Critical Thinking Strategies Flashcards
1
Q
Initial Considerations
A
- Dispatch notes
- Bystander/Patient account
2
Q
Considerations when Approaching patient
A
- Body Position
- Are they tracking EMS?
- Emotional /Respiratory distress
- Skin colour/condition
- Angulated Fractures
- Pools of blood, urine, or feces
3
Q
Initial Strategy
A
- Consider at least 2 life-threatening problems first
- Consider medical diagnoses that deal with the underlying organs of concern
- Consider why emergency services was activated
4
Q
Assessment Strategy
A
- Evaluate life-threatening conditions first
- Evaluate non life-threatening conditions, starting with your suspected working diagnosis.
*You need to know what the problem is to choose the right treatment
5
Q
What does Stridor indicate?
A
Impending airway failure
6
Q
What does Pulmonary edema indicate?
A
Impending airway failure
7
Q
What could a heart rate >150 or < 50 indicate>?
A
Cardiac rhythm disturbance
8
Q
Situations where you would stop investigating and treat immediately
A
- Obvious trauma
- Obvious cardiac arrest
- Impending respiratory failure (COPD, asthma, CHF)
- Impending airway failure (FBAO, burns, anaphylaxis)
9
Q
After you rule out life threats, what should you do?
A
Begin with suspected working diagnosis
10
Q
No airway compromise
A
Open and clear
11
Q
No breathing compromise
A
Easy, normal effort of breathing
12
Q
No circulatory compromise
A
- Skin colour normal and dry
- HR between 50 and 150
13
Q
No altered mental status
A
GCS 15, behaving normally according to societal expectations of situation
