Emergency Medical Services
Last updated
Last updated
Emergency medical services, also known as ambulance services or paramedic services (abbreviated to the initialism EMS, EMAS, EMARS or SAMU in some countries), are a type of emergency service dedicated to providing out-of-hospital acute medical care, transport to definitive care, and other medical transport to patients with illnesses and injuries which prevent the patient from transporting themselves. Emergency medical services may also be locally known as a paramedic service, a first aid squad, FAST squad, emergency squad, rescue squad, ambulance squad, ambulance service, ambulance corps, or life squad.
Basic life support (BLS) is a level of medical care which is used for victims of life-threatening illnesses or injuries until they can be given full medical care at a hospital. It can be provided by trained medical personnel, including emergency medical technicians, paramedics, and by qualified bystanders.
International Trauma Life Support is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the education in managing out-of-hospital trauma situations. International Trauma Life Support was formed in 1982 as Basic Trauma Life Support. The organization renamed itself to International Trauma Life Support to highlight its focus on become an international standard. The educational materials presented by this organization are taught to EMTs and Paramedics across the United States and internationally.
Advanced cardiac life support or advanced cardiovascular life support (ACLS) refers to a set of clinical interventions for the urgent treatment of cardiac arrest, stroke and other life-threatening medical emergencies, as well as the knowledge and skills to deploy those interventions. Outside North America, Advanced Life Support is used.
Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) is a 2-day (with an additional self study day) American Heart Association training program. The goal of the course is to aid the pediatric healthcare provider in developing the knowledge and skills necessary to efficiently and effectively manage critically ill infants and children, resulting in improved outcomes. Professional healthcare providers use PALS during the stabilization and transportation phases of a pediatric emergency, in or out of hospital.
Advanced Pediatric Life Support (APLS) is a program created by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Emergency Physicians to teach health care providers how to take care of sick children.