9. Patient Assessment Flashcards
1
Q
Name the components of Scene Size-Up
A
- Scene Safe
- BSI
- MOI/NOI
- Number of patients
- Additional Resources
- C-Spine stabilization
2
Q
Name the components of Initial Assessment
A
- Level of consciousness, LOC
- Mental Status, LOC
- Chief Complaint/Life Threats
- Airway
- Breathing
- Circulation
- Priority transport decision (rapid or focuses)
3
Q
Define DCAPBTLS
A
Deformity Contusion Abrasion Puncture Burn Tenderness Laceration Swelling
4
Q
What to look for in the Head
A
DECAPBTLS, crepitus
5
Q
What to look for in the Neck
A
DECAPBTLS, crepitus, JVD, Trachea is midline
6
Q
What to look for in the Chest
A
DECAPBTLS, crepitus, lung sounds=rise and fall
7
Q
What to look for in the Abdomen
A
DECAPBTLS, rigidity
8
Q
What to look for in the Pelvis
A
DECAPBTLS, crepitus, incontinence, priapism
9
Q
What to look for in the Lower Extremities
A
DECAPBTLS, PMS
10
Q
What to look for in the Upper Extremities
A
DECAPBTLS, PMS
11
Q
What to look for in the Posterior
A
DECAPBTLS, crepitus
12
Q
What is crepitus?
A
Bone ends grating together
13
Q
What is priapism?
A
Make erection due to spinal injury
14
Q
What is incontinence?
A
Nerve stimulates release of urine and bowel
15
Q
Define the steps in ongoing assessment
A
- reassessment of vital signs
- reassess initial/primary assessment
- reassess secondary assessment
- reassess treatment or interventions
16
Q
Time durations in reassessing stable patients?
A
15 min
17
Q
Time durations in reassessing unstable patients?
A
5 min
18
Q
The secondary muscles of respirations. They include the neck muscles (sternocleidomastoids), the chest pectoralis major muscles, and the abdominal muscles.
A
accessory muscles
19
Q
The deviation from alert and oriented to person, place, time, and event, or any deviation from a patient’s normal baseline mental status.
A
altered mental status
20
Q
To listen to sounds within an organ with a stethoscope.
A
auscultate
21
Q
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.
A
AVPU Scale
22
Q
The process that the blood exerts against the walls of the arteries as it passes through them.
A
blood pressure
23
Q
A slow heart rate, less than 60 beats/min.
A
bradycardia
24
Q
An indication of air movement in the lungs, usually assessed with a stethoscope.
A
breath sounds
25
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.
capillary refill
26
A noninvasive method to quickly and efficiently provide information on a patient's ventilatory status, circulation, and metabolism; effectively measures the concentration of carbon dioxide in expired air over time.
capnography
27
This is a component of air and typically makes up 0.3% of air at sea level; also a waste product exhaled during expiration by the respiratory system.
carbon dioxide
28
The reason a patient called for help; also the patient's response to such questions as what's wrong? or what happened?
chief complaint
29
To form a clot to plug an opening in an injured blood vessel and stop bleeding?
coagulate
30
The delicate membrane that lines the eyelids and covers the exposed surface of the eye.
conjunctiva
31
A crackling, rattling breath sound that signals fluid in the air space of the lungs.
crackles
32
A grating or grinding sensation caused by fracture bone ends or joints rubbing together; also air bubbles under the skin that produce a crackling sound or cranky feeling.
crepitus
33
A blue-gray skin color that is caused by a reduced level of oxygen in the blood.
cyanosis
34
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Used for assessment of the body
deformity
contusion
abrasion
puncture
burn
tenderness
laceration
swelling
```
DCAP-BTLS
35
Characterized by light or profuse sweating.
diaphoretic
36
The pressure that remains in the arteries during the relaxing phase of the heart's cycle (diastole) when the left ventricle is at rest.
diastolic pressure
37
Any injury that prevents the patient from noticing other injuries he may have.
distracting injury
38
A type of physical assessment typically performed on patients who have sustained nonsignificant MOI or on responsive medical patients. Based on chief complaints and focuses on one body system or part.
focused assessment
39
Damage to tissue as a result of exposure to cold.
frostbite
40
The overall 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.
general impression
41
The time from injury to definitive care, during which treatment of shock and traumatic injuries should occur because survival potential is best.
