EMS *

Objectives (EM)

1. Given a call to an ED from an EMS provider:
   • Elicit a focused history regarding the pending patient or patients to adequately prepare for their arrival.
   • Provide direction as required to EMS providers in the field for triage and ongoing treatment (e.g., notification of acceptance, protocol activation, symptom relief, termination of resuscitation).
   • Prepare your department and the hospital as required for the arrival of incoming patient(s) (e.g., personnel and teams, space, equipment, OR, back-up).
2. On arrival of a patient by EMS, obtain a focused history from the EMS personnel regarding information only available from them (e.g., details of scene, treatment en route, changes in patient status en route, length of time with patient).
3. For a patient, whose needs exceed the capacity of care of your facility, and for whom the benefits of transport appear to outweigh the risks, prepare your patient for transfer (e.g., airway control, IV access, decompress prior to air transport) to mitigate the potential risks inherent to the patient’s conditions and the transport situation with the EMS resources available.
4. Given a major out-of-hospital emergency situation (e.g., mass casualty, environmental disaster) advise and direct EMS in the management of patients prior to their arrival at the ED (e.g., triage, initial treatment, decontamination).