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EMT B > Chapter 9 Patient Assessment > Flashcards

Chapter 9 Patient Assessment Flashcards

(73 cards)

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1
Q

Accessory muscles

A

The secondary muscles of respiration. They include the neck muscles (sternocleidomastoid’s), the chest pectoralis major muscles, and the abdominal muscles

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2
Q

Altered mental status

A

Any deviation from alert and oriented to person, place, time, and event, or any deviation from a patient’s normal baseline mental status

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3
Q

Auscultate

A

To listen to sounds within an organ with a stethoscope

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4
Q

AVPU scale

A

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

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5
Q

Blood pressure

A

The pressure that the blood exerts against the walls of the arteries as it passes through them

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6
Q

Bradycardia

A

A slow heart rate, less than 60 beats per minute

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7
Q

Breath sounds

A

And indication of air movement in the Lungs, usually assessed with a stethoscope

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8
Q

Capillary refill

A

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

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9
Q

Capnography

A

A noninvasive method to quickly and efficiently provide information on any patients ventilatory status, circulation, and metabolism; effectively measures the concentration of carbon dioxide in expired air overtime

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10
Q

Carbon dioxide

A

Carbon dioxide is a component of air and typically makes up a 0.3% of air at sea level; also a waste product exhaled during expiration by the respiratory system

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11
Q

Chief complaint

A

The reason a patient called for help; also, the patient’s response to questions such as what’s wrong or what happened

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12
Q

Coagulate

A

To form a clot to plug an opening in an injured blood vessel and stop bleeding

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13
Q

Conjunctiva

A

The delicate membrane that lines the eyelids and covers the exposed surface of the eye

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14
Q

Crackles

A

A crackling, rattling breath sound that signals fluid in the air spaces of the Lungs

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15
Q

Crepitus

A

A grating or grinding sensation caused by fractured bone ends or joints rubbing together; also air bubbles under the skin that produce a crackling sound or crinkly feeling

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16
Q

Cyanosis

A

A blue gray skin color that is caused by a reduced level of oxygen in the blood

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17
Q

DCAP-BTLS

A

A pneumonic for assessment in which each area of the body is evaluated for deformities, contusions, abrasions, punctures//penetrations, burns, tenderness, lacerations, and swelling

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18
Q

Diaphoretic

A

Characterized by light or perfuse sweating

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19
Q

Diastolic pressure

A

The pressure that remains in the arteries doing the relaxing phase of the heart cycle (diastole) when the left ventricle is at rest

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20
Q

Distracting injury

A

Any injury that prevents the patient from noticing other injuries he or she may have, even severe injuries; for example, a painful femur or to be a fracture that prevents the patient from noticing back pain associated with a spinal fracture

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21
Q

Focused assessment

A

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

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22
Q

Frostbite

A

Damage to tissues as the result of exposure to cold; frozen or partially frozen body parts are frostbitten

