COMMUNICATIONS EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN BASIC Temple College EMS Professions 1 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 2 PHASES IN EMS COMMUNICATIONS • DISPATCH – Alert personnel and direct to scene – Radio paging, telephone, radio voice communications Temple College EMS Professions 3 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 4 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 5 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 6 PHASES IN EMS COMMUNICATIONS • COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN HOSPITALS – Direct link for medical resources and patient transfers – Back-up communications link Temple College EMS Professions 7 PHASES IN EMS COMMUNICATIONS • COMMUNICATIONS WITH SUPPORT AGENCIES – Through dispatch centers – Directly between field units Temple College EMS Professions 8 PHASES IN EMS COMMUNICATIONS • COORDINATION WITH OTHER COMMUNICATION NETWORKS – – – – Amateur radio Citizen’s band Commercial broadcast Business radio Temple College EMS Professions 9 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 10 EMS Communications & the FCC • Establish licensing standards and operating specifications • Establish limits for transmitter power output • Monitor radio operations Temple College EMS Professions 11 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 12 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 13 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 14 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 15 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 16 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 17 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 18 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 19 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 20 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 21 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 22 PRESENTING INFORMATION • IDENTIFY YOURSELF – Identify service, unit number, personnel I.D. number • IDENTIFY PATIENT – Age, sex, and weight (no names) Temple College EMS Professions 23 PRESENTING INFORMATION • IDENTIFY SITUATION – Causes – Mechanism of Injury • IDENTIFY CHIEF COMPLAINT/INJURIES – An elaboration of the chief complaint Temple College EMS Professions 24 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 25 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 26 PRESENTING INFORMATION • CHANGE IN PT. CONDITION • PHYSICIAN • DESTINATION – Signal, code, ETA Temple College EMS Professions 27 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 28 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 29 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 30 USING A TRANSMITTER/ RECEIVER • Articulate clearly • Use proper English • Avoid using codes Temple College EMS Professions 31 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 32 INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION • Make and keep eye contact • Be Confident – Confidence in yourself will inspire trust from the Pt. Temple College EMS Professions 33 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 34 INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION • Be Courteous – – – – Please Thank you Yes Ma’am/Sir No Ma’am/Sir • Be Truthful Temple College EMS Professions 35 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 36 INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION • Speak slowly/enunciate • Allow time for the Pt to answer questions Temple College EMS Professions 37 SPECIAL PATIENTS • Non-English speaking – Use Interpreter – Do not attempt language if unsure – Use Flash Cards Temple College EMS Professions 38 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 39 SPECIAL PATIENTS • Children – – – – Get on their “level” Approach slowly Avoid threatening postures Explain everything that you do Temple College EMS Professions 40 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 41 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 Temple College EMS Professions 42