Emergency Medical Responder

Chris Le Baudour has been working in the EMS field since 1978. In 1984, Chris began his teaching career in the Department of Public Safety–EMS Division at Santa Rosa Junior College in Santa Rosa, California. Chris holds a master’s degree in education with an emphasis in online teaching and learning as well as numerous EMS and instructional certifications. Chris has spent the past 30 years mastering the art of experiential learning in EMS and is well known for his innovative classroom techniques and his passion for both teaching and learning in both traditional and online classrooms. Chris is very involved in EMS education at the national level and served six years as a board member of the National Association of EMS Educators and advises many organizations throughout the country. Chris is a frequent presenter at both state and national conferences and a prolific EMS writer. Along with numerous articles, he is the author of Emergency Care for First Responders and coauthor of EMT Complete: A Basic Worktext, and an Emergency Medical Responder Workbook and Active Learning Manual for the EMT-Basic. Chris and his wife, Audrey, have two children and reside in northern California. David Bergeron was very active in the development of instructional and training programs for the emergency medical services (EMS) for more than 35 years. His early work included a front-row seat to the development of modern patient assessment and care inspired by the studies of Dr. R. Adams Cowley, Maryland Shock Trauma Center, Maryland Institute of EMS Systems, and Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute (MFRI). David’s work in instructional development for emergency medicine has included EMT-Basic, Emergency Medical Responder (First Responder), EMT-Intermediate, and EMT-Paramedic student and instructor programs. He is credited with writing the first comprehensive textbook for the first responder, for establishing the first behavioral objectives for EMTs, and for being the first to develop a full-course glossary for EMT instruction. As well as having served as an instructional technologist on leading textbooks in emergency medicine, David was on the teaching faculty of the University of Maryland, Longwood University, and numerous community colleges and schools of nursing. His publications include textbooks that have been translated into Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Italian, Lithuanian, and Japanese. David passed away on April 10, 2012, after a long illness.

Brief Contents




Introduction to EMS Systems
Legal and Ethical Principles of Emergency Care
Wellness and Safety of the Emergency Medical Responder
Introduction to Medical Terminology, Human Anatomy, and Lifespan Development
Introduction to Pathophysiology
Principles of Lifting, Moving, and Positioning of Patients
Principles of Effective Communication
Principles of Effective Documentation
Principles of Airway Management and Ventilation
Principles of Oxygen Therapy ¿
Principles of Resuscitation
Obtaining a Medical History and Vital Signs
Principles of Patient Assessment
Caring for Cardiac Emergencies
Caring for Respiratory Emergencies
Caring for Common Medical Emergencies
Caring for Environmental Emergencies
Caring for Soft-Tissue Injuries and Bleeding
Recognition and Care of Shock ¿
Caring for Muscle and Bone Injuries
Caring for Head and Spine Injuries
Caring for Chest and Abdominal Emergencies
Care During Pregnancy and Childbirth
Caring for Infants and Children
Special Considerations for the Geriatric Patient
Introduction to EMS Operations and Hazardous Response
Introduction to Multiple-Casualty Incidents, the Incident Command System, and Triage


Appendix 1: Patient Monitoring Devices
Appendix 2: Principles of Pharmacology
Appendix 3: Air Medical Transport Operations
Appendix 4: Introduction to Terrorism Response and Weapons of Mass Destruction