Chapter 12

Question 1

Auscultation

Answer 1

the act of listening to internal sounds of the body, typically with a stethoscope

Question 2

baseline vital signs

Answer 2

the first set of vital signs a responder takes when they arrive on scene. Used to compare with future vital signs to identify trends

Question 3

blood pressure

Answer 3

the measurement of the pressure inside the arteries, both during and between contractions of the heart

Question 4

capillary refill

Answer 4

the return (refill) of blood into the capillaries of the skin. Normal time is two seconds or less

Question 5

chief complaint

Answer 5

the main medical complaint as described by the patient. The reason EMS was called in the patient’s own words

Question 6

cyanotic

Answer 6

bluish coloration of the skin caused by inadequate supply of oxygen

Question 7

diaphoretic

Answer 7

excessively sweaty, commonly caused by a medical problem such as a stroke or heart attack

Question 8

diastolic

Answer 8

the pressure that remains in the arteries when the heart is at rest- the second number when recording blood pressure (normal is 80)

Question 9

jaundiced

Answer 9

medical condition that causes yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes- typically caused by liver failure or obstruction of the bile duct

Question 10

medical history

Answer 10

previous medical conditions and events for a patient

Question 11

mental status

Answer 11

the general condition of a patient’s level of consciousness and awareness

Question 12

OPQRST

Answer 12

Used to help assess the patient’s chief complaint

Onset- what were you doing when this began?
Provocation- does anything make the pain better or worse?
Quality- can you describe how the pain feels?
Region- can you point to where the pain hurts or if it radiates to other parts of your body?
Severity- rate this pain 1-10 with 10 being the worst
Time- When did this pain first begin or how long have you had this pain

Question 13

palpation

Answer 13

the act of using one’s hands to touch or feel the body

Question 14

perfusion

Answer 14

the adequate delivery of well-oxygenated blood and nutrients to the cells of the body and the proper elimination of waste products

Question 15

pulse

Answer 15

the pulsation of the arteries that is felt with each heartbeat

Question 16

respiration

Answer 16

the act of breathing in and out; the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide within the cells

Question 17

SAMPLE history

Answer 17

Used to gather medical history

S- signs and symptoms 
A- allergies 
M- medications 
P- past pertinent medical history 
L- last oral intake 
E- events leading to the illness or injury

Question 18

sign

Answer 18

objective indications of the illness or injury that can be seen, heard, felt, or smelled by another person
ex: blood pressure, pulse, respirations, bleeding, pupil reaction

Question 19

stethoscope

Answer 19

a device used to auscultate sounds within the body, most commonly used to obtain blood pressure

Question 20

symptom

Answer 20

subjective indications of illness or injury that cannot be observed but are reported by the patient
ex: pain, headache, shortness of breath, chest discomfort, nausea

Question 21

systolic

Answer 21

the pressure within the arteries when the heart beats- the first blood pressure number (normal is 120)

Question 22

trending

Answer 22

the act of comparing multiple sets of vitals, signs and symptoms over time to determine if the patient’s condition is worsening, improving, or remaining the same

Question 23

vital signs

Answer 23

common signs used to evaluate a patient's condition 
respirations
pulse
blood pressure
skin
pupils

Question 24

work of breathing

Answer 24

the effort a patient must exert to breathe