Jasper County EMS

Emergency Medical Services

Jeffery Bratcher, NREMT-P

Standard Operating

Procedures

Table of Contents

GENERAL POLICIES

• Conduct Policy

• Crew Quarters Policy

• Uniforms

• Duty Program

• Operations

• Documentation

• Shift Responsibilities

• Dispatch Protocol

• Radio Operations/Equipment Handling

• On-Scene Procedures

• Public Information Policy

• Event Standby Policy

• General Organizational Structure

• Conduct Policy

1. EMTs must avoid illegal or unethical behavior, and must avoid creating the

appearance of illegal or unethical behavior. Violations of federal, state, or local

laws, excluding parking violations, shall be subject to disciplinary action and

possible mandatory reporting to the police. For the purposes of this policy,

conduct will be considered unethical if it would cause a reasonable person to

question a member’s integrity.

2. EMTs will not respond to emergency calls while under the influence of alcohol

or illegal drugs. EMS personnel will not consume alcoholic beverages or foods while on duty,

or within 12 hours prior to going on duty or responding to a call. Violators will  be subject to disciplinary action.

3. Unless responding to an emergency call, EMS personnel will not wear clothing that identifies them as a member of Jasper County EMS while in establishments that serve primarily alcohol (i.e., nightclubs, adult entertainment establishment), or attending functions while consuming alcohol.

4. While not on duty but wearing clothing that identifies them as a member of Jasper County EMS, members must act in the same professional manner they would while on-duty. Similarly, should the member find themselves in a situation where they are needed to provide patient care, members must adhere to all Jasper County EMS Patient Care Guidelines and all Jasper County EMS Standard Operating Procedures as if they were on duty.

5. Members will refrain from lending uniforms to individuals who are not members

of Jasper County EMS.

6. Because Jasper County EMS acts in cooperation with JCSO, EMTs who have knowledge of a crime committed in Jasper County should inform JCSO, unless doing

so would violate patient confidentiality. If unsure, please contact the EMS Director.

7. EMS personnel  must treat patients courteously at all times. EMTs must work with

JCSO, DNR, Park Rangers, Mutual Aid EMS, and Fire personnel, in a professional manner.

8. EMS personnel will follow the chain of command as outlined in our SOPs. All personnel must work toward

the welfare of the patient and the conflict shall be resolved after the emergency.

9. EMTs will strictly adhere to the Jasper County EMS weapons policy. While on duty, members will not carry Firearms, or Knives with a blade that exceeds 6 inches.

10. In order to avoid unprofessional or inappropriate actions while on duty, no two

members involved in a relationship should be scheduled on the same EMS Unit.

Should two members begin a relationship after already being scheduled for the

same EMS Unit, one of those members should contact their shift officer and the Shift

Supervisor to request a shift change.

11. Violations of Jasper County EMS policies or other Jasper County policies may be considered as conduct violations. Conduct violations will be subject to disciplinary action.

12. Jasper County EMS provides services to patients that are private and confidential and therefore all EMTs must respect the privacy rights of their patients. All EMTs must recognize that in the rendering of Jasper County EMS services, that patients provide personal information. Such information may exist in a variety of forms, including electronic, oral, or written. All such information is strictly confidential and protected by Federal and State laws.

• Crew Quarters Policy

1. The quarters exist primarily for the use of on-duty Jasper County EMS crew members. If there is a disagreement between an on-duty and an off-duty EMT about the use of the quarters, the off-duty EMT should yield to the on-duty EMT or leave.

2. The quarters are not intended to serve as long-term housing (greater than the

duration of the shift) for any EMT.

3. EMTs are responsible for supplying their own personal items, such as toiletries, personal food, etc. EMTs should store personal items appropriately while not on duty or in the quarters.

4. The duty crew is responsible for maintaining the quarters in a neat and orderly

fashion at all times.

5. All EMTs of the duty crew going off shift, who have used the quarters, are

responsible for ensuring that the quarters are clean and in order. This includes

washing dishes, changing linens, vacuuming the floor, doing laundry as needed,

and general cleanliness of the quarters.

6. EMTs will abide by Jasper County EMS SOPs when using the quarters,

and will maintain a professional appearance and attitude when dealing with other

occupants in the building. EMTs who behave inconsiderately towards Co-workers or others in the building will be subject to disciplinary action.

7. EMTs should consider the crew quarters to be a place for rest and relaxation, and act

accordingly while inside the crew quarters.

