Caller Interrogation Techniques Flashcards

When a caller reports the patient 'might be breathing,' how should the EMD dispatcher treat this response?

Answer: Treat it as 'not breathing' until confirmed otherwise

Ambiguous breathing status must be treated as 'not breathing' to ensure the highest level of response and trigger pre-arrival CPR instructions if needed.

What is the primary purpose of 'key questions' in the MPDS interrogation protocol?

Answer: To determine the most appropriate response level and pre-arrival instructions

Key questions are protocol-specific queries designed to identify the correct determinant code, response level, and appropriate pre-arrival instructions.

During EMD interrogation, what is the 'echo technique' used for?

Answer: Repeating the caller's last word to encourage them to continue speaking

The echo technique involves repeating the caller's last word or phrase to prompt them to provide more detail without leading them.

A caller reports a 45-year-old male with chest pain. Which follow-up question has the highest dispatch priority?

Answer: Is he conscious and breathing normally?

Determining consciousness and breathing status is the first critical interrogation step because it governs the response priority and immediate pre-arrival instructions.

What should a dispatcher do when a caller provides contradictory information during interrogation?

Answer: Calmly re-ask the specific question to clarify

Dispatchers should calmly re-ask the question using clear, simple language to resolve contradictions without alarming the caller.

What does 'funneling' mean in the context of EMD caller interrogation?

Answer: Moving from broad, open-ended questions to specific, focused ones

Funneling is a questioning strategy that starts with general inquiries to establish the chief complaint, then narrows to specific protocol-driven key questions.

When interrogating a third-party caller who is not at the scene, what is the dispatcher's most critical challenge?

Answer: Verifying the accuracy of information they cannot directly observe

Third-party callers relay secondhand information, meaning details about breathing, consciousness, and injury severity may be inaccurate or incomplete.