AEMT Chapter 1 Introduction to Advanced EMT.pptx

Advanced EMT: A Clinical-Reasoning
Approach
Second Edition Update
Chapter 1
Introduction to Advanced
Emergency Medical
Technician Practice
Copyright © 2025, 2017, 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Advanced EMT Education Standard
• Applies fundamental knowledge of the EMS system,
safety/well-being of the Advanced EMT, and
medical/legal and ethical issues to the provision of
emergency care.

Learning Objectives
1.1 Define key terms introduced in this chapter.
1.2 Describe the competencies, roles, responsibilities, and
professional characteristics of the Advanced EMT.
1.3 Describe the scope of practice of the Advanced EMT.
1.4 Place the roles and responsibilities of the Advanced EMT
in the larger contexts of emergency medical services (EMS),
health care, and public health.
1.5 Discuss key issues in the contemporary practice of the
Advanced EMT, including professionalism, the focus on
patient safety, research, and evidence-based practice.

Think About It
• How should Jane and Kevin proceed?
• What are their overall goals in managing this situation?
• What knowledge and skills do you think Jane and Kevin
will be calling on?

Introduction
• AEMTs
– are a critical part of the emergency medical services
(EMS).
– provide comfort, emergency medical care, and
transportation.
– provide a link between patients and the health care
and public health systems.

EMS and EMS Providers
• Initially, training focused on patients in MVCs and/ or
cardiac arrest.
• Over time training has evolved to meet new demands in
EMS in a variety of situations.

Figure 1-1
Advanced EMTs work in a variety of settings.

The Contemporary EMS Profession (1 of 4)
• EMS knowledge defined in documents published by N
HTSA.
– National EMS Core Content
– National EMS Scope of Practice
– National EMS Education Standards

• EMT Oath and EMT Code of Ethics describe the
professional conduct expected of EMS personnel.
• EMS providers must be aware of activities and agendas
of major EMS state and national professional agencies
and organizations.

• EMS Agenda for the Future (1996)
– envisions EMS playing a much more important role in
health care
▪mobile integrated healthcare (MIH)
▪community paramedicine (CP)
▪ Planning for the Future: EMS Agenda 2050
– EMS provide important roles in assessment, health
education, and health services
– Using technology to improve response, diagnosis,
and care

Figure 1-4 EMS is developing and growing to include additional components of health
care and public health.
Source: EMS Agenda 2050 Technical Expert Panel. (2019, January). EMS Agenda 2050:
A People-Centered Vision for the Future of Emergency Medical Services (Report No. DO
T HS 812 664). Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
https://www.ems.gov/issues/planning-for-the-future-ems-agenda-2050/

EMS Provider Levels (1 of 5)
• Four nationally recognized levels of EMS providers
– Emergency medical responder (EMR)
– Emergency medical technician (EMT)
– Advanced emergency medical technician (AEMT)
– Paramedic

• Emergency Medical Responders (EMRs)
– Provide simple, noninvasive treatments while awaiting
arrival of higher trained personnel
▪identify and manage life threats
▪basic airway skills, CPR, AED, bleeding control
▪manual immobilization

• Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs)
– Provide emergency medical care and transportation.
▪Use basic equipment supplied on an ambulance.
▪Play a variety of roles in EMS systems.
▪Trained to assess patients.

• Advanced EMT (AEMTs)
– Training includes all knowledge and skills of EMRs
and EMTs.
– Able to provide limited number of advanced life
support (ALS) interventions.
– Must practice within the Scope of Practice approved
by state and EMS service physician medical director.

• Paramedics
– Allied health care professionals who provide complex
assessments and interventions for critical and
emergent patients.
– Complex understanding of anatomy, physiology,
pathophysiology, and treatment modalities.

Advanced EMT Roles and
Responsibilities (1 of 7)
• Advanced EMT’s authorization to practice is based on
– state legislation
– employer policies and procedures
– guidance by a physician medical director

• Emergency vehicle readiness and operations
– Emergency vehicle must be in good mechanical
repair and driven safely.
– Vehicle must have adequate amount of required
equipment and supplies.

