Chapter 17 Patient Assessment

Question 1

fundamental components of job (4)

Answer 1

1. identify problems
2. set priorities
3. develop a prehospital care plan
4. execute the plan

Question 2

Mechanism of injury

Answer 2

the way in which traumatic injuries occur-the forces that act on the body to cause damage

Question 3

nature of illness

Answer 3

type of illness a patient is experiencing

Question 4

time frame for initial assessment

Answer 4

first 60-90 seconds

Question 5

initial assessment

Answer 5

focuses on the identification and management of life-threatening problems

Question 6

two questions to be answered during initial assessment

Answer 6

• is my patient sick?

- if so, how sick?

Question 7

quickest and simplest way to asses mental status or level of consciousness

Answer 7

AVPU
A Alert to person, place, and day
V Responsive to verbal stimuli
P Responsive to pain
U unresponsive

Question 8

most reliable and consistent method of assessing mental status and neurologic function

Answer 8

Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS)
-assigns a point value for eye opening, verbal response and motor response
15: no neurologic disabilities
13-14: mild dysfunction
9-12: moderate to severe dysfunction
8 or less: severe dysfunction (lowest possible is 3)

Question 9

two questions to focus on when assessing airway

Answer 9

1. is the airway open and patent?

2. is it likely to remain so?

Question 10

two questions to focus on when assessing the patients breathing

Answer 10

1. is the patient breathing? if not then you have to breathe for them
2. if the patient is breathing, is breathing adequate?

Question 11

mechanisms that have potential to produce life-threatening injuries in adults

Answer 11

• falls greater than 6m
• high risk motor vehicle crash
• motorcycle or all-terrain vehicle crash greater than 32 km/h
• penetrating wounds to the head, chest, or abdomen

Question 12

mechanisms of injury that would indicate a high-priority patient (infant or child)

Answer 12

• fall from more than 3 m, or 2 to 3 times the child’s height
• fall of less than 3 m with loss of consciousness
• bicycle collision
• medium to high speed motor vehicle crash

Question 13

time frame of detailed physical examination

Answer 13

15 minutes or more

Question 14

ongoing assessment in stable patients should be done every ?

Answer 14

15 minutes

Question 15

ongoing assessment in unstable patients should be done every?

Answer 15

5 minutes