17. Falls - ABD

Question 1

POSSIBLY DANGEROUS Body Area

Answer 1

• Abdomen
• Amputation (excluding finger/toe)
• Back
• Chest (breathing normally)
  *Head (alert)
• Leg, upper (obvious deformity)
• Neck (breathing normally)

Question 2

NOT DANGEROUS Body Area

Answer 2

• Ankle
• Arm, upper*
• Collar bone (clavicle)
• Elbow*
• Finger
• Foot
• Forearm
• Genitalia
• Groin
• Hand
• Hip/Pelvis
• Knee*
• Leg, lower
• Leg, upper (without deformity)
• Shoulder
• Tailbone (coccyx)
• Toe
• Wrist

Question 3

Problem Suffixes

Answer 3

A: Accessibility concerns/difficulty
E: Environmental Problems (Rain, heat, cold)
G: On the ground or floor
J: Jumper (suicide attempt)
P: Public place (street, parking garage, market)

Question 4

Extreme Fall

Answer 4

Patient fallen from distance of 30ft/10m (3 stories) or higher

Question 5

Long Fall

Answer 5

Patient fallen from distance of:
* Adult/Child 10-29ft (3-9m)
* Infant 6-29ft (2-9m)

Question 6

SERIOUS Hemorrhage

Answer 6

Uncontrolled bleeding (spurting or pouring) from any area, or anytime a caller reports “serious” bleeding

Question 7

NON-RECENT

Answer 7

≥ 6 hrs have passed since incident or injury occurred (w/o priority symptoms)

Question 8

Public Assist

Answer 8

Aiding a caller in situations where someone has fallen (Ground-level) but is not injured or acutely ill (no priority symptoms)

Question 9

Rule 1

Answer 9

Always consider that the patient’s fall may be result of medical problem (fainting, heart arrhythmia, stroke, etc.)

Question 10

Rule 2

Answer 10

Distance of fall is key factor in determining response

Question 11

Rule 3

Answer 11

The head-tilt is the only recognized method of airway control in PAI dispatch environment. When presented with a TRAUMA patient described as not alert with INEFFECTIVE BREATHING, EMD should protect life over limb and open the airway.

Question 12

Rule 4

Answer 12

DANGEROUS, uncontrolled hemorrhage (neck, armpit, or groin) resulting from a ground-level fall should be handled on Protocol 21

Question 13

Rule 5

Answer 13

If a spinal injury is suspected in a breathing patient and PAIs are not necessary, PDIs maty be enhanced by encouraging patient not to move and by advising rescuer to use their hands to stabilize patient’s head and neck in position found

Question 14

Rule 6

Answer 14

Before selecting 17-A-4, all questions in Case Entry and Protocol 17 must be asked and answered and the person needing aid clearly verified (no unknowns) as having no injuries or acute illness (no priority symptoms)

Question 15

Rule 7

Answer 15

Ground-level falls caused by fainting, near fainting, or dizziness should be handled on Protocol 31

Question 16

Axiom 1

Answer 16

Ground-level falls in elderly patients commonly result in hip fractures, which are not prehospital emergencies

Question 17

Axiom 2

Answer 17

Prevention of permanent nerve injury is a major goal of rescue and treatment