Figure 1-5
Advanced EMT responsibilities include making sure equipment and the
emergency vehicle are prepared to respond to emergency calls.

• Safety responsibilities
– own safety, and safety of coworkers, patients, and
others
– medical errors account for between 44,000 and
98,000 deaths annually
▪Cost of medical errors can reach 29 billion
annually
▪EMS is not immune to medical errors

Figure 1-6
Teamwork is required to integrate the tasks of patient care and patient
transportation.

Box 1-1: Select EMS Tasks with High Risk
for Errors and Patient Injury
• Transferring care from one provider to another at the scene or at the
hospital
• Communicating, either in writing or verbally
• Identifying and using medications
• Assessing and managing the airway
• Lifting and moving patients
• Responding and transporting by ambulance
• Assessing the need for and taking spinal precautions
Source: O’Connor, R. E., C. M. Slovis, R. C. Hunt, R. G. Pirallo, and M. R. Sayre. 2002.
“Eliminating Errors in Emergency Medical Services: Realities and Recommendations.”
Prehospital Emergency Medicine 6, no. 1: 107–13.

Box 1-2: Ways to Minimize the Risk of
Mistakes and Patient Injury
• Maintain current knowledge and competence in skills.
• Make the environment as conducive as possible to quality care (maximize
space and light, minimize distractions).
• Have a clear understanding of protocols.
• Organize drugs to minimize mistakes.
• Reflect on actions and question assumptions.
• Obtain feedback on performance.
• Ask for help when needed (contact medical direction, consult with your
partner).
Source: O’Connor, R. E., C. M. Slovis, R. C. Hunt, R. G. Pirallo, and M. R. Sayre. 2002.
“Eliminating Errors in Emergency Medical Services: Realities and Recommendations.”
Prehospital Emergency Medicine 6, no. 1 (January–March): 107–13.

• Scene leadership, management, teamwork
– Be confident and in control
– Be empathetic
– Carry out the plan

• Patient assessment and management
– Ability to assess and manage patients who have a
variety of illnesses and injuries, from minor to critical.
– Be aware of the most current trends and practices in
EMS.
– Be willing to discard outdated knowledge and practice
to add new ones.
▪spinal motion restriction vs. spinal immobilization
practices

• Maintaining certification or licensure
– Individual professional obligation of each health care
provider
– Requirements include
▪documentation of mandatory continuing education
activities
▪ medical director verification of skills
▪ submission of CPR card
▪ payment of a fee

Figure 1-7
Advanced EMTs work closely with other health care and public safety
providers.

• Working with other public safety and health care
personnel
– Emergency medical services are cross-disciplinary;
both public safety and health care personnel.
– Strive to maintain cooperative relationships with other
professionals.

Advanced EMT Professional
Characteristics (1 of 2)
• Professional characteristics defined by
– Expectations of public
– Professional group itself
– Other related professional groups
– Most visible way patients and families can judge
professionalism is through interactions with them

Advanced EMT Professional
Characteristics (2 of 2)
– Integrity
– Empathy
– Self-motivation
– Appearance and hygiene
– Self-confidence
– Communications
– Time management
– Teamwork
– Patient advocacy
– Careful delivery of service

Figure 1-8
Why is it so
important that
EMS
personnel
wear
uniforms?
Appearance and demeanor are critical elements of professionalism.

Chapter Summary
• AEMTs are an essential part of EMS and of the health
care and public health systems.
• AEMTs are health care professionals of whom the public
has high expectations.

Copyright
This work is protected by United States copyright laws and is
provided solely for the use of instructors in teaching their
courses and assessing student learning. Dissemination or sale of
any part of this work (including on the World Wide Web) will
destroy the integrity of the work and is not permitted. The work
and materials from it should never be made available to students
except by instructors using the accompanying text in their
classes. All recipients of this work are expected to abide by these
restrictions and to honor the intended pedagogical purposes and
the needs of other instructors who rely on these materials.

AEMT Chapter 1 Introduction to Advanced EMT.pptx

More Related Content

Similar to AEMT Chapter 1 Introduction to Advanced EMT.pptx

Recently uploaded

AEMT Chapter 1 Introduction to Advanced EMT.pptx

Editor's Notes