AMPDS

Question 1

What are the priority symptoms?

Answer 1

1. Abnormal breathing
2. Chest pain/discomfort
3. Decreased level of consciousness
4. Serious haemorrhage

Question 2

What is the patient chain of survival?

Answer 2

1. Early recognition and response activation
2. Early CPR
3. Rapid defibrillation
4. Effective ACLS
5. Post-cardiac arrest care

Question 3

What is AMPDS and how should it be used?

Answer 3

• It is a protocol
• Questions should be used exactly as written unless the answer is obvious or the spontaneously provided by the caller.

Question 4

What is De Lucas Law?

Answer 4

EMDs will follow all protocols per se, avoiding freelance questioning or information unless it enhances, not replaces, the written protocol questions and scripts.

Question 5

What is Frenzas law?

Answer 5

A thing not looked for is seldom found.

Question 6

Define ‘freelance questions’.

Answer 6

A question that is not in the protocol and does not provide an appropriate clarification or enhancement to a question in the protocol.

Question 7

Define ‘freelance instruction’.

Answer 7

instructions that are beyond the call takers scope of practise or that are incorrect.

Question 8

What is a ‘leading question?’

Answer 8

A question that provides a probable answer to a question that may lead callers to give the answer they think the caller wants to hear

Question 9

When may the call-taker rephrase the question or instruction using language equivalent or nearly equivalent to the script?

Answer 9

Once the scripted protocol question or instruction has been read as written if the caller:

• The caller does not understand the scripted protocol question or instruction
• The caller answers ambiguously
• The caller doesn’t answer after a reasonable period

Question 10

Can a call-taker refer to a statement previously made by the caller?

Answer 10

The call-taker may refer to previous statements made by the caller (including spontaneous information) to make an objective statement and gather information

Question 11

How should the call-taker refer to a previous statement made by the caller?

Answer 11

• Best practise: refer to callers’ statement and then asks the question as written
• Acceptable: refers to callers’ statement then requires the caller to confirm by asking a complete question
• Incorrect: provides caller with an answer

Question 12

If something is written in blue, what does that mean?

Answer 12

Blue is for you

Think it, don’t say it

Pre-question qualifiers are in blue too

Question 13

Who decides how to respond to calls?

(Bonus point: what info if this based on?)

Answer 13

The local medical director.

(NICE guidelines & research)

Question 14

What is wrong with saying this sentence: ‘is the patient awake and breathing?’

Answer 14

It can confuse the caller, for example, someone may be asleep and breathing

They should be asked separately.

Question 15

If someone identifies as something other than their assigned gender at birth, what would you do?

Answer 15

Put ‘unknown’ and add a note.

Question 16

What is a first party caller?

Answer 16

The caller is calling for themself

Question 17

What is a second party caller?

Answer 17

The caller is with the patient now

Question 18

What is a third party caller?

Answer 18

Passer-by, calling on behalf of someone not actually there

Question 19

When can you convert the third party caller into a second party caller?

Answer 19

When there are no mentioned or perceived safety concerns and when instructions are possible and appropriate

Question 20

Can you enhance the protocol for a third party caller?

Answer 20

Yes, as it may be necessary to enhance the protocol for proper interrogation, call management and customer service practises

Question 21

What is a fourth party caller?

Answer 21

Person in the control room who are called (police etc), they then decide an ambulance is needed

Question 22

What are the 4 commandments?

Answer 22

1. Chief complaint
2. Age
3. Status of consciousness
4. Status of breathing

Question 23

What are Miranda cards and why are they important?

Answer 23

They are made up of the 4 commandments and ensure services are able to give the EMD the correct information required to respond effectively.

Question 24

What does SEND stand for?

Answer 24

Secondary Emergency Notification of Dispatch

Question 25

What order are questions written in?

Answer 25

In order of priority based on call processing objectives: 1. Safety 2. System response 3. Patient care 4. Information for responders

Question 26

If the EMD asks a question and doesn't get a response, what should they do?

Answer 26

Repeat the question

Question 27

If the EMD feels like the caller did not understand the question, what should they do?