• UNIFORMS

A. GENERAL FORMAT

1. The uniform shall be a symbol of professionalism for Jasper County EMS and should be worn at all times with dignity, pride, and neatness. The uniform will be worn by all on-duty personnel while in the field. Uniforms should not be worn soiled or wrinkled at any time. Uniforms not meeting standard operating procedure guidelines will not be allowed.

a. No shorts will be worn while in uniform.

b. No blue jeans will be worn while in uniform.

c. Hats, other than those with EMS or Fire emblems, shall not beworn..

d. Stud Earrings are permitted.

e. Rings may be worn, with the exception of rings that will not jeopardize the PPE

required to be worn. No nose rings.

f. Each member should provide themselves with a black pen.

g. Each member should wear a watch with a second hand.

h. No uniform or article of clothing bearing the name of another EMS service may be worn.

B. UNIFORM SHIRT/SWEATSHIRT

1. The duty crew with the exception of the Shift Officer, shall have the following

shirt:

a. EMTs will wear a Grey short-sleeve polo shirt which is provided to

every member by Jasper County EMS.

b. Undershirts may be worn with uniform shirts. They will be either a

solid white T-shirt bearing absolutely no logos on front or back, or a

Jasper County EMS shirt.

c. During seasons of cold weather, an approved turtleneck shirt or

undershirt may be substituted for a T-shirt.

d. Approved Jasper County EMS Duty shirts may be worn during seasons of cold

weather.

e. No other shirts or insignia will be worn unless permission is granted by

the EMS Director.

f. Members must wear some item of clothing indicating Jasper County EMS on their

outside layer of clothing.

C. UNIFORM PANTS AND SHOES

1. The uniform pants shall meet the following guidelines:

a. Will be full length pants, breaking at the shoe.

b. Shall be navy blue, or black as approved by the EMS Director.

c. Shall be worn with a black belt.

2. The uniform shoes shall meet the following guidelines:

a. Will be solid black in color.

b. Will completely enclose the entire foot up to or beyond the ankle.

c. Will be clean and polished at all times.

d. Socks shall be worn with shoes and shall be white, navy, or black.

i. Boots may be worn in place of shoes and must conform to color

requirements.

D. TERMINATION OR RESIGNATION FROM Jasper County EMS

1. Any member of Jasper County EMS who resigns or is terminated must return all

uniform equipment issued to them except that which they purchased with their

own funds, to the EMS Director.

Employment

A. General Active Employment Requirements

1. To remain an active member of Jasper County EMS, the EMT must maintain current

all of their certifications, including, but not limited to, being a Georgia Certified

EMT-Intermediate or EMT-Paramedic, as well as certified in CPR for the BLS Provider, ACLS, PALS, & PHTLS.

2. The EMT must work 2 twenty four hour shifts  per month, as necessary.

3. The EMT must attend all general meetings, unless given explicit

permission by the EMS Director.

4. The member must attend all required in-house training as directed by the

EMS Director.

• OPERATIONS

A. SCHEDULING

1. The schedule will be posted 3 months in advance on a designated website.

2. Off-going personnel will at no time leave their assigned shift until they are

relieved. This is grounds for immediate dismissal.

3. The Shift Supervisor should be contacted if there is a need to leave before

relief arrives. Once scheduled for shifts, the EMT assigned to that shift is

responsible for having that shift covered.

4. The EMS Director or Shift Captain must approve any schedule changes.

5. The scheduled EMT will be disciplined if the shift is left uncovered.

6. If during a shift, a personal emergency occurs, contact the Shift Captain or EMS Director for shift coverage.

B. TERRITORY

1. Jasper County EMS primary territory consists of all property in the boudaries of the county line.

2. All calls received outside the primary territory will be considered mutual aid.

3. All Jasper County EMS units operating within the jurisdiction of another agency shall

operate within the regulations set forth in our SOPs and Medical Protocols.

4. When a Jasper County EMS is out of service or unable to answer a call the EMT should notify the 911 center and EMS Director immediately.

5. Units should go In-service when they are within 10 miles of county line. Advise dispatch of your location.

• DOCUMENTATION

A. Overall

1. Jasper County EMS documentation shall include Shift Summary Reports, Equipment

Checklists, Incident Reports, Prehospital Care Reports(PCR), Supplemental

Reports, Patient Refusal Forms(PRF), and Time Off Requests.

a. All Jasper County EMS documentation shall be completed in black ink, and be

printed legibly.

b. All documentation should be filled out in its entirety, with no blank

spaces. All mistakes should have one line drawn through them and

initialed.

c. The Shift Captain is responsible for all Prehospital Care Reports and

Supplemental Reports for his or her shift. In addition, the Shift Captain

is also responsible for all documentation including a complete run

sheet for their shift, documenting the location of each run, incident

number, whether the patient refused or was transported, and what

equipment was used.

d. All documentation will be completed as soon thereafter the call is

complete and the crew is placed back in service.

