Ch. 10: Patient Assessment

Question 1

Sign

Answer 1

Objective condition that you can measure or observe on the patient

Question 2

Symptom

Answer 2

Subjective condition that the patient feels and tells you about

Question 3

Field impression

Answer 3

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.

Question 4

Scene size-up

Answer 4

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

Question 5

Situational awareness

Answer 5

Understanding one surroundings and recognizing potential wrist to the safety of the patient or the EMS team

Question 6

Mechanism of injury

Answer 6

The forces or energy transmission applied to the body that caused injury

Question 7

Chief complaint

Answer 7

The reason a patient called for help. The main concern for the patient.

Question 8

Standard precautions

Answer 8

Protective measures that have been developed by the CDC for dealing with objects, blood, body fluids, and other potential exposure risks of communicable diseases

Question 9

Nature of illness

Answer 9

The general type of illness a patient is experiencing

Question 10

Incident command system

Answer 10

System implemented to manage disasters and mass casualty incident

Question 11

Triage

Answer 11

Process of establishing treatment and transportation, priorities of patients according to severity of injury and medical need

Question 12

Primary assessment

Answer 12

Process that identifies an initiates treatment of media and potential life threats

Question 13

General impression

Answer 13

Initial impression that determines the priority for patient care. Based on the patient surroundings, the MOI, signs and symptoms, and the chief complaint.

Question 14

AVPU scale

Answer 14

Used to determine level of consciousness
A - Awake and alert
V – Responsive to verbal stimuli
P – Response to pain
U – Unresponsive

Question 15

Altered mental status

Answer 15

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.

Question 16

Perfusion

Answer 16

Flow of blood through body tissue and vessels

Question 17

Spontaneous respirations

Answer 17

Breathing that occurs without assistance

Question 18

Shallow respirations

Answer 18

Little movement of the chest wall (reduced title volume) or poor chest excursion

Question 19

Retractions

Answer 19

Indentation above the clavicles and in the spaces between the ribs during inspiration

Question 20

Accessory muscles

Answer 20

Secondary muscles of respiration.
Neck muscles (sternocleidomastoid), the chest pectoralis major muscles, and the abdominal muscles

Question 21

Nasal flaring

Answer 21

Whitening of the nostrils, indicating that there is an airway obstruction

Question 22

2 to 3 word dyspnea

Answer 22

Severe breathing problem in which a patient can speak only 2 to 3 words at a time without pausing to take a breath

Question 23

Tripod position

Answer 23

Upright position in which the patient leans forward onto two arms, stretched forward and thrust the head and chin forward

Question 24

Sniffing position

Answer 24

Upright position in which the patient’s head and chin are thrust slightly forward to keep the airway open. Most commonly seen in children.

Question 25

Labored breathing

Answer 25

Breathing that requires greater than normal effort. Characterized by grunting, strider, and use of accessory muscles.