Acronyms & Concepts Flashcards
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BSI
Body
Substance
Isolation
BSI and scene safety are two of the most important parts of EMS, because they keep us and our family safe. BSI is the first component of all EMS skill sheets, and scene safety always immediately follows.
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PPE
Personal
Protective
Equipment
PPE refers to protective clothing, helmets, goggles, or other garments or equipment designed to protect the wearer’s body from injury
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PENMAN
• Personal, partner, patient, public safety
• Environmental Hazards
• Number of victims/patients
• Mechanism of Injury (trauma) or Nature of Illness (medical)
• Additional Resources
• Need for extrication & need c-spine
BLS
Basic
Life
Support
The basic life support system is composed of EMTs who have completed trauma care, cardiac and stroke care, CPR, advanced first aid, childbirth and basic medication administration.
ALS
Advanced
Life
Support
The a ALS system is composed of paramedics who have received training an aggressive cardiac life support, pediatric Life Support, severe trauma and other life-threatening emergency medical conditions.
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General Impression
Age
Weight (kg)
Sex
Position Found
Life Threats
Determines Responsiveness/Level of Consciousness
AVPU
Alert
Verbal
Painful
Unresponsive
Determines responsiveness/level of consciousness:
The AVPU scale (an acronym for alert, verbal, pain, unresponsive) is a system by which a healthcare professional can measure and record a patient’s level of consciousness
Determines Responsiveness/Level of Consciousness
ABC/CAB
A – Airway: Open, Clear, Maintainable, Need for Suction, Need for Airway
Adjuncts
B – Breathing: Rate, Effort (Ease), Depth, Lung Sounds, SPO2, Need for O2
C – Circulation – Assess / Control Major Bleeding,
Pulse – Rate, Rhythm, Force (Quality) / if no Pulse begin CPR
Skins – Color, Moisture, Temperature
Capillary Refill – Immediate or Delayed
WHEN UNRESPONSIVE
Circulation
Airway
Breathing
USED AFTER AVPU
Airway
OPA
Oropharyngeal airway
(Also known as an oral airway, OPA or Guedel pattern airway) is a medical device called an airway adjunct used to maintain or open a patient’s airway
Airway
NPA
Nasopharyngeal airway
Also known as an NPA, nasal trumpet (because of its flared end), or nose hose, is a type of airway adjunct, a tube that is designed to be inserted into the nasal passageway to secure an open airway
Secondary Medical Assessment Acronyms
PPTP
Person - what is your name?
Place - where are we?
Time - what year/month/day is it?
Purpose/President - what brings us out today?/who is the president?
Secondary Medical Assessment Acronyms - After PPTP
A+Ox4:
USE OPQRST
“Alert and Oriented times four”
Onset
Provokes
Quality
Radiation
Severity
Time
Secondary Medical Assessment Acronyms - After PPTP
A+Ox3,2,1:
USE AEIOU TIPS
“Alert and Oriented times three (or less)”
Alcohol
Epilepsy
Insulin
Overdose
Underdose
Trauma
Infection (septic)
Psychosis
Stroke
Secondary Medical Assessment Acronyms
SAMPLE
Signs and symptoms
Allergies - Medical, Environmental, Food
Medications (current)
Past pertinent medical history OR current medical problems
Last oral intake
Events leading up to present illness *has this ever happened before?
Secondary Medical Assessment Acronyms
FIT
Field impressions
Interventions (Treatment…radio call-in)
Transport
