Chapter 10 (In progress) Flashcards
The average pressure in the circulatory system during one cardiac cycle.
mean arterial pressure
Breathing that occurs without assistance.
spontaneous respirations
Any injury that prevents the patient from noticing other injuries he or she may have, even severe injuries; for example, a painful femur or tibia fracture that prevents the patient from noticing back pain associated with a spinal fracture.
distracting injury
A characteristic crackling sensation felt on palpation of the skin, caused by the presence of air in soft tissues.
subcutaneous emphysema
To examine by touch.
palpate
The motion of the portion of the chest wall that is detached in a flail chest; the motion—in during inhalation, out during exhalation—is exactly the opposite of normal chest wall motion during breathing.
paradoxical motion
Damage to tissues as the result of exposure to cold; frozen or partially frozen body parts are frostbitten.
frostbite
The way in which a patient responds to external stimuli, including verbal stimuli (sound), tactile stimuli (touch), and painful stimuli.
responsiveness
A test that evaluates distal circulatory system function by squeezing (blanching) blood from an area such as a nail bed and watching the speed of its return after releasing the pressure.
capillary refill
Protective equipment that blocks exposure to a pathogen or a hazardous material.
personal protective equipment
The wave of pressure created as the heart contracts and forces blood out the left ventricle and into the major arteries.
pulse
A step within the patient assessment process in which a systematic physical examination of the patient is performed. The examination may be a systematic exam or an assessment that focuses on a certain area or region of the body, often determined through the chief complaint.
secondary assessment
The biochemical processes that result in production of energy from nutrients within the cells; also called cellular respiration.
metabolism
The delicate membrane that lines the eyelids and covers the exposed surface of the eye.
conjunctiva
A change in the way a person thinks and behaves that may signal disease in the central nervous system or elsewhere in the body.
altered mental status
The increased pressure in an artery with each contraction of the ventricles (systole).
systolic pressure
The time from injury to definitive care, during which treatment of shock and traumatic injuries should occur because survival potential is best; also called the Golden Period.
Golden Hour
The tough, fibrous, white portion of the eye that protects the more delicate inner structures.
sclera
Subjective findings that the patient feels but that can be identified only by the patient.
symptom
A rapid heart rate, more than 100 beats/min.
tachycardia
A mnemonic for assessment in which each area of the body is evaluated for Deformities, Contusions, Abrasions, Punctures/penetrations, Burns, Tenderness, Lacerations, and Swelling.
DCAP-BTLS
A step within the patient assessment process that identifies and initiates treatment of immediate and potential life threats.
primary assessment
Objective finding that can be seen, heard, felt, smelled, or measured.
sign
A harsh, high-pitched respiratory sound, generally heard during inspiration, that is caused by partial blockage or narrowing of the upper airway; may be audible without a stethoscope.
stridor
A condition in which the internal body temperature falls below 95 degrees F (35 degrees C).
hypothermia
The process of establishing treatment and transportation priorities according to severity of injury and medical need.
triage
A grating or grinding sensation or sound caused by fractured bone ends or joints rubbing together.
crepitus
The conclusion about the cause of the patient’s condition after considering the situation, history, and examination findings.
field impression
An indication of air movement in the lungs, usually assessed with a stethoscope.
breath sounds
A blue skin discoloration that is caused by a reduced level of oxygen in the blood. Although paleness, or a decrease in blood flow, can be difficult to detect in dark-skinned people, it may be observed by examining mucous membranes inside the inner lower eyelid and capillary refill. On general observation, the patient may appear ashen or gray.
cyanosis
Blood pressure that is higher than the normal range.
hypertension
A brief history of a patient’s condition to determine signs and symptoms, allergies, medications, pertinent past history, last oral intake, and events leading to the injury or illness.
SAMPLE history
Coarse, low-pitched breath sounds heard in patients with chronic mucus in the upper airways.
rhonchi
A mnemonic used in evaluating a patient’s pain: Onset, Provocation/palliation, Quality, Region/radiation, Severity, and Timing.
OPQRST
Widening of the nostrils, indicating that there is an airway obstruction.
nasal flaring
A system implemented to manage disasters and mass-casualty incidents in which section chiefs, including finance/administration, logistics, operations, and planning, report to the incident commander.
incident command system
Knowledge and understanding of one’s surroundings and the ability to recognize potential risks to the safety of the patient or EMS team.
situational awareness
An upright position in which the patient leans forward onto two arms stretched forward and thrusts the head and chin forward.
tripod position
Narrowing of a blood vessel.
vasoconstriction
A slow heart rate, less than 60 beats/min
bradycardia
A severe breathing problem in which a patient can speak only two to three words at a time without pausing to take a breath.
two- to three-word dyspnea
The pressure that remains in the arteries during the relaxing phase of the heart’s cycle (diastole) when the left ventricle is at rest.
diastolic pressure
An assessment tool that measures oxygen saturation of hemoglobin in the capillary beds.
pulse oximetry
Protective measures that have traditionally been developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for use in dealing with objects, blood, body fluids, and other potential exposure risks of communicable disease.
standard precautions
An upright position in which the patient’s head and chin are thrust slightly forward to keep the airway open.
sniffing position
Blood pressure that is lower than the normal range.
hypotension
The overall initial impression that determines the priority for patient care; based on the patient’s surroundings, the mechanism of injury, signs and symptoms, and the chief complaint.
general impression
Movements in which the skin pulls in around the ribs during inspiration.
retractions
The general type of illness a patient is experiencing.
nature of illness
The mental status of a patient as measured by memory of person (name), place (current location), time (current year, month, and approximate date), and event (what happened).
orientation
The forces, or energy transmission, applied to the body that cause injury.
mechanism of injury
Involuntary muscle contractions (spasm) of the abdominal wall to minimize the pain of abdominal movement; a sign of peritonitis.
guarding
Negative findings that warrant no care or intervention.
pertinent negatives
A method of assessing the level of consciousness by determining whether the patient is awake and alert, responsive to verbal stimuli or pain, or unresponsive; used principally early in the assessment process.