Golden Hour
42
Involuntary muscle contractions of the abdominal wall to minimize the pain of abdominal movement; a sign of peritonitis.
guarding
43
A step within the patient assessment process that provides detail about the patient's chief complaint and an account of the patient's signs and symptoms.
history taking
44
Blood pressure that is higher than the normal range.
hypertension
45
Blood pressure that is lower than the normal range.
hypotension
46
A condition in which the internal body temperature falls below 95 F (35 C) after exposure to a cold environment.
hypothermia
47
A system implemented to manage disasters and mass- and multiple-casualty incidents in which section chiefs, including finance, logistics, operations, and planning,
report to the incident commander. Also referred to as the incident management system.
incident command system
48
Yellow skin usually indicative of liver disease or failure.
jaundice
49
Breathing that requires greater than normal effort; may be slower or faster than normal and characterized by grunting, stridor, and use of accessory muscles.
labored breathing
50
The forces, or energy transmission, applied to the body that cause injury.
mechanism of injury (MOI)
51
The biochemical processes that result in production of energy from nutrients within the cells.
metabolism
52
Widening of the nostrils, indicating there is an airway obstruction.
nasal flaring
53
The general type of illness a patient is experiencing.
nature of illness (NOI)
54
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Used in evaluating the patient.
Onset
Provocation
Quality
Region/radiation
Severity
Timing
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OPQRST
55
The mental status of a patient as measured by memory of person, place, time, and event.
orientation
56
To examine by touch.
palpate
57
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.
paradoxical motion
58
The flow of blood through body tissues and vessels.
perfusion
59
Protective equipment that blocks exposure to a pathogen or a hazardous material.
personal protective equipment (PPE)
60
Negatives findings that warrant no care or intervention.
pertinent negatives
61
A painful erection of the penis resulting from a spinal cord injury.
priapism
62
A step within the patient assessment process that identifies and initiates treatment of immediate and potential life threats.
primary assessment
63
The pressure wave that occurs as each heartbeat causes a surge in the blood circulating through the arteries.
pulse
64
An assessment tool that measures oxygen saturation of hemoglobin in the capillary beds.
pulse oximetry
65
A step within the patient assessment process performed at regular intervals during the assessment process to identify and treat changes in a patient's condition.
A patient in unstable conditions should be reassessed every 5 minutes, whereas a patient in stable condition should be reassessed every 15 minutes.
reassessment
66
The way in which a patient responds to external stimuli, including verbal stimuli (sound), tactile stimuli (touch), and painful stimuli.
responsiveness
67
Movements in which the skin pulls in around the ribs during inspiration.
retractions
68
Coarse, low pitched breath sounds heard in patients with chronic mucus in the upper airways.
rhonchi
69
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A brief history of a patient's condition to determine
Signs/symptoms
Allergies
Medications
Pertinent past history
Last oral intake
Event leading to the injury
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SAMPLE History
70
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 MOI before beginning patient care.
scene size-up
71
The tough, fibrous, white portion of the eye that protects the more delicate inner structures.
sclera
72
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.
secondary assessment
73
Respirations characterized by little movement of the chest wall (reduced tidal volume) or poor chest excursion.
shallow respirations
74
Objective findings that can be seen, heard, felt, smelled, or measured.
sign
75
Knowledge and understanding of your surroundings and situation and the risk they potentially pose to safety or the safety to the EMS team.
situational awareness
76
An upright position in which the patient's head and chin are thrust slightly forward to keep the airway open.
sniffing positions
77
Breathing that occurs without assistance.
spontaneous respirations
78
Protective measures that have traditionally been developed by the CDC for use in dealing with objects, blood, body fluids, and other potential exposure risks of communicable diseases.
standard precautions
79
A harsh, high-pitched, breath sound, generally heard during inspiration that is caused by partial blockage or narrowing of the upper airway; maybe audible without a stethoscope.
stridor
80
A characteristic cracking sensation felt on palpation of the skin, caused by the presence of air in soft tissue.
subcutaneous emphysema
81
Subjective findings that the patient feels but that can be identified only by the patient.
symptom
82
The increased pressure in an artery with each contraction of the ventricles (systole).
systolic pressure
83
A rapid heart rate, more than 100 beats/min
tachycardia
84
The amount of air in milliliters that is moved in or out of the lungs during one breath.
tidal volume
85
An upright position in which the patient leans forward onto two arms stretched forward and thrusts the head and chin forward.
triage tripod position
86
A severe breathing problem in which a patient can speak only two to three words at a time without pausing to take a breath.
two-to-three word dyspnea
87
Narrowing of a blood vessel.
vasoconstriction
88
The key signs that are used to evaluate the patient's overall condition, including respirations, level of consciousness, and skin characteristics.
vital signs
89
A high pitched, whistling, breath sound that is more prominent on expiration and which suggests an obstruction or narrowing of the lower airways; occurs in asthma and bronchitis.
wheezing
