Geriatric Education for Emergency Medical Services (GEMS)

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Americans aged 65 and over comprise 15 percent of the population but account for nearly 40 percent of ambulance transports. This is not surprising given that older adults experience more chronic conditions, multiple diseases, and polypharmacy issues than the rest of the population. Yet despite EMS practitioners’ experience in the field, research shows that geriatric trauma patients are often undertriaged to trauma centers. High-quality geriatric-specific education can make a difference. With the right text, EMS practitioners can gain a deeper understanding of how the body ages, how multiple medications can create or exacerbate emergencies, how certain communication techniques can improve assessments, and more. Armed with new knowledge, EMS professionals can learn how to give older patients in their community better emergency care and an improved quality of life. The third edition of Geriatric Education for Emergency Medical Services is authored by experts in the field, reviewed by the American Geriatrics Society (AGS), and endorsed by the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT). Comprehensive and updated, the new edition addresses the National EMS Education Standards in 15 chapters—covering communication, assessment, trauma, respiratory and cardiovascular emergencies, medication toxicity, elder abuse, and much more. The third edition provides even greater value: - New guidance on how to conduct a comprehensive geriatric assessment - New education on how to correctly triage older patients and transport them to the appropriate level of care - New updates to medications and dosages throughout the book, updates to ILCOR guidelines, the inclusion of COVID-19 considerations, and more Unique in prehospital geriatric education, Geriatric Education for Emergency Medical Services engages EMS personnel in the complexities of geriatric care and prepares them with the updated guidance they need to successfully assess and care for their older patients. Chapter 1 Aging Chapter 2 Changes with Age Chapter 3 Communication Chapter 4 Assessment of the Older Patient Chapter 5 Psychosocial Aspects of Aging Chapter 6 Death and Dying Chapter 7 Trauma Chapter 8 Respiratory Emergencies Chapter 9 Cardiovascular Emergencies Chapter 10 Neurological Emergencies Chapter 11 Other Medical Emergencies Chapter 12 Pharmacology and Medication Toxicity Chapter 13 Elder Abuse Chapter 14 Mobile Integrated Healthcare Chapter 15 Elderly in Disasters

Formed in 1975 and more than 32,000 members strong, the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT) is the nation’s only organization solely dedicated to representing the professional interests of all EMS practitioners, including paramedics, emergency medical technicians, emergency medical responders and other professionals working in prehospital emergency medicine. NAEMT members work in all sectors of EMS, including government service agencies, fire departments, hospital-based ambulance services, private companies, industrial and special operations settings, and in the military. NAEMT represents all EMS practitioners in promoting: • Greater understanding and appreciation by government agencies at the local, state and national levels of the role that EMS plays in our nation's health care, public safety, and disaster response systems. • Pay and benefits that reflects their professional training, responsibilities and dedication. • Leadership at the federal level that fosters and supports the delivery of quality EMS nationwide. • Adequate and sustainable funding for EMS in all locations. • Public policy that supports EMS practitioners and the patients they serve.