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23
Q

General impression

A

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

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24
Q

Golden hour

A

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

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25
Guarding
Involuntary muscle contractions of the abdominal wall to minimize the pain of abdominal movement; A sign of peritonitis
26
History taking
A step with in the patient assessment process that provides detail about the patient's chief complaint and an account of the patients signs and symptoms
27
Hypertension
Blood pressure that is higher than the normal range
28
Hypotension
Blood pressure that is lower than the normal range
29
Hypothermia
A condition in which the internal body temperature falls below 95°F (35°C) after exposure to a cold environment
30
Incident command system
Hey system implemented to manage disasters and mass and multiple casualty incident in which section chiefs, including finance, logistics, operations, and planning, reports to the incident commander. Also referred to as the incident management system
31
Jaundice
Yellow skin or sclera that is caused by a liver disease or dysfunction
32
Labored breathing
Breathing that requires greater than normal effort; maybe slower or faster than normal and characterized by grunting, Strider, and use of accessory muscles
33
Mechanism of injury (MOI)
The forces, or energy transmission, applied to the body that causes injury
34
Metabolism
The bio chemical process that results in production of energy from nutrients within the cells
35
Nasal flaring
Widening of the nostrils, indicating that there is an airway obstruction
36
Nature of illness (NOI)
The general type of illness a patient is experiencing
37
0PQRST
A pneumonic used in evaluating a patient's pain: answered, provocation/palliation, quality, region/radiation, severity, and timing
38
Orientation
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).
39
Palpate
To examine by touch
40
Paradoxical motion
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
41
Perfusion
The flow of blood through the body tissues and vessels
42
Personal protective equipment (PPE)
Protective equipment that blocks exposure to a pathogen or a hazardous material
43
Pertinent negatives
Negative findings that warrant no care or intervention
44
Priapism
A painful, tender, persistent erection of the penis; can results from the spinal cord injury, erectile dysfunction drugs, or sickle cell disease
45
Primary assessment
A step within the patient assessment process that identifies and initiates treatment of immediate and potential Life threats
46
Pulse
The pressure wave that occurs as each heartbeat causes a surge in the blood circulating through the arteries
47
Pulse oximetry
An assessment tool that measures oxygen saturation of hemoglobin in the capillary beds
48
Reassessment
Eastep within the patients 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 five minutes, where as a patient in stable condition should be reassessed every 15 minutes
49
Responsiveness
The way in which a patient response to an external stimuli, including verbal stimuli (sound), tactile stimuli (touch), and painful stimuli
50
Retractions
Movements in which the skin pulls in around the ribs during inspiration
51
Rhonchi
Course, low pitched breath sounds heard in patients with chronic mucus in the upper airways
52
SAMPLE history
A brief history of the patient's condition to determine signs and symptoms, allergies, medications, pertinent past history, last oral intake, and events leading to the injury or illness
53
Scene size up
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
54
Sclera
The tough, fibers, white portion of the eye that protects the more delicate inner structures
55
Secondary assessment
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
56
Shallow respirations
Respirations characterized by little movement of the chest wall (reduced tidal volume) or poor chest excursion
57
Sign
Objective findings that can be seen, heard, felt, smelled, or measured
58
Situational awareness
Knowledge and understanding of your surroundings and situation and the risk they potentially pose to your safety or the safety of the EMS team
59
Sniffing position
And upright position in which the patient's head and Chin are thrust slightly forward to keep the airway open
60
Spontaneous respirations
Breathing that occurs without assistance
61
Standard precautions
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
62
Stridor
A harsh, high-pitched, breath sounds, generally heard during inspiration, that is caused by partial blockage or narrowing of the upper airway; maybe audible without a stethoscope
63
Subcutaneous emphysema
A characteristic crackling sensation felt on palpation of the skin, caused by the presence of air in soft tissues
64
Symptom
Subjective findings that the patient feels but that can be identified only by the patient
65
Systolic pressure
The increased pressure in an artery with each contraction of the ventricles (systole)
66
Tachycardia
A rapid heart rate more than 100 bpm
67
Tidal volume
The amount of air (in milliliters) that is moved in or out of the lungs during one breath
68
Triage
The process of establishing treatment and transportation priorities according to severity of injury and medical need
69
Tripod position
And upright position in which the patient leans forward onto arms stretched forward and thrusts the head and chin forward
70
2 to 3 word dyspnea
A severe breathing problems in which a patient can speak only 2 to 3 words at a time without pausing to take a breath
71
Vasoconstriction
Narrowing of a blood vessel
72
Vital signs
The key signs that are used to evaluate the patient's overall condition, including respirations, pulse, blood pressure, level of consciousness, and skin characteristics
73
Wheezing
A high pitched, whistling sound that is most prominent on expiration, and which suggests an obstruction or narrowing of the lower airway is; occurs in asthma and bronchiolitis

EMT B (32 decks)

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