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Emergency Care Quiz: EMS Systems, Roles, and Responsibilities Answer Key
By Nancy Caroline
1. Answer: B. Whether you end up treating these patients or not, before you even go near them and assess the situation, you need personal protective equipment such as gloves and possible eye protection.
2. Answer: A. You can only do basic life support measures as an EMT-B and as someone who is not on duty. You are not yet a paramedic, so you cannot intubate. You would need medical control’s permission to use a Combitube, but you are not on duty and therefore you are not operating under an agency. In addition, you should not be using your own supplies, which may or may not be sterile and up to code.
3. Answer: B. A physician is a more qualified medical professional than you; however, that particular physician would have to take full responsibility for care of the patient(s), including going to the hospital with the EMS crew and signing paperwork stating his assessment and treatment. It may be the final decision of the EMS crew that works the scene.
4. Answer: D. All of the answers are correct. You stopped to help, assuming responsibility for the patient(s) until someone equally or more qualified can be present to take over patient care. You need to fill them in on any information you know, especially if you witnessed the accident, and any treatment you have administered, no matter how minor. You cannot legally turn over care to someone less qualified than you (such as a first responder), and must stay on scene until someone with the same qualifications or higher is on scene and takes over patient care.
5. Answer: B. NO! It is considered unlawful to practice any paramedic functions until you are certified as a paramedic and operating under some kind of medical control or other physician’s license.
6. Answer: B. You are a health professional at ALL times, whether on duty or off duty. If you cannot keep professional behavior in the situation, it would be better not to stop and accept the responsibility of the situation. For example, if you’re coming home from a late party, smell like beer and cigarettes, you may be better off not stopping, making sure EMS has been called, and letting them do their job.
| Challenging Questions 7. Being a paramedic is not just a job you work during a shift. You are always a paramedic, being a role model for the public at all times. With the increase in television shows that do not always accurately depict the roles of health care providers, do you feel it is your responsibility to educate the public in every situation possible as to what the EMS field is truly like, correct misconceptions, and give an accurate portrayal of what you are responsible for and capable of as a paramedic? Rationale: It is ABSOLUTELY important to feel this way. Without community education, misconceptions can be widespread among the public. Some people may even feel they have the knowledge to stop at an accident they witness and render “medical help” from TV shows they’ve seen until EMS arrives, doing more harm than good. Some may call 9-1-1 for an emergency, and then be uncooperative when they think you’re not doing what you should be, based on something they’ve seen or heard that is fictitious. Every chance you get, help educate small community groups, teach a class, talk with school classes, anything you can do to help public education. 8. You are called to the scene of a two-car crash with serious injuries to the drivers and passengers of both vehicles. You call for additional assistance, but know it will be several minutes until more help arrives. Someone stops, and offers his assistance. He does seem to be knowledgeable in what needs to be done for the victims of the accident. Should you enlist his help in stabilizing your patients? Why or why not? Rationale: If that particular person is not a physician and not willing to accept full responsibility for the patient and accompany you to the hospital to sign papers, then letting that person do any more than be a helping hand in lifting or some other non-patient care event would be a possible threat to your own job. The same applies to Good Samaritan—basic help with lifting, holding c-spine, or other non-EMS patient care is acceptable only. You are under the direction of medical control in your area, your area’s protocols must be followed, and YOU are ultimately responsible for all care of patients involved. |
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