Advanced Medical Care - EMS 183
https://courses.vccs.edu/courses/EMS183-AdvancedMedicalCare
Effective: 2024-01-01
Course Description
Examines the assessment and management of medical emergencies as outlined by the National Emergency Medical Service Education Standards (NEMSES) within the Advanced EMT curriculum.
Lecture 2 hours. Total 2 hours per week.
2 credits
The course outline below was developed as part of a statewide standardization process.
General Course Purpose
The purpose of the course is to introduce the student to the pathophysiology, signs, symptoms, and treatments of medical emergencies.
Course Prerequisites/Corequisites
Prerequisite: Current Virginia EMT and CPR certification as approved by the Virginia Office of EMS. Corequisite: EMS 184: Advanced Medical Care Laboratory
Course Objectives
- Integrate assessment findings with principles of epidemiology and pathophysiology, including age-related assessment and treatment modifications for pediatric and geriatric patients
- Formulate a field impression and implement a treatment plan for a patient with various medical disorders, including:
- Abdominal and gastrointestinal disorders:
- Acute and chronic gastrointestinal hemorrhage
- Cardiovascular disorders:
- Acute Coronary Syndrome
- Hypertensive Emergencies
- Aortic aneurysm/dissection
- Thromboembolism
- Heart Failure
- Disorders of the eyes, ears, nose, and throat:
- Epistaxis
- Post-surgical oropharyngeal hemorrhage
- Endocrine Disorders:
- Diabetic emergencies
- Genitourinary/Renal Disorders:
- Complications related to renal dialysis
- Complications related to urinary catheter management
- Kidney Stones
- Sexual Assault
- Hematologic Disorders:
- Sickle Cell Crisis
- Clotting Disorders
- Immunologic Disorders:
- Allergic and anaphylactic reactions
- Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS)
- Assessment and management of patients who may have infectious diseases (as well as decontamination procedures for the ambulance and equipment):
- Sepsis and septic shock
- HIV
- Hepatitis B
- Antibiotic Resistance
- Current infectious diseases prevalent in the community
- Vaccine-preventable diseases
- Neurologic Disorders:
- Altered Level of Consciousness
- Seizure
- Stroke
- Dementia vs Delirium
- Alzheimer's Disease
- Headache
- Brief Resolved Unexplained Event (BRUE)
- Parkinson's Disease
- Non-Traumatic Musculoskeletal Disorders:
- Non-traumatic fractures
- Psychiatric or Behavioral Emergencies:
- Basic principles of mental health
- Patterns of violence, abuse, and neglect
- Acute psychosis
- Suicidal ideations
- Excited Delirium
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Medical Fear
- Substance use disorder/addictive behaviors
- PTSD
- Toxicology:
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Nerve agent poisoning
- Opioid toxicity
- Alcohol intoxication and withdrawal
- Poisons (inhaled, ingested, injected, absorbed)
- Apply knowledge of growth, development, and aging and assessment findings to provide basic and selected advanced emergency care and transportation for a patient with special needs, including:
- Gynecologic Disorders:
- Vaginal bleeding
- Vaginal infections
- Obstetrics (knowledge of normal pregnancy changes, anatomy and physiology, assessment of the pregnant patient):
- Normal delivery
- Vaginal bleeding in the pregnant patient and third trimester and antepartum bleeding (placenta previa, placental abruption)
- Abnormal delivery- nuchal cord, prolapsed cord, breech, shoulder dystocia, prematurity, multiparity
- Spontaneous abortion/ miscarriage
- Ectopic pregnancy
- Preeclampsia/eclampsia
- Postpartum complications
- Newborn/Neonatal Care:
- Newborn stabilization
- Neonatal resuscitation
- Patients with Special Challenges:
- Recognizing and reporting abuse and neglect
- Abuse/ Intimate partner violence
- Neglect
- Child/ Dependent adult maltreatment
- Homelessness
- Poverty
- Bariatrics
- Technology- dependent patients
- Hospice and the terminally ill
- Tracheostomy care/ dysfunction
- Homecare
- Sensory deficit/ loss
- Developmental disability
- Autism spectrum disorder
- Orthotics/ prosthetics