Week 4 (Feb. 5) Flashcards
What are the steps of the assessment process?
1) scene size-up
2) primary assessment
3) history taking
4) secondary assessment
5) reassessment
What is used in situations with multiple patients and what is its function?
the incident command system, which is a flexible system implemented to manage a variety of emergency scenes, using a triage and split-group approach
What is the AVPU scale of a person’s responsiveness?
Awake and alert; responsive to Verbal stimuli; responsive to Pain; Unresponsive
What 1 through 4 scale of alertness and orientedness is based off of what?
a person’s knowledge of person, place, time, and events
What is our goal for a patient’s oxygen saturation?
94% - 99%
What respiration rates indicate that positive pressure ventilations must be given?
less than 8 breaths/min or more than 28
What factors do you consider when assessing a patient’s skin?
skin color, then skin temp., then skin moisture
What is a good measure of a pediatric patient’s perfusion?
capillary refill time (CRT), which in a healthy patient is less than 2 seconds; don’t use this if patient is in cold temperatures
What is the first step that must be performed in a rapid exam of a patient during primary assessment?
DCAP-BTLS: look and feel for Deformities, Contusions, Abrasions, Punctures, Burns, Tenderness, Lacerations, and Swelling
How often do you assess the vitals of a stable patient until arrival at the ED? in an unstable patient?
every 15 minutes for stable patient, every 5 for unstable
You should suspect shock in what kind of patients?
patients with tachycardia (fast heart rate), and pale, cool, clammy skin
What can be used for gathering additional information about a patient’s history of present illness and current symptoms, mostly information about pain?
OPQRST: Onset, Provocation/Palliation, Quality, Region/Radiation, Severity, and Timing
What helps you find the most relevant information central to providing treatment to a patient?
SAMPLE history: Signs/Symptoms, Allergies, Medications, Pertinent past medical history, Last oral intake, and Events leading up to the injury?
What are the three different aspects of a physical examination?
inspection, palpitation, and auscultation
What is “battle sign”?
bruising behind a patient’s ears
What information must you obtain when assessing breathing?
respiratory rate, rhythm (regular or irregular), quality or character of breathing, and depth of breathing
What is a high decrease in blood pressure a sign of?
late sign of shock which indicates that they are not maintaining proper perfusion
What scale is used to assess a patient’s overall neurologic status and what criteria does it judge? Also what is the range of the scale?
Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), judges eye opening, best verbal response, and best motor response; ranges from 3-15
What is used in assessing the pupils?
PEARRRL: Pupils Equal And Round Regular in size React to Light
What is capnography?
a noninvasive method to quickly and efficiently provide information on a patient’s ventilatory status, circulation, and metabolism
What are conjunctiva?
the delicate membrane that lines the eyelids and covers the exposed surface of the eye
What is an MOI?
mechanism of injury; the forces, or energy transmission, applied to the body that cause injury
What is an NOI?
nature of illness; the general type of illness a patient is experiencing
What is stridor?
a harsh, high-pitched, breath sound, generally heard during inspiration, that is caused by partial blockage or narrowing of the upper airway
