Chapter 40: ALS Assist Flashcards
An ECG that uses 4 leads attached to the patient’s skin; these include the limb leads
4-lead ECG
An ECG that uses 12 leads attached to the patient’s skin; these include the limb leads and chest leads.
12-lead ECG
A sealed hub on an administration set designed for sterile access to the intravenous fluid
access port
An abnormal rhythm of the heart
arrhythmia
The complete absence of any electrical cardiac activity, appearing as a straight or almost straight line on an ECG strip
asystole
The act of viewing the electrical activity of the heart through the use of an ECG machine or cardiac monitor
cardiac monitoring
A flexible, hollow structure that drains or delivers fluids
catheter
The cutting of the catheter by the needle during improper rethreading of the catheter with the needle; the severed piece can then enter the circulatory system
catheter shear
The leads that are used only with a 12-lead ECG and must be placed exactly; includes leads V1-V6
chest leads
A multilumen airway device that consists of a single tube with two lumens, two balloons, and two ventilation ports; an alternative airway device if endotracheal intubation is not possible or has failed
Combitube
The area of the administration set where fluid accumulates so that the tubing remains filled with fluid
drip chamber
Another name for administration sets
drip sets
Electrocardiogram; an electronic tracing of the heart’s electrical activity through leads, which originate in the electrocardiograph machine and contain electrodes that attach to the patient’s chest and/or limbs
ECG
A network of special cells in the heart through which an electrical current flows, causing contractions of the heart that produce pumping of blood
electrical conduction system
Insertion of an endotracheal tube directly through the larynx between the vocal cords and into the trachea to maintain and protect an airway
endotracheal intubation
plastic, disposable indicators that signal by color change when an endotracheal tube is in the proper place
end-tidal carbon dioxide detectors
IV access established in the external jugular vein of the neck
external jugular IV
removal of a tube after it has been placed
extubation
An advanced airway adjunct that provides a channel directly into a patient’s stomach, allowing for removal of gas, blood, and toxins and for instilling medications and nutrition
gastric tube
A measure of the interior diameter of the catheter. It is inversely proportional to the true diameter of the catheter
gauge
The escape of fluid into the surrounding tissue when the IV catheter is not in the vein
infiltration
Rigid, boring catheters placed into a bone to provide intravenous fluids
intraosseous (IO) needles
Intravenous solutions that do not cause a fluid shift into or out of the cell; examples include normal saline and lactated Ringer’s solutions
isotonic crystalloids
A disposal supraglottic airway used as an alternative to tracheal or mask ventilation
King LT
An advanced airway device that is blindly inserted into the mouth to isolate the larynx for direct ventilation; consists of a tube and a mask or cuff that inflates to seal around the laryngeal opening
laryngeal mask airway
An instrument used to give a direct view of the patient’s vocal cords during endotracheal intubation
laryngoscope
The four leads used with a 4-lead ECG; placed on or close to the right arm, left arm, right leg, and left leg
limb leads
An administration set named for the large orifice between the piercing spike and the drip chamber; allows for rapid fluid flow into the vascular system
macrodrip set
An administration set named for the small orifice between the piercing spike and the drip chamber; allows for carefully controlled fluid flow and is ideally suited for medication administration
microdrip set
Advanced airway devices, such as the esophageal tracheal Combitube and the pharyngeotracheal lumen airway, that have multiple tubes to aid in ventilation and will work whether placed in the trachea or esophagus
multilumen airways
A rhythm that has consistent P waves, consistent P-R intervals, and a regular heart rate of between 60 and 100 beats/min.
normal sinus rhythm
Blockage, usually of a tubular structure such as a blood vessel
occlusion
Endotracheal intubation through the mouth
orotracheal intubation
A multilumen airway that consists of two tubes, two masks, and a bite block
pharyngeotracheal lumen airway
Inflammation of a vein; often associated with a clot in the vein
phlebitis
The hard, sharpened plastic spike on the end of the administration set designed to pierce the sterile membrane of the intravenous bag
piercing spike
Anatomic location for the intraosseous catheter insertion; the wide portion of the tibia located directly below the knee
proximal tibia
Special types of intravenous apparatus, also called heparin caps and heparin locks
saline locks (buff caps)
A rhythm that has consistent P waves, consistent P-R intervals, and a regular heart rate that is less than 60 beats/min
sinus bradycardia
A rhythm in which the sinoatrial node acts as a pacemaker
sinus rhythm
A rhythm that has consistent P waves, consistent P-R intervals, and a regular heart rate that is more than 100 beats/min
sinus tachycardia
Elevation of the ST segment of the 12-lead EKG that is likely evidence that the patient is having a heart attack
STEMI (ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction)
A plastic coated wire that gives added rigidity and shape to the endotracheal tube
stylet
A moderate to severe complication affecting the systems of the body; after administration of medications, the reaction might be systemic
systemic complication
A rapid, completely disorganized ventricular rhythm with chaotic characteristics, no specific pattern, and no discernible P, QRS, or T waves
ventricular fibrillation
The presence of 3 or more abnormal ventricular complexes in a row with a rate of more than 100 beats/min
ventricular tachycardia
