Packed with outstanding full-color, clinical photos and illustrations, the fourth edition of this comprehensive text focuses on why you take certain actions in the field, as well as how. Updated to reflect the 2010 emergency cardiovascular care guidelines, it provides thorough, yet practical coverage of the National Standard Curriculum (NSC) for the EMT-Basic, the new National Education Standards, and the National Registry of EMTs National EMS Practice Analysis. This comprehensive approach helps you better understand the process of disease progression and your role in prehospital patient care.