Standard

EMS 136 - Special Patients

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Course Description

Provides an overview of the assessment and management of behavioral emergencies as they pertain to prehospital care. Topics include: communication skills and crisis intervention, assessment and management of the adult and adolescent patient with behavioral emergencies, management of the violent patient, management of the suicidal patient, medical/legal considerations, and stress management. Life span, geriatrics, abuse, special challenges, and chronic care patients are included.

Competency Areas	Hours
Life Span Development	Class	2
Geriatrics	D. Lab	1
Abuse and Assault	P. Lab/O.B.I.	0
Patients with Special Challenges Behavioral and Psychiatric Disorders	Credit	2
Acute Interventions for the Chronic Care Patient Special Care Lab

Prerequisites:	EMS 126, EMS 127, EMS 128, EMS 129
Corequisite:	None
Course Guide

Competency	After completing this section, the student will:	Hours
		Class	D.Lab	P.Lab/ O.B.I.
LIFE SPAN DEVELOPMENT		4	0	0
	Compare the physiological and psychosocial characteristics of an infant with those of early adult.
	Compare the physiological and psychosocial characteristics of a toddler with those of an early adult.
	Compare the physiological and psychosocial characteristics of a pre-school child with those of an early adult.
	Compare the physiological and psychosocial characteristics of a school-aged child with those of an early adult.
	Compare the physiological and psychosocial characteristics of an adolescent with those of an early adult.
	Summarize the physiological and psychosocial characteristics of an early adult.
	Compare the physiological and psychosocial characteristics of a middle-aged adult with those of an early adult.
	Compare the physiological and psychosocial characteristics of a person in late adulthood with those of an early adult.
GERIATRICS		4	0	0
	Discuss population demographics demonstrating the rise in elderly population in the U.S.
	Discuss society’s view of aging and the social, financial, and ethical issues facing the elderly.
	Assess the various living environments of elderly patients.
	Describe the local resources available to assist the elderly and create strategies to refer at risk patients to appropriate community services.
	Discuss issues facing society concerning the elderly.
	Discuss common emotional and psychological reactions to aging to include causes and manifestations.
	Apply the pathophysiology of multi-system failure to the assessment and management of medical conditions in the elderly patient.
	Discuss the problems with mobility in the elderly and develop strategies to prevent falls.
	Discuss the implications of problems with sensation to communication and patient assessment.
	Discuss the problems with continence and elimination and develop communication strategies to provide psychological support.
	Discuss factors that may complicate the assessment of the elderly patient.
	Describe principles that should be employed when assessing and communicating with the elderly.
	Compare the assessment of a young patient with that of an elderly patient.
	Discuss common complaints of elderly patients.
	Compare the pharmacokinetics of an elderly patient to that of a young adult.
	Discuss the impact of polypharmacy and medication non-compliance on patient assessment and management.
	Discuss drug distribution, metabolism, and excretion in the elderly patient.
	Discuss medication issues of the elderly including polypharmacy, dosing errors and increased drug sensitivity.
	Discuss the use and effects of commonly prescribed drugs for the elderly patient.
	Discuss the normal and abnormal changes with age of the pulmonary system.
	Describe the epidemiology of pulmonary diseases in the elderly, including incidence, morbidity/mortality, risk factors, and prevention strategies for patients with pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases and pulmonary embolism.
	Compare and contrast the pathophysiology of pulmonary diseases in the elderly with that of a younger adult, including pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, and pulmonary embolism.
	Discuss the assessment of the elderly patient with pulmonary complaints, including pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, and pulmonary embolism.
	Identify the need for intervention and transport of the elderly patient with pulmonary complaints.
	Develop a treatment and management plan of the elderly patient with pulmonary complaints, including pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, and pulmonary embolism.
	Discuss the normal and abnormal cardiovascular system changes with age.
	Describe the epidemiology for cardiovascular diseases in the elderly, including incidence, morbidity/mortality, risk factors, and prevention strategies for patients with myocardial infarction, heart failure, dysrhythmias, aneurism, and hypertension.
	Compare and contrast the pathophysiology of cardiovascular diseases in the elderly with that of a younger adult, including myocardial infarction, heart failure, dysrhythmias, aneurism, and hypertension.
	Discuss the assessment of the elderly patient with complaints related to the cardiovascular system, including myocardial infarction, heart failure, dysrhythmias, aneurism, and hypertension.
	Identify the need for intervention and transportation of the elderly patient with cardiovascular complaints.
	Develop a treatment and management plan of the elderly patient with cardiovascular complaints, including myocardial infarction, heart failure, dysrhythmias, aneurism and hypertension.
	Discuss the normal and abnormal changes with age of the nervous system.
	Describe the epidemiology for nervous system diseases in the elderly, including incidence, morbidity/mortality, risk factors, and prevention strategies for patients with cerebral vascular disease, delirium, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.
	Compare and contrast the pathophysiology of nervous system diseases in the elderly with that of a younger adult, including cerebral vascular disease, delirium, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.
	Discuss the assessment of the elderly patient with complaints related to the nervous system, including cerebral vascular disease, delirium, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.
	Identify the need for intervention and transportation of the patient with complaints related to the nervous system.
	Develop a treatment and management plan of the elderly patient with complaints related to the nervous system, including cerebral vascular disease, delirium, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.
	Discuss the normal and abnormal changes of the endocrine system with age.
	Describe the epidemiology for endocrine diseases in the elderly, including incidence, morbidity/mortality, risk factors, and prevention strategies for patients with diabetes and thyroid diseases.
	Compare and contrast the pathophysiology of diabetes and thyroid diseases in the elderly with that of a younger adult.
	Discuss the assessment of the elderly patient with complaints related to the endocrine system, including diabetes and thyroid diseases.
	Identify the need for intervention and transportation of the patient with endocrine problems.
	Develop a treatment and management plan of the elderly patient with endocrine problems, including diabetes and thyroid diseases.
	Discuss the normal and abnormal changes of the gastrointestinal system with age.
	Discuss the assessment of the elderly patient with complaints related to the gastrointestinal system.
	Identify the need for intervention and transportation of the patient with gastrointestinal complaints.
	Develop and execute a treatment and management plan of the elderly patient with gastrointestinal problems.
	Discuss the assessment and management of an elderly patient with GI hemorrhage and bowel obstruction.