Emergency Medical Dispatch - Glossary Terms
Abandonment
Unilateral termination of a patient-caretaker relationship by the caretaker where
an adequate replacement for that caretaker has not been provided when this action results in some
preventable harm.
Abrasion
Scraping or rubbing ...
Emergency Medical Dispatch - Glossary Terms
Abandonment Unilateral termination of a patient-caretaker relationship by the caretaker where
an adequate replacement for that caretaker has not been provided when this action results in some
preventable harm.
Abrasion Scraping or rubbing away of a surface. It is usually the result of traumatic injury.
ACE (Accredited Center of Excellence) Centers that have achieved compliance to the highest level
of standards as set forth by the Academy's Twenty Points of Accreditation.
ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) Unified standard of care for cardiac emergencies including
drugs, intubation, and other invasive procedures.
Acute Sharp, severe, or having rapid onset and short course; not chronic.
ALS (Advanced Life Support) Intervention that utilizes cardiac monitoring, advanced airways, and
pharmacology for the treatment of life-threatening emergencies. This term refers to care given
prehospital or inhospital.
AED (Automated External Defibrillator) A portable, computerized device that interprets cardiac
rhythms, verbally coaches the user, and the advises shock (or no shock) for electrically correctable
rhythms.
AI (Additional Information) An MPDS protocol component that contains information necessary to
process calls as well as general information pertaining to specific chief complaints.
ALI (Automatic Location Identification) The database technology that allows communication
centers to identify the location of a caller based on the caller's phone number. The effectiveness of
this technology is limited to the accuracy of the database.
ANI (Automatic Number Identification) The database technology that displays the phone number
used by the caller to access the communication center. The effectiveness of this technology is limited
to the accuracy of the database.
, Axioms Important statements that serve as the basis of many decision-making processes when
using the MPDS. They differ from Rules in that they explain "why", rather than "how" to do things.
BLS (Basic Life Support) EMS procedures (airway positioning, external cardiac compression, and
ventilation) to sustain viability of the brain and heart in the absence of pulse or breathing. The
splinting, dressing, and other initial care covered in basic first-aid training.
CAD (Computer Aided Dispatch) Technology that uses computers to facilitate calltaking and
dispatch operations.
Cardiac Arrest Sudden cessation of heart functions or blood-pumping ability universally resulting
in death unless reversed by resuscitation.
CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) A procedure designed to help maintain the flow of
oxygenated blood in a cardiac arrest patient.
Case Entry Protocol An MPDS protocol that functions as a primary caller interrogation. It directs
EMDs to collect the essential information for initial processing and classifying of the incident.
Case Exit Protocol An MPDS protocol that standardizes call termination and provides important
instructions for the callers.
CC (Chief Complaint) The primary reason the patient is seeking medical care (in some cases only
the mechanism of injury).
CDE (Continuing Dispatch Education) Training designed to keep EMDs up-to-date with current
standards of Emergency Medical Dispatching practice.
CEI (Critical EMD Information) Important information for EMDs that is not designed to be read to
the caller.
Certification The granting of official approval to an individual by a standard-setting organization
following a formal process.
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