|  | Public Health Safety | First Aid

EMT Protocols

Emergencies are stressful, unexpected situations which often evoke panic in victims and uninjured bystanders. Fortunately, hospitals, local governments and ambulance services employ emergency medical technicians (EMTs). Some EMTs, especially in smaller towns and rural areas, work as volunteers. These medically-trained, typically state-certified workers respond to emergencies according to specific protocols and provide essential care to sick and injured people.

  1. Assessing the Scene

    • An EMT responding to an emergency situation should assess the scene prior to assessing potential victims. He also will note factors like someone brandishing a gun or other weapons. He will look for other dangers and would first call in the police or fire department before providing care to victims. If an EMT deems a location safe, he can approach victims, begin to assess their health and determine the causes of their conditions. EMTs also need to take weather into account. For example, if it is a blizzard outside and a victim is lying in the snow, one of the first steps an EMT should take -- after checking for spinal injuries -- is to bring that victim inside an ambulance.

    Primary Survey

    • The primary survey that an EMT takes is of a victim's mental, respiratory and cardiovascular responsiveness. If a victim is conscious and breathing normally, the EMT can move on to the secondary survey. If a victim is unconscious but has normal vital signs otherwise, an EMT will transport that victim to a care facility and try to restore consciousness on the way. However, if a victim has labored breathing or is physiologically unresponsive, an EMT will start resuscitation. The protocol for this care is known by the acronym CAB (formerly ABC), which stands for circulation (or compression), airway and breathing. The first step requires compressing the victim's chest cavity to induce blood circulation; the second requires checking for -- and removing -- obstructions in the victim's airway; while the third step requires pinching the victim's nose and orally administering rescue breaths. Repeating these steps is CPR, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation. It's necessary if a victim does not have a pulse.

    Secondary Survey

    • If a victim is responsive, the EMT will ask a variety of questions relating to specific trauma. These questions cover where a victim's pain or discomfort is located, how intense the pain is, what type of pain it is -- such as burning, stabbing or throbbing -- and how frequently and for how long symptoms have occurred. Once the EMT determines the potential cause of a disease or injury, she transports the patient to a hospital or other care facility. In the meantime, she may provide short-term treatments, such as a splint for a broken arm or cold packs for a person with intense fever.

First Aid - Related Articles