2. Falsification on ANY report will not be tolerated. Severe disciplinary action

will result.

B. PREHOSPITAL CARE REPORTS

1. The Jasper County EMS Prehospital Care Report (PCR) will be filled out on every call with a patient. It will be filled out entirely and any deletions noted.

a. All comments made on the PCR will be objective. No inappropriate,

subjective comments will be made. Comments will be complete, concise,

and written in a legible manner.

b. NO section should be left blank and everything MUST be filled out. If

something is omitted the reason should be noted in the narrative section or

in an Incident Report.

c. All patient care reports must have insurance info. (face sheet)

e. Print a copy of the electronic PCR and give it directly to

Hospital staff. The name of the hospital, and name and position of

receiving personnel at hospital should be noted on the report.

f. The S.O.A.P. format will be used on all PCRs.

C. INCIDENT REPORTS

1. The Incident Report is used to report incidents involving Jasper County EMS personnel, equipment, primary response territory, or other concerns necessitating

documentation. An Incident Report does not necessarily record a procedural

infraction, but is a record of an unusual operating condition or occurrence.

2. Incident Reports should be concise, complete and objective. Incident Reports

are due at the end of the shift. The Shift Captain on duty is responsible for

reporting the incident to the EMS Director and getting his or her signature

on the form.

D. SHIFT SUMMARY REPORTS

1. A Shift Summary Report shall be filled out completely for every shift. The

following guidelines should be noted:

a. The materials used section should be filled in with everything used

during that shift including any paperwork and medical equipment.

b. All run numbers, Incident Report numbers, and incident locations

should be placed in the space provided.

E. EQUIPMENT CHECKLIST

1. An Equipment Checklist shall be filled out completely at the end of each shift.

2. Any missing equipment should be noted. The same is also true of any

malfunctioning equipment and the Shift Captain should be notified of any

malfunctions.

F. PATIENT REFUSAL FORMS

1. All patient refusals must be cleared through the Attending Physician at Jasper Memorial  Hospital prior to leaving the scene.

2. The form shall be completed on scene and shall be witnessed by two people.

The EMS Director must be notified of the Patient Refusal ASAP.

3. Document the date, time, and name of the M.D. and the conversation that transpired.

5. If a witness is not available, it shall BE NOTED ON THE REFUSAL FORM.

The shift Captain must be notified ASAP if  available.

6. INTOXICATED PATIENTS MAY NOT SIGN A PATIENT REFUSAL

FORM.

7. ANY PATIENT WHO IS INTOXICATED OR OTHERWISE NOT

COMPETENT AS DETERMINED BY THE EMT SHALL BE

TRANSPORTED VIA AMBULANCE.

8. The Patient Refusal should be attached to the PCR and remain with the PCR

at all times.

B. General Guidlines

1. Jasper County EMS is dedicated to providing a service to the community without

discrimination or bias. As such, Jasper County EMS will not deny any person on the  basis prohibited by applicable law, including but not limited to race, religion, color,

sex, age, sexual orientation, national origin, status as a veteran, gender identity, or

handicap.

2. No Jasper County EMT members will function as EMT’s if they have any physical or

mental impairment or disease which could reasonably be expected to either impair

their ability to function as an Emergency Medical Technician or jeopardize the

health and safety of their patients. If such a condition exists, the member will

immediately notify the EMS Director or Shift Captain.

3. All EMT’s are required to attend the training and orientation sessions organized

by the Shift Captain or EMS Director, and must demonstrate proficiency in EMT,and Paramedic related skills.

4. If at any time a Jasper County EMS personnel loses their EMT, Paramedic, ACLS, PALS, or CPR certification, for whatever reason, they must immediately notify the EMS Director and the Shift Captain. The EMT or Paramedic will be removed from service until certifications have been renewed.

5. All General Meetings are assumed to be mandatory. If a Jasper County EMS member is unable to attend a meeting at the announced date and time, it is his or her

responsibility to notify the Shift Captain or EMS Director prior to the meeting.

7. If a General Meeting is to include in-service training on a new piece of

equipment, the EMT shall be notified in advance. If an EMT is unable to attend the session, it is his or her responsibility to meet with a member of their shift, preferably the training director, to be briefed on the use of the equipment prior to his or her next shift.

• Shift Responsibilities

1. Each crew will consist of an EMT and Paramedic.

2. The EMTs on duty must:

a. Respond to all calls dispatched from the 911 center, walk-ins, and drive ups.

b. Make certain that all non-disposable equipment that is left with the patient

at a hospital or with a transport agency is either retrieved prior to the end

of the shift. If the equipment is not recoverable, make sure that the

Shift Captain is aware of its location.

c. All medical supplies used at a call must be restocked immediately after completing the call.

