Emergency Health Care (Refresher)

Calvary University

Faculty of Health Care

Essentials of Emergency Care:
Refresher for EMT-B

Edition 3

Daniel Limmer, Michael F. O'Keefe,
Bob Elling
0-13-094559-5
Paper Bound w/CD-ROM
552 pages
2002

Brief Description

For EMT-Basic refresher courses.

Designed for experienced EMT-Bs, this text thoroughly but concisely covers topics, skills, and knowledge required to re-certify.

Features

Chapter-beginning core concepts. Alerts students to key content in the topic area.
Lifespan development—Focuses on important pediatric and geriatric issues within each chapter.
Helps providers be prepared to deal with the full life span of emergencies.
Illustrated step-by-step skill summaries.
Enhances students' understanding of skill procedures, summarizes information, and maximizes coverage.
Preceptor Pearls—Ackowledges the experienced EMT-B's role as a preceptor, mentor, and trainer.
Highlights important topics and emphasizes ways to get these points across.
Chapter-end reviews.
Gives students the opportunity to review and test their knowledge of learned concepts, and a resource for obtaining advanced and additional information on related topics.
National Registry skill sheets—Conveniently located at the back of the book.
Familiarizes students with all the skills tested by the National Registry and prepares them for the performance-based skills exam.

New to this Edition

More advanced content—Covers pathophysiology; medications; diagnoses; and infectious diseases.
Enables students to keep up to date with the most current techniques and information available.

Twelve added case studies—Relates chapter content to street experiences.
Provides experienced EMT-Bs with critical background information and details of pathophysiology, assessment, and patient medications to provide the “big picture” of patient assessment and care.

1. Introduction to EMS Systems.
2. Well-Being of the EMT-Basic.
3. Medical/Legal and Ethical Issues.
4. The Human Body.
5. Lifting and Moving Patients.
6. Airway Management.
7. Scene Size-Up, Initial Assessment, Baseline Vitals, and Sample History.
8. Assessment of the Trauma Patient.
9. Assessment of the Medical Patient.
10. Assessment of Pediatric and Geriatric Patients.
11. Communication and Documentation.
12. General Pharmacology.
13. Respiratory Emergencies.
14. Cardiac Emergencies.
15. Diabetic Emergencies and Altered Mental States.
16. Allergies.
17. Poisoning & Overdose Emergencies.
18. Environmental Emergencies.
19. Behavioral Emergencies.
20. Obstetrics and Gynecology.
21. Bleeding and Shock.
22. Soft-Tissue Injuries.
23. Musculoskeletal Injuries.
24. Injuries to the Head and Spine.
25. Infants and Children.
26. Ambulance Operations.
27. Gaining Access and Rescue.
28. Special Operations.
29. Advanced Airway Management.
Appendix A: Research in EMS.
Appendix B: National Registry Practical Examination.
Answer Key.
Glossary.
Index.

Companion Website:

http://www.prenhall.com/limmer

Preface

Essentials of Emergency Care, Third Edition, is designed for experienced EMT-Bs who are beginning, or are about to begin, an EMT-B refresher program. Traditionally, to complete such a program, EMT-Bs used their original EMT-B textbook or a subsequent edition. Such textbooks are designed to present information to a person who has no experience or training in EMS. However, the authors of this text recognize that the refresher student is different.

The authors acknowledge and respect the fact that you, an experienced EMT-B, have regularly applied the skills and knowledge learned in your original course to your work in the field. Because of your experience, expansive coverage of those skills and knowledge is not needed in a refresher text. For example,, since you probably have had much field experience in bleeding control, this text does not cover it in as much detail as your original text does.

The skills and knowledge that you use less frequently, however, do require some brushing up before you take a recertification exam. Such topics are covered in Essentials of Emergency Care thoroughly but concisely.

National Curricula for the EMT-B
In 1994, the U.S. Department of Transportation released the "EMT-Basic: National Standard Curriculum," which has been widely accepted as the standard for instructing new EMT-Bs throughout the country. A year after its publication, the National Registry of EMTs was asked by the National Council of State EMS Training Coordinators and the National Association of State EMS Directors to develop a refresher curriculum based on the National Standard. In 1997, after consensus was achieved by the committee and the states, the U.S. Department of Transportation released the "EMT-Basic: Refresher Curriculum."

Written to help you meet all national objectives, Essentials of Emergency Care, Third Edition, covers both the "EMT-Basic: National Standard Curriculum" and the "EMT-Basic: Refresher Curriculum."

In addition, to make it easy for you and your instructor to be sure you are able to meet all Refresher objectives, they are listed verbatim at the beginning of every chapter and include page references that correlate related textbook material.

Correlations with the National Standard Curriculum may be found in a special box located next to each chapter title. This information correlates content with one or more National Standard "Lessons."

Features of the Book
In revising Essentials of Emergency Care, we kept our eye on the primary goal: to develop a book that provides concise yet complete coverage of the EMT-B curriculum for refresher students and people with past experience. We know you do not want to spend time preparing for your next exam by reading a book meant for beginning students. If you need to review a skill or other information, you want that information presented in a way that best meets your needs. Welcome to Essentials of Emergency Care, Third Edition!

This edition has kept the same successful presentation as the previous edition in addition to including new features. This edition contains:

NEW! Essential Electronic Extras CD-ROM
This CD-ROM contains two 150-question diagnostic examinations to help you prepare for examinations as well as identify areas where you should concentrate your study as you refresh or recertify your EMT-B credentials. The CD-ROM also contains 450 questions in chapter quizzes.

NEW! Web Essentials
Visit www.prenhall.com/limmer, a valuable online resource that includes interactive quizzes and case studies as well as links to important EMS websites.

NEW! Case Studies
Twelve new case studies relate chapter content to street experiences. For experienced EMT-Bs, case-based presentations make study and learning more pertinent and interesting. The case studies include critical background information and details of pathophysiology, assessment, and patient medications to provide the "big picture" of patient assessment and care.

NEW! Core Concepts
Each chapter begins with a list of the core concepts important to know in the topic area.

NEW! Lifespan Development
This new feature highlights important pediatric and geriatric issues within each chapter.

Skill Summaries
Illustrated step-by-step summaries enhance your understanding of skill procedures, summarize information, and maximize coverage.

Preceptor Pearls
Acknowledging the experienced EMT-B's role as a preceptor, mentor, and trainer, this feature highlights important topics you may wish to share with new EMT-Bs and emphasizes ways to get your points across.

Chapter Review
Each chapter ends with a summary of chapter material, multiple-choice questions to test your knowledge of chapter content, and a list of topics for which weblinks have been provided on our website.

National Registry Practical Examination
All the skills tested by the National Registry in its performance-based skills exam are included for convenient reference at the back of the book.

Comments and Suggestions
We encourage you to send your suggestions and comments about the text. They will help us improve future editions of Essentials of Emergency Care. Send them to the Marketing Manager at BRADY, Prentice Hall, One Lake Street, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. You can also reach us via e-mail:

Daniel Limmer: danlimmer@earthlink.net
Bob Elling: bobelling@usa.net
Mike O'Keefe: mikeokvt@aol.com

We wish you the best of luck in your continued endeavors in EMS!