Emergency Department - Vocab Flashcards
(42 cards)
Subjective vs. Objective
Feeling vs. fact
Chief complaint (CC)
The main reason for the patient’s ED visit
Medical decision making
The physician’s thought process
Pain vs. Tenderness
Patient’s feeling vs. physician’s assessment
Benign
Normal, of no concern to health
Distress
The doctor’s judgment of comfort
Febrile
The state of having a fever, elevated body temperature; usually indicative of an infection
Baseline
An individual’s normal state of being
Auscultation
Listening with a stethoscope
Palpation
The act of pressing on an area (by the doctor)
Inpatient
Admitted to hospital overnight
Outpatient
Seen and sent home the same day
Charge Nurse
Manages the ED patient flow
Mid-Level Provider
Nurse Practitioner (LNP) or Physician Assistant (PA) that works under the supervision of a physician to diagnose and treat patients
ED Nurse
Records medical histories, symptoms, monitors the patient, starts IVs, administers medications, and assists with procedures
Respiratory Therapist (RT)
Administers “breathing treatments” and assists with managing a patient’s airway
ED Tech
Helps the nurse and assists with procedures
Unit Secretary
Places physician’s orders, answers phone calls, pages other specialists/doctors and organizes the patient’s paperwork
Medical Scribe
Documents the patient’s visit on behalf of the physician
Five vital signs
- HR
- BP
- RR
- T
- SaO2
General documentation template
- HPI
- ROS
- Past Hx
- PE
- ED Course
- Disposition
Emergency Department Patient Flow
- Walk-in
- Triage
- Bed placement
- Nurse assessment
- H&P (physician assessment)
- ED course
- MDM
- Dx
- Disposition
Allergic reaction
- Rash
- Itching
- Swelling
- SOB due to airway swelling
Adverse reaction
- N/V
- Abdominal pain
- Diarrhea
- Dizziness
