EC Chp 12 The Primary Assessment Flashcards
The Primary Assessment
Primary Assessment
the portion of the patient assessment during which you will focus exclusively on life threats.
Primary Assessment 6 steps
- Forming a general impression
- assessing mental status
- assessing Airway
- assessing Breathing
- assessing Circulation
- Determining the patients priority for treatment and transport to the hospital
If a patient appears lifeless and has no pulse what do you do?
you start Compressions right away, then address Airway and breathing (CAB)
Interventions
Actions taken to correct or manage a patients problems
the “Look Test”
feeling from environmental observations as well as first look at patient.
Patient with altered mental status could have?
Hypoxia, shock, diabetes, overdose or seizure.
Chief Complaint
the reason why EMS was called, usually in patient’s words.
forming a General Impression
Look, Listen and Smell
What do you use to assess mental status
AVPU
Alert (Ax4)
Verbal response
Painful response (sternum rub)
Unresponsive
If patient is in respiratory arrest with a pulse what do you do?
perform rescue breathing
Not alert with inadequate breathing, what do you do?
Provide positive pressure ventilations with 100% O2
some level of alertness and is breathing inadequate what do you do?
assist his ventilations with 100% 02 and synchronize your vent. with patients own
if patient is adequete but there are symptoms suggesting respiratory distress or hypoxia, what do you do?
provide 02 based on patients need as determined
Signs of Shock on skin?
Pale, clammy (cool and moist) also known as diaphoretic
how to check for circulation (3)
- Check for Pulse
- Skin temp, color and feel
- any bleeding
