ASTM F1552-94(2002)
(Practice)Standard Practice for Training Instructor Qualification and Certification Eligibility of Emergency Medical Dispatchers
Standard Practice for Training Instructor Qualification and Certification Eligibility of Emergency Medical Dispatchers
SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
The emergency medical dispatcher should be a specially trained telecommunicator with specific emergency medical knowledge. These EMS personnel have traditionally performed this role without the benefits of dispatch specific medical training and medically sound protocols. Prompt, correct, and appropriate patient care can be enhanced with the use of a standardized approach to selection, training and performance assessment. This standard guide is intended for use by agencies, organizations and jurisdictions having the responsibility for providing the training, practice, and evaluation of emergency medical dispatchers.
SCOPE
1.1 This practice covers the training structure and primary function of emergency medical dispatchers. The primary function of the emergency medical dispatcher is the management of calls for emergency medical assistance as outlined in Practice F 1258 and NAEMSP Position Paper on emergency medical dispatch. Training as an emergency medical technician, paramedic, nurse, physician, or basic telecommunicator does not prepare a person to function as an EMD. The emergency medical dispatching functions have become so specialized that only an individual with dispatch specific medical training can perform the required tasks. This practice will delineate the training structure for the essential role of emergency medical dispatcher.
1.2 This practice is intended to outline the basic areas of knowledge required for an EMD, and to standardize the expectations and training between the various educational settings that are available to deliver the EMD training. This practice is not intended to serve as a curriculum for a training agency. All curricula developed or selected shall include the key components outlined in this practice.
1.3 It is understood that each agency may possess special and unique needs related to the training of EMDs. However, those specialty training areas that lie outside the scope of this standard shall not be included in selected 24 h minimum curriculum delineated by this practice. Additional training as desired may be annexed but may not supplant the learning goals required by this practice.
1.4 The scope of this standard includes:
1.4.1 EMD instructor qualifications,
1.4.2 Student selection criteria for emergency medical dispatcher candidates,
1.4.3 Emergency medical dispatcher training curriculum guideline,
1.4.4 Guidelines for EMD course goals and minimum time allocations,
1.4.5 Testing and evaluation of the student utilizing the stated course goals as basis for certification or certification eligibility as an emergency medical dispatcher,
1.4.6 Recommended equipment, materials, and facilities for training,
1.4.7 Guidelines for training course administration and record maintenance, and
1.4.8 Guidelines for an optional EMD preceptorship.
1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
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Designation: F 1552 – 94 (Reapproved 2002)
Standard Practice for
Training Instructor Qualification and Certification Eligibility
1
of Emergency Medical Dispatchers
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F 1552; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
INTRODUCTION
The emergency medical dispatcher (EMD) is the principal link between the public requesting
emergency medical assistance and the emergency medical services (EMS) system. The EMD plays a
key role in the ability of the EMS system to respond to a perceived medical emergency. The benefits
of specifically trained emergency medical dispatchers are far reaching. Through medical dispatch,
specific education, and compliance to medically sound policies and procedures, the EMD is able to
accurately interrogate the caller, dispatch the appropriate responders, provide pertinent information to
responders, and give instructions to aid patients via the caller.
This practice provides direction for the training and certification of emergency medical dispatchers
to assist them in making appropriate decisions about EMS responses in a safe, consistent and
non-arbitrary manner. EMS systems with emergency medical dispatchers trained to this practice
provide pre-arrival instructions to the caller to assist the patient until pre-hospital care arrives. The
EMD concept provides for safer vehicle response configurations and modes. It may reduce operating
costs by preserving specialized EMS resources for those emergencies requiring them.
The EMD training curriculum is not intended to furnish all inclusive telecommunications education
required for the emergency medical dispatcher or public safety telecommunicator. EMD training
provides only the additional education affecting the practice of dispatching emergency medical
resources such as ambulances, rescue units, first responder units and other types of responding units
of an emergency medical nature; coordinating these response units with those of other public safety
agencies; and providing instructions to the calling party to assist in preserving life prior to the arrival
of responding units. The curriculum is intended to provide specific knowledge and medical
information above that required of a previously trained and educated basic public safety telecommu-
nicator. EMD training is only one module of education required of emergency medical services
telecommunicators. It is a subspecialty of both public safety communications and emergency medical
services systems that is required within a comprehensive public safety communications center where
other disciplines of communications are practiced and should be present in all EMS systems.
Additional disciplines include law enforcement, fire, and aeromedical telecommunications.
This practice is one of a set of applicable standards relating to the emergency medical dispatch
function. The reader is directed to obtain relatedASTM documents that encompass the administration
of EMD programs and Practice F 1258.
1. Scope F 1258 and NAEMSP Position Paper on emergency medical
dispatch. Training as an emergency medical technician, para-
1.1 This practice covers the training structure and primary
medic, nurse, physician, or basic telecommunicator does not
function of emergency medical dispatchers. The primary func-
prepare a person to function as an EMD. The emergency
tionoftheemergencymedicaldispatcheristhemanagementof
medical dispatching functions have become so specialized that
calls for emergency medical assistance as outlined in Practice
only an individual with dispatch specific medical training can
perform the required tasks. This practice will delineate the
1
This practice is under the jurisdiction ofASTM Committee F30 on Emergency
training structure for the essential role of emergency medical
Medical Services and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee F30.02 on
dispatcher.
Personnel, Training and Education.
Current edition approved August 15, 1994. Published October 1994.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
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F 1552 – 94 (2002)
1.2 This practice is intended to outline the basic areas of the dispatcher’s evaluation of injury or illness severity with
knowledge required for an EMD, and to standardize the vehicle response mode and configuration.
expectations and training between the various educational
3.1.3.1 Discussion—An EMDPRS is not any particular
settings that are available to deliver the EMD training. This
proprietary set
...
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