AVPU scale
Yellow skin or sclera that is caused by liver disease or dysfunction.
jaundice
A high-pitched, whistling breath sound that is most prominent on expiration, and which suggests an obstruction or narrowing of the lower airways; occurs in asthma and bronchiolitis.
wheezing
The reason a patient called for help; also, the patient’s response to questions such as “What’s wrong?” or “What happened?”
chief complaint
The use of muscles of the chest, back, and abdomen to assist in expanding the chest; occurs when air movement is impaired.
labored breathing
Crackling, rattling breath sounds that signal fluid in the air spaces of the lungs.
crackles
The flow of blood through body tissues and vessels.
perfusion
The pressure that the blood exerts against the walls of the arteries as it passes through them.
blood pressure
A type of physical assessment typically performed on patients who have sustained nonsignificant mechanisms of injury or on responsive medical patients. This type of examination is based on the chief complaint and focuses on one body system or part.
focused assessment
A component of air that typically makes up 0.03% of air at sea level; also a waste product exhaled during expiration by the respiratory system.
carbon dioxide
The amount of air (in milliliters) that is moved into or out of the lungs during one breath.
tidal volume
Respirations characterized by little movement of the chest wall (reduced tidal volume) or poor chest excursion.
shallow respirations
To listen to sounds within an organ with a stethoscope.
auscultate
A step within the patient assessment process that involves a quick assessment of the scene and the surroundings to provide information about scene safety and the mechanism of injury or nature of illness before you enter and begin patient care.
scene size-up
A step within the patient assessment process that provides details about the patient’s chief complaint and an account of the patient’s signs and symptoms.
history taking
The key signs that are used to evaluate the patient’s overall condition, including respirations, pulse, blood pressure, level of consciousness, and skin characteristics.
vital signs
A noninvasive method to quickly and efficiently provide information on a patient’s ventilatory status, circulation, and metabolism; effectively measures the concentration of carbon dioxide in expired air over time.
capnography
Characterized by light or profuse sweating.
diaphoretic
A step within the patient assessment process performed at regular intervals during the assessment process to identify and treat changes in a patient’s condition. A patient in unstable condition should be reassessed every 5 minutes, whereas a patient in stable condition should be reassessed every 15 minutes.
reassessment
The secondary muscles of respiration. They include the neck muscles (sternocleidomastoids), the chest pectoralis major muscles, and the abdominal muscles.
accessory muscles
During the scene size-up, you should routinely determine all of the following, EXCEPT:
the mechanism of injury or nature of illness.
the ratio of pediatric patients to adult patients.
whether or not additional resources are needed.
if there are any hazards that will jeopardize safety.
the ratio of pediatric patients to adult patients.
You arrive at the scene of an “injured person.” As you exit the ambulance, you see a man lying on the front porch of his house. He appears to have been shot in the head and is lying in a pool of blood. You should:
immediately assess the patient.
proceed to the patient with caution.
quickly assess the scene for a gun.
retreat to a safe place and wait for law enforcement to arrive.
retreat to a safe place and wait for law enforcement to arrive.
Findings such as inadequate breathing or an altered level of consciousness should be identified in the:
primary assessment.
focused assessment.
secondary assessment.
reassessment.
primary assessment
Which of the following would you NOT detect while determining your initial general impression of a patient?
Cyanosis
Gurgling respirations
Severe bleeding
Rapid heart rate
Rapid heart rate
Your primary assessment of an elderly woman who fell reveals an altered level of consciousness and a large hematoma to her forehead. After protecting her spine and administering oxygen, you should:
reassess your interventions.
perform a rapid exam.
transport the patient immediately.
perform a focused assessment of her head.
perform a rapid exam.
A semiconscious patient pushes your hand away when you pinch his earlobe. You should describe his level of consciousness as:
alert.
unresponsive.
responsive to painful stimuli.
responsive to verbal stimuli.
responsive to painful stimuli.
Assessment of an unconscious patient’s breathing begins by:
inserting an oral airway.
manually positioning the head.
assessing respiratory rate and depth.
clearing the mouth with suction as needed.
manually positioning the head.
Your 12-year-old patient can speak only two or three words without pausing to take a breath. He has a serious breathing problem known as:
nasal flaring.
two- to three-word dyspnea.
labored breathing.
shallow respirations.
two- to three-word dyspnea.
How should you determine the pulse in an unresponsive 8-year-old patient?
Palpate the radial pulse at the wrist.
Palpate the brachial pulse inside the upper arm.
Palpate the radial pulse with your thumb.
Palpate the carotid pulse in the neck.
Palpate the carotid pulse in the neck.
When assessing your patient’s pain, he says it started in his chest but has spread to his legs. This is an example of what part of the OPQRST mnemonic?
Onset
Quality
Region/radiation
Severity
Region/radiation
Wheezing is a harsh, high-pitched, breath sound, generally heard during inspiration, that is caused by partial blockage or narrowing of the upper airway.
TrueFalse
False
Tidal volume is a measure of the amount of air that is moved into or out of the lungs in 1 minute.
TrueFalse
False
Counting respirations is most easily done by counting each peak chest rise.
TrueFalse
True
Inhalation and exhalation times occur in a 1:3 ratio; the active inhalation phase lasts one-third the amount of time of the passive exhalation phase.
TrueFalse
True
