Ch 7 Key Terms Flashcards
abrasion
a rubbed or scraped area of skin.
assessment
the act of determining the nature of a patient’s injuries and illnesses.
AVPU
a mnemonic for assessing neurologic function; represents Awake or alert, responds to Verbal stimuli or Pain, Unresponsive.
avulsion
the tearing away of soft tissue, or a piece of soft tissue hanging as a flap.
blood pressure (BP)
the pressure of the blood on the interior walls of the arteries.
chief complaint
the symptom or group of symptoms about which the patient is concerned.
contusion
a bruise or soft tissue injury to a body part without a break in the skin.
DCAP-BTLS
a mnemonic for assessing trauma-related injuries;
D—Deformity C—Contusions A—Abrasions/avulsions P—Punctures /penetrations - B—Burns/bleeding/bruises T—Tenderness L—Lacerations S—Swelling
decerebrate posturing
abnormal extension of arms and legs, downward pointing of toes, and arching of the head; due to an injury to the brain at the level of the brainstem.
decorticate posturing
abnormal flexing of the arms, clenching fists, and extending legs; due to an injury along the nerve pathway between the brain and spinal cord.
distracting injury
any injury that directs the patient’s attention away from the exam that is being performed by the rescuer.
Glasgow Coma Scale
a method for assessing neurologic function (i.e., level of responsiveness, movement).
hypoxia
a reduction in oxygen supply to a tissue.
laceration
an open soft tissue injury with smooth or jagged edges.
level of responsiveness (LOR)
the degree of cognitive function and arousal of the brain; ranges from fully alert to unresponsive.
mechanism of injury (MOI)
the kind of force that acts on the body to cause injury; the method of trauma causing an injury.
nature of illness (NOI)
evaluation to determine the type of medical illness present.
OPQRST
a mnemonic that is used in the assessment of a patient’s chief complaint: represents Onset, Provocation and palliation, Quality, Radiation, Severity, and Time.
oxygenation
a process in which oxygen is added to the body’s tissues.
paralysis
loss or impairment of motor function in a part of the body.
paresthesia
sensation of tingling, pricking, or numbness of a person’s skin, or the feeling of “pins and needles” or a limb being “asleep.”
PERRL
a mnemonic for assessing the eyes (i.e., Pupils Equal, Round, Reactive to Light).
pulse
rhythmic expansion of an artery caused by the movement of blood.
respiration
the act of breathing in and out; also, the act of taking in of oxygen and nutrients and giving off of carbon dioxide and waste products by a cell.
SAMPLE
an acronym used to obtain medical history information during the assessment process; refers to Signs/symptoms, Allergies, Medications, Past medical history, Last oral intake, Events leading up to present incident.
sign
any objective finding that can be seen, heard, smelled, or measured; typically discovered during a physical exam (e.g., a bruise, the patient’s blood pressure).
swelling
an enlargement of body tissue caused by an accumulation of excess fluid.
symptom
a subjective finding that a patient experiences and can be identified only by the patient (e.g., pain, blurred vision).
vital signs
the key objective findings used to evaluate a patient’s overall condition; includes pulse rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, temperature, and level of responsiveness.