• Dispatch Protocol

1. While awaiting dispatch, the radio should be on EMS Channel.

2. Following dispatch, the EMT must give mileage and area responding from.

3. All necessary radio communication should take place on EMS Channel.

4. All communication is done in plain language; no 10 codes are used.

5. When parking a vehicle on scene, care must be taken not to block any

access points to the scene that might be used by JCSO and/or Fire Personnel.

• Radio Operations/ Equipment Handling

1. Radio equipment, jump bags, and other equipment must be signed out at

the beginning of each shift, and must be signed back in at the conclusion

of each shift.

2. It is imperative that all radios, phones, and monitor batteries are properly charged;

the radios and batteries should be returned to the charger after use.

3. On-call EMT’s should keep radio transmissions to a minimum. Names or

patient information should not be stated over the air.

4. All communication must be clear, professional and concise.

6. The radio system is for Jasper County EMS business only. At no time shall any

member conduct personal business or act in an unprofessional manner on

the radio.

7. If any of the above regulations have been violated the responsible EMT

may be subject to review by the Shift Captain or EMS Director.

8. Note that the radio traffic that is heard is considered privileged

information. Anything that is heard on the radio shall not repeated, and

any public reference made concerning privileged information will be

considered a breach of confidentiality.

• On Scene Procedures

1. While on scene at an emergency, Jasper County EMS personnel will maintain a professional attitude and appearance.

2. EMTs will provide care in accordance with the level of their certification. No

procedure that is beyond the EMTs level of certification may be attempted.

3. Jasper County EMS personnel are in charge of patient care at all times while on scene. Although the Shift Captain of Jasper County EMS is ultimately the person in

charge of the scene, based upon the medical crew’s level of certification, medical knowledge and skills, concerns over patient care will be decided by the shift Captain.

4. If a patient care dispute exists with EMS personnel onscene, it should

not be aired in front of the patient. Any disagreements in patient care should be

noted and an incident report and be filed if necessary. The EMS Director and Shift Captain should be notified of any disagreements between EMS personnel and or other medical staff at scene or hospital as soon as possible after the call.

5. Any responding agency or transport organization assumes total responsibility for

the patient after they have initiated care, provided that said agency is certified at a

level equal to or above that of Jasper County EMS personnel.

8. In cases where patients or bystanders are violent or abusive toward Jasper County EMS personnel, the EMS crew should exit the scene until such time as the

situation is resolved by JCSO.Charges may be filed if an individual assaults a Jasper County EMS employee or if an individual compromises the well-being of the patient by obstructing or impairing Jasper County EMS personnel in the completion of their duties.

• Public Information Policy

1. All requests for information about patients or calls, from the media or the general

public, will be directed to the EMS Director. If the EMS Director cannot be contacted, requests will be referred to the County Manager.

2. Under no circumstances shall any information be released without approval of the EMS Director.

3. A violation of this policy will be treated as a conduct violation; members who release

confidential patient information without authorization will be subject to disciplinary

action.

• Event Standby Policy

1. Standby crews should arrive early to ensure they have time to set up their command area.

The Shift Captain is responsible for getting contact information for the event organizer

from the EMS Director.

2. Upon arrival, the Shift Captain should establish contact with the event coordinator. The Shift Captain should determine which other EMS and Police agencies are staffing the event and establish contact with them as necessary.

3. The Shift Captain should determine the proper access methods for EMS

for the area where the standby occurs.

7. A single Shift Summary Report summarizing the standby must be written. This report

should include all EMS members on the standby and detail all tactical standby locations. In addition, any patient contact where assessment is performed or care is rendered must be documented in a separate PCR.

• General Organization Structure

Section 4.1:

The administrative officers of the organization shall be, in order from highest rank to

lowest rank, County Manager Dennis Recker, EMS Director Jeff Bratcher, Capt. Jamie Hamlin.

Section 4.2:

Duties and Powers of the EMS Director)

1. He/She shall supervise all members of the department.

2. He/She shall serve as the presiding officer at all meetings.

Section 4.3:

Duties and Powers of the Shift Captain

1. He/She shall be responsible for providing and overseeing all patient care on

each call.

2. He/She shall be responsible for all documentation involving incidents/calls

transpiring during his/her shift.

3. He/She shall serve as preceptor to those probationary members assigned to

his/her shift and shall be responsible for ensuring that they are trained to

Jasper County EMS standards.

4. He/She shall report directly to the EMS Director.