Course Library

Well-Being of the EMS Provider

Information Covered:

Roles/Responsibilities/Professionalism of EMS Personnel
1. Roles and Responsibilities
2. Leadership/Affective Characteristics
  1. Attributes of professional
    1. Integrity
    2. Empathy
    3. Self–motivation
    4. Appearance and personal hygiene
  2. Confidence in skills and ability
  3. Communication
    1. Verbal
    2. Written
  4. Time management
  5. Teamwork and diplomacy
  6. Respect for patients, coworkers and other health care professionals
  7. Patient advocacy
  8. Careful delivery of service
3. Administration
  1. Record keeping and reporting
  2. Special project coordination and implementation
  3. Station duties
  4. Interagency relationships/partnerships
4. Credentialing
  1. Licensure
  2. Certification
  3. National registration
  4. Reciprocity
    1. Maintenance of certification and licensure
      1. Personal responsibility
      2. Continuing education
      3. Skill competency verification
      4. Criminal implications
      5. Fees
5. Less Traditional Roles
  1. Expanded scope of practice
  2. Paramedics in Other Settings
    1. Emergency departments
    2. Clinics
    3. Health departments
    4. Physicians office
    5. Interfacility transport
    6. Critical care transport
    7. Neonatal transport
    8. High-risk obstetric transport
6. Operational Responsibilities
  1. Preparation
  2. Response
  3. Scene assessment
  4. Patient assessment
  5. Management
    1. Following protocols
    2. Interacting with medical direction physician, as needed
  6. Appropriate disposition
    1. Disposition issues
      1. ED transport
      2. Alternative destinations
      3. Ground
      4. Air
      5. Selection of the proper receiving facility
      6. Requires knowledge of the receiving facilities
      7. Hospital designation/categorization
      8. Based on hospital resource capabilities
      9. Clinical capabilities and specialty availability
      10. Transfer agreements
      11. Payers and insurance systems
    2. Non-Transport
      1. Against medical advice
      2. No assistance needed
      3. Transfer to other EMS
      4. Medical examiner investigations
  7. Transfer of care
  8. Documentation
  9. Returning to service
7. Education
  1. Education principles & practices
    1. National EMS Scope of Practice Model
    2. National EMS Education Standards
  2. Paramedic education/accreditation
    1. National EMS Program Accreditation
    2. State accreditation
  3. Patient education
    1. Pre-incident
    2. Post-incident
  4. Public education
    1. Role modeling
    2. Community involvement
    3. Leader activities
    4. Community activities
    5. Prevention activities
  5. Episodic/non-acute care activities
    1. Patient home assistance
    2. Social assistance
    3. Home health care assistance
8. Professionalism
  1. Profession
  2. Specialized body of knowledge or expertise
    1. Self-regulating
    2. Maintains standards
  3. Professionals
    1. Education
    2. Follow standards of conduct and performance
    3. Adhere to code of ethics
  4. Health care professional
    1. Conforms to the standards of health care professions
    2. Provides quality patient care
    3. Instills pride in the profession
    4. Strives for high standards
    5. Earns respect of others
    6. High societal expectations while on and off duty
    7. EMS personnel occupy positions of public trust
    8. Unprofessional conduct
    9. Commitment to excellence
    10. Image and behavior

Paramedics represent a variety of people
1. Self
2. EMS agency
3. State/county/ district EMS offices
4. Peers
5. Affective characteristics
  1. Integrity
  2. Empathy
  3. Self-motivation
  4. Appearance and hygiene
  5. Self-confidence
  6. Time management
  7. Communication
    1. Verbal
    2. Written
  8. Teamwork and diplomacy
  9. Respect for patients, coworkers and other healthcare professionals
  10. Patient advocacy
  11. Careful delivery of service

Quality Improvement
1. System for continually evaluating and improving care
2. Continuous quality improvement (CQI)
3. Dynamic process
Patient Safety
1. Significant-one of the most urgent health care challenges
2. Incidence-IoM report “To Err is Human” up to 98,000 patients die due to medical errors
3. High risk activities
  1. Hand off
  2. Communication issues
  3. medication issues
  4. airway issues
  5. dropping patients
  6. ambulance crashes
  7. spinal immobilization
4. How errors happen
  1. skills-based failure
  2. rules-based failure
  3. knowledge-based failure
5. Preventing Errors
  1. Environmental
    1. Clear protocols
    2. Light
    3. Minimal interruptions
    4. Organization and packaging of drugs
  2. Individual
    1. Reflection in action
    2. Constantly question assumptions
    3. Reflection bias
    4. Use decision aids
    5. Ask for help
  3. Self-confidence
  4. Time management
  5. Communication
    1. Verbal
    2. Written
  6. Teamwork and diplomacy
  7. Respect for patients, coworkers and other healthcare professionals
  8. Patient advocacy
  9. Careful delivery of service

Quality Improvement
1. System for continually evaluating and improving care
2. Continuous quality improvement (CQI)
3. Dynamic process
Patient Safety
1. Significant-one of the most urgent health care challenges
2. Incidence-IoM report “To Err is Human” up to 98,000 patients die due to medical errors
3. High risk activities
  1. Hand off
  2. Communication issues
  3. medication issues
  4. airway issues
  5. dropping patients
  6. ambulance crashes
  7. spinal immobilization
4. How errors happen
  1. skills-based failure
  2. rules-based failure
  3. knowledge-based failure
5. Preventing Errors
  1. Environmental
    1. Clear protocols
    2. Light
    3. Minimal interruptions
    4. Organization and packaging of drugs
  2. Individual
    1. Reflection in action
    2. Constantly question assumptions
    3. Reflection bias
    4. Use decision aids
    5. Ask for help
Stress Management
1. Types of stress reactions
  1. Acute stress reaction
  2. Delayed stress reaction
  3. Cumulative stress reaction
2. Stress management
  1. Change in lifestyle
  2. Balance in life
  3. Recognize response to family and friends
  4. Change in work environment
  5. Seek professional assistance
3. Dealing with death and dying
Stages of death and dying
1. Denial
2. Anger
3. Bargaining

Wellness Principles
1. Physical Wellbeing
  1. Physical fitness
    1. Cardiovascular endurance
    2. Muscle strength
    3. Muscle flexibility
  2. Sleep
  3. Disease prevention
  4. Injury prevention
2. Mental Wellbeing
  1. Alcohol and drug issues
  2. Smoking cessation
  3. Stress Management
  4. Relationship issues
3. Depression
4. Acceptance
Prevention of Work-Related Injuries
1. Vehicle restraint systems
2. Safe lifting techniques
3. Adequate sleep
4. Physical fitness and nutrition
5. Hazard awareness
6. Adherence to standard precautions/OSHA regulations
7. Disease transmission prevention -- communicable versus blood borne

Content Creator: Carli Wymore
CAPCE Course Number: 20-EMTP-F3-4306
NJ Course Number: 141106
Total CE Hours: 1.0
Level: Basic
EMT-CE uses the NEMSES guidelines as the foundation for every course outline.

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