Ch. 10: Patient Assessment Flashcards
Sign
Objective condition that you can measure or observe on the patient
Symptom
Subjective condition that the patient feels and tells you about
Field impression
Conclusion about the cause of the patient’s condition after considering the situation, history, and examination findings. This will help to determine the priorities of care.
Scene size-up
Involves a quick assessment of the scene and the surroundings to provide information about seeing safety and the NOI or MOI before beginning, patient care
Situational awareness
Understanding one surroundings and recognizing potential wrist to the safety of the patient or the EMS team
Mechanism of injury
The forces or energy transmission applied to the body that caused injury
Chief complaint
The reason a patient called for help. The main concern for the patient.
Standard precautions
Protective measures that have been developed by the CDC for dealing with objects, blood, body fluids, and other potential exposure risks of communicable diseases
Nature of illness
The general type of illness a patient is experiencing
Incident command system
System implemented to manage disasters and mass casualty incident
Triage
Process of establishing treatment and transportation, priorities of patients according to severity of injury and medical need
Primary assessment
Process that identifies an initiates treatment of media and potential life threats
General impression
Initial impression that determines the priority for patient care. Based on the patient surroundings, the MOI, signs and symptoms, and the chief complaint.
AVPU scale
Used to determine level of consciousness
A - Awake and alert
V – Responsive to verbal stimuli
P – Response to pain
U – Unresponsive
Altered mental status
Any deviation from alert and oriented or from a patient’s normal baseline. This may signal disease in the central nervous system or elsewhere in the body.
Perfusion
Flow of blood through body tissue and vessels
Spontaneous respirations
Breathing that occurs without assistance
Shallow respirations
Little movement of the chest wall (reduced title volume) or poor chest excursion
Retractions
Indentation above the clavicles and in the spaces between the ribs during inspiration
Accessory muscles
Secondary muscles of respiration.
Neck muscles (sternocleidomastoid), the chest pectoralis major muscles, and the abdominal muscles
Nasal flaring
Whitening of the nostrils, indicating that there is an airway obstruction
2 to 3 word dyspnea
Severe breathing problem in which a patient can speak only 2 to 3 words at a time without pausing to take a breath
Tripod position
Upright position in which the patient leans forward onto two arms, stretched forward and thrust the head and chin forward
Sniffing position
Upright position in which the patient’s head and chin are thrust slightly forward to keep the airway open. Most commonly seen in children.
Labored breathing
Breathing that requires greater than normal effort. Characterized by grunting, strider, and use of accessory muscles.
