EMD - Emergency Medical Dispatch EMD Roles and Responsibilities Questions and Answers

Question 1

An EMD is handling a call for a patient with a suspected cardiac arrest.
The caller is highly distressed.
Which of the following actions is the MOST critical and primary responsibility of the EMD in this situation?

Accepted Answer

Providing Pre-Arrival Instructions for CPR while simultaneously dispatching appropriate resources.

Answer

Keeping the caller on the line until responders arrive to provide emotional support.

Answer

Gathering the patient's detailed medical history from the caller.

Answer

Informing the caller of the estimated time of arrival for the ambulance.

Question 2

Which of the following best describes the principle of 'Duty to Act' as it applies to an Emergency Medical Dispatcher?

Accepted Answer

The obligation to continue providing services once a call for help is answered and a special relationship is established.

Answer

The requirement to provide medical advice only when certified as a paramedic.

Answer

The option to refuse to dispatch resources if the caller is uncooperative or verbally abusive.

Answer

The responsibility to personally respond to the scene if no other units are available.

Question 3

A caller reports a motor vehicle collision. After dispatching the appropriate fire and EMS units, the EMD begins asking a series of scripted questions about the number of patients, entrapment, and visible hazards. This structured questioning is a key component of:

Accepted Answer

Adherence to a medically-approved dispatch protocol.

Answer

The EMD's personal curiosity about the incident.

Answer

A quality assurance case review.

Answer

A customer service satisfaction survey.

Question 4

An EMD's responsibility for patient confidentiality, in line with regulations like HIPAA, means they must:

Accepted Answer

Avoid sharing PHI unless it is necessary for the treatment of the patient by responding personnel or for other legally permissible reasons.

Answer

Refuse to give any information over the radio to responding units.

Answer

Share Protected Health Information (PHI) with family members who call back for an update.

Answer

Announce the patient's name and medical complaint over all radio channels.

Question 5

Which of the following is NOT a primary responsibility of an Emergency Medical Dispatcher?

Accepted Answer

Determining the final medical diagnosis of the patient's condition.

Answer

Prioritizing calls based on the severity of the emergency.

Answer

Providing Pre-Arrival and Post-Dispatch Instructions.

Answer

Coordinating and dispatching the appropriate level of EMS response.

Question 6

During a quality assurance (QA) review of a call, it is noted that the EMD did not strictly follow the scripted protocol for a seizure patient, instead relying on their personal experience as a former EMT. This action is considered a deviation primarily because:

Accepted Answer

It introduces inconsistency and undermines the medical-legal standing of the standardized system.

Answer

It demonstrates a higher level of care than the protocol allows.

Answer

The EMD is not allowed to use any prior medical knowledge during call-taking.

Answer

It is only acceptable if the patient had a positive outcome.