Unit Summary
After students complete this chapter and the related course work, they will understand the origins and present-day structure of emergency medical care delivery systems. The emergency medical technician’s (EMT’s) roles, responsibilities, and relationship to the emergency medical services (EMS) system as well as the EMT’s role in the quality improvement process are explained, and other levels of EMS providers are described. The foundations necessary for being a competent, effective, caring, and ethical EMT are presented. The interrelationships of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s 14 components of the EMS system, per the EMS Agenda for the Future, are outlined. Also described is the EMT’s impact on research, data collection, and evidence-based decision making, as well as the EMT’s responsibilities as a student and a practitioner.

After students complete this chapter and the related course work, they will understand the importance of recognizing important hazards; coping with physical and mental stress; assisting patients and families with the emotional aspect of injuries, illness, and/or death; taking appropriate preventive actions to ensure personal safety; dealing with patients and coworkers with sensitivity; taking proper precautions when dealing with infectious diseases; and preventing on-the-job injuries.