Chapter 19: Secondary Assessment and Reassessment Flashcards
Inspection
Visual assessment of the patient and the surroundings
Palpation
Technique in which paramedic uses hands and fingers to gather information by touch
Percussion
Used to evaluate the presence of air or fluid in body tissues
Auscultation
Use of a stethoscope to assess body sounds made by the movement of fluids or gases in the patient’s organs or tissues
Tympany
(loudest) percussion tone. Example; gastric bubble
Resonance
Healthy lungs
Hyperresonance
Air filled lungs (ex. COPD, pneumothorax)
Dullness
Liver
Flat (the quietest)
Muscle
Components of a comprehensive physical examination
Mental status, general survey, vital signs, skin, Head, eyes, ears, nose, throat, chest, abdomen, posterior body, extremities, and neurologic examination
How to assess mental status
Patient should be able to speak clearly, respond to you, follow directions, etc. Do not be vague in describing a patient’s mental status, AVPU (alert and oriented, reactive to verbal stimuli, responsive to painful stimuli, Unresponsive to verbal or painful stimuli)
Define ataxia
Uncoordinated movement
Hygiene
How a patient is dressed, groomed, breath, and any body odors.
Define aphasia
Loss of the ability to understand or express speech
Define Dysphonia
Abnormal speaking voice
Define Dysarthria
Poorly articulated speech
Define pallor and some possible causes
Decrease in color (shock, dehydration, fright)
Define cyanosis and some possible causes
Blue color appearance (cardiorespiratory insufficiency, cold environment)
Define Jaundice and some possible causes
Liver disease, RBC destruction, babies within the first weeks of life
Possible causes of red coloration of skin
Fever, inflammation, carbon monoxide poisoning, heat (sunburn)