Answer 27

Rephrase the question

Question 28

Can the EMD move on from a question that doesn't get a response?

Answer 28

If they have asked it at least twice, yes

Question 29

Who defines determinant levels?

Answer 29

The local medical director

Question 30

What are the determinant levels and what do they mean?

Answer 30

ECHO: early indicator – someone needs to go there now (anyone) then backup with paramedic/ALS (blue lights, sirens) DELTA: blue lights, sirens, paramedic/ALS CHARLIE: no blue lights, no sirens, paramedic/ALS BRAVO: blue lights, sirens, any skill level/BLS ALPHA: no blue lights, no sirens, any skill level/BLS Ω - OMEGA: same as alpha but assessment can be done over the phone.

Question 31

When can you add a suffix at the end of a code? Give an example.

Answer 31

When required. For example, add the 'C' suffix if someone becomes combative/aggressive.

Question 32

Prior to help arriving, the patient will do 1 out of what 3 things?

Answer 32

1. Get better 2. Get worse 3. Stay the same (significant change may mean a change in response!)

Question 33

What does PDIs stand for?

Answer 33

Post-dispatch instructions (case exit is an example)

Question 34

What does DLS stand for? What does it mean?

Answer 34

Dispatch life support directs you to case exit, pre-arrival instructions, or to instructions found in additional information

Question 35

What do the DLS letters NABC- mean?

Answer 35

N: newborn (<30 days) A: infant (<1 year) B: child (1-7) C: Adult (8+)

Question 36

What do purple panels mean?

Answer 36

Operant panels, cannot move on before asking this.

Question 37

What are the ECHO determinant factors?

Answer 37

- Not breathing situations - Ineffective breathing

Question 38

CPR survival rates decrease by how much when delayed?

Answer 38

10% for every minute delayed

Question 39

What is the most common cause for delayed breathing?

Answer 39

Agonal breathing that confuses people into thinking the patient is breathing

Question 40

What are yellow panel cards?

Answer 40

Shunt cards - they may direct you to another protocol

Question 41

Define 'agonal breathing'

Answer 41

Ineffective, deteriorating breathing pattern that lingers after the heart has stopped. Often described as 'gasping breaths'

Question 42

What does it mean when a word is capatalized?

Answer 42

A definition is available for it.

Question 43

What are the primary components of AMPDS?

Answer 43

1. Case Entry Protocol 2. Chief Complaint Protocol 3. Diagnostic and instructional tools 4. Pre-Arrival Instructions 5. Case Exit Protocols

Question 44

What are the 6 roles and responsibilities of an EMD?

Answer 44

1. Telephone interrogator 2. Dispatch life support instruction provider 3. Resource allocator (triage) 4. Logistics coordinator 5. Field coordinator 6. Life impactor

Question 45

What are the benefits of structured call-taking?

Answer 45

1. Established standard of service 2. Prioritized responses 3. Quality improvement procedures 4. Certification and accreditation 5. Reduced exposure to liability

Question 46

Describe the protocol flow of AMPDS

Answer 46

1. Ask all case entry protocol questions. 2. Then choose relevant CC protocol. 3. Then ask all appropriate key questions. 4. Select the determinant code. 5. Send a response. 6. Provide post-dispatch instructions. 7. Read critical EMD information. 8. Follow the appropriate dispatch life support links. 9. Appropriate case exit instructions (x) – classed as post-dispatch instructions.

Question 47

What is the purpose and function of the case entry protocol?

Answer 47

1. To get the address of the emergency and call back number 2. Get the chief complaint 3. Caller party 4. Number of patients 5. Patient age 6. Patient status of consciousness 7. Patient status of breathing

Question 48

How are chief complaint protocols formatted?

Answer 48

1. Key questions (KQs) 2. Determinant descriptors 3. Post dispatch instructions (PDIs) 4. Critical EMD information 5. Dispatch life support (DLS) links 6. Additional information

Question 49

What is a determinant code?

Answer 49

protocol number – determinant level – determinant descriptor - suffix if applicable (example: 13-C-2C)