, ETA

Temple College EMS Professions 28

MULTIPLE PATIENTS

• Number each patient

• Present complete information on each patient before continuing to next

• Present most serious to least serious

Temple College EMS Professions 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

Temple College EMS Professions 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

Temple College EMS Professions 31

USING A TRANSMITTER/ RECEIVER

• Articulate clearly

• Use proper English

• Avoid using codes

Temple College EMS Professions 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

Temple College EMS Professions 33

INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

• Make and keep eye contact

• Be Confident– Confidence in yourself will inspire trust from

the Pt.

Temple College EMS Professions 34

INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

• Be Respectful– Use proper names unless told otherwise– Do not speak condescendingly

• “Hon”

• “Darling”

– Be conscious of cultural differences

Temple College EMS Professions 35

INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

• Be Courteous– Please– Thank you– Yes Ma’am/Sir– No Ma’am/Sir

• Be Truthful

Temple College EMS Professions 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

Temple College EMS Professions 37

INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

• Speak slowly/enunciate

• Allow time for the Pt to answer questions

Temple College EMS Professions 38

SPECIAL PATIENTS

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

Temple College EMS Professions 39

SPECIAL PATIENTS

• Hearing Impaired– Use Interpreter– Face Pt. when speaking

• Allows them to see your lips

• Allows them to see your facial expression

Temple College EMS Professions 40

SPECIAL PATIENTS

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

Temple College EMS Professions 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

Temple College EMS Professions 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