ABCDE

Question 1

What is the easiest ways to observe for airway patency?

Answer 1

Talking,
noises
Chest movement and colour.

Question 2

When considering breathing, what three main areas do we wish to assess?

Answer 2

Effort (work) of breathing
Effectiveness of breathing
adequacy respiration

Question 3

How do we assess effort of breathing?

Answer 3

respiratory rate
chest movement
accessory muscles

Question 4

How do we assess effectiveness of breathing?

Answer 4

air entry
breath sounds
pulse oximetry

Question 5

How do we assess adequacy of breathing?

Answer 5

skin colour
lip colour
heart rate
mental status

Question 6

If we find a patient lying on the floor, what are the three most important things we must do to assess breathing?

(In a breathing patient)

Answer 6

inspect chest movement and listen for noise
auscultate for air entry
calculate respiratory rate.

Question 7

Having found a collapsed patient, what are the four most important things to do to assess C?

Answer 7

pulse (and limb temperature),
cap refill time
BP
heart rate

Question 8

How do we assess the pulse?

Answer 8

rate
rhythm
volume
synchronous

Question 9

In a collapsed patient, what are the most useful blood tests to take after a cannula has been inserted?

Answer 9

FBC, U and E and blood glucose.

Question 10

What might you want to put on the patient at C?

Answer 10

ECG
BP cuff
Cannula.

Question 11

How do we assess disability?

Answer 11

AVPU (and pupils/posture) or GCS
blood glucose.
temperature.
urine output

Question 12

What might cause airway obstruction?

Answer 12

CNS depression,
blood, vomit or a foreign body
trauma
infection/inflammation
laryngospasm.

Question 13

What airway manoeuvres can we do to fix A?

Answer 13

head tilt, chin lift
protect C-spine
suction
airway adjuncts

Question 14

What should we think after we have assessed and acted on every letter in ABCDE?

Answer 14

Do I need help now?

Question 15

What should we do to a patient as soon as we may even vaguely suspect and A or B problem?

Answer 15

high flow O2.

Question 16

When we are doing E, what do we need to keep in mind?

Answer 16

Maintaining their dignity and not giving them hypothermia.

Have a look at their Kardex.

Question 17

If we have to correct low BG, what do we give?

Answer 17

100mls of 10% glucose.

Can repeat as necessary

Question 18

What should we think if we see one small pupil but they are both reactive?

Answer 18

Horners

Question 19

What should we think if we see one large pupil and they are both reactive?

Answer 19

3rd nerve palsy or raised ICP

Question 20

What should we think if we see two pin point pupils that are both reactive?

Answer 20

opioid overdose

Question 21

What should we think if we see unreactive, dilated pupils?

Answer 21

atropine medication or brain stem death.

Question 22

What is a simple way to see if a patient is protecting their airway?

Answer 22

if they swallow intermittently.

Question 23

What causes skin mottling?

Answer 23

capillary retraction causing shutdown in the skin.

Question 24

In ABCDE what do we always consider with airway?

Answer 24

C-spine

Question 25

If a patient comes in with C spine immobilisation after trauma, what should we always remember to do?

Answer 25

have a feel over their head for trauma.

Question 26

How do we immobilise a C-spine?

Answer 26

collar, blocks and straps.

Question 27

When checking airway after trauma what should we always do at the same time?

Answer 27

immobilise C-spine, with hands or knees if needed.

Question 28

If a patient is badly hypotensive what should we do straight away of we can?

Answer 28

lie bed flat.