Chapter 9 Patient Assessment Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
1
Q

Accessory muscles

A

The secondary muscles of respiration. They include the neck muscles (sternocleidomastoid’s), the chest pectoralis major muscles, and the abdominal muscles

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Altered mental status

A

Any deviation from alert and oriented to person, place, time, and event, or any deviation from a patient’s normal baseline mental status

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Auscultate

A

To listen to sounds within an organ with a stethoscope

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

AVPU scale

A

A method of assessing the level of consciousness by determining whether the patient is awake and alert, responsive to verbal stimuli or pain, or unresponsive; used principally early in the assessment process

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Blood pressure

A

The pressure that the blood exerts against the walls of the arteries as it passes through them

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Bradycardia

A

A slow heart rate, less than 60 beats per minute

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Breath sounds

A

And indication of air movement in the Lungs, usually assessed with a stethoscope

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Capillary refill

A

A test that evaluates distal circulatory system function by squeezing (blanching) blood from an area such as a nail bed and watching the speed of its return after releasing the pressure

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Capnography

A

A noninvasive method to quickly and efficiently provide information on any patients ventilatory status, circulation, and metabolism; effectively measures the concentration of carbon dioxide in expired air overtime

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Carbon dioxide

A

Carbon dioxide is a component of air and typically makes up a 0.3% of air at sea level; also a waste product exhaled during expiration by the respiratory system

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Chief complaint

A

The reason a patient called for help; also, the patient’s response to questions such as what’s wrong or what happened

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Coagulate

A

To form a clot to plug an opening in an injured blood vessel and stop bleeding

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Conjunctiva

A

The delicate membrane that lines the eyelids and covers the exposed surface of the eye

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Crackles

A

A crackling, rattling breath sound that signals fluid in the air spaces of the Lungs

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Crepitus

A

A grating or grinding sensation caused by fractured bone ends or joints rubbing together; also air bubbles under the skin that produce a crackling sound or crinkly feeling

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Cyanosis

A

A blue gray skin color that is caused by a reduced level of oxygen in the blood

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

DCAP-BTLS

A

A pneumonic for assessment in which each area of the body is evaluated for deformities, contusions, abrasions, punctures//penetrations, burns, tenderness, lacerations, and swelling

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Diaphoretic

A

Characterized by light or perfuse sweating

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Diastolic pressure

A

The pressure that remains in the arteries doing the relaxing phase of the heart cycle (diastole) when the left ventricle is at rest

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Distracting injury

A

Any injury that prevents the patient from noticing other injuries he or she may have, even severe injuries; for example, a painful femur or to be a fracture that prevents the patient from noticing back pain associated with a spinal fracture

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Focused assessment

A

A type of physical assessment typically performed on patients who have sustained nonsignificant mechanisms of injury or on responsive medical patients. This type of examination is based on the chief complaint and focuses on one body system or part

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Frostbite

A

Damage to tissues as the result of exposure to cold; frozen or partially frozen body parts are frostbitten

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

General impression

A

The overall initial impression that determines the priority for patient care; based on the patient’s surroundings, the mechanism of injury, signs and symptoms, and the chief complaint

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Golden hour

A

The time from injury to definitive care, during which treatment of shock and traumatic injuries should occur because survival potential is best; also called the golden period

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

Guarding

A

Involuntary muscle contractions of the abdominal wall to minimize the pain of abdominal movement; A sign of peritonitis

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

History taking

A

A step with in the patient assessment process that provides detail about the patient’s chief complaint and an account of the patients signs and symptoms

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

Hypertension

A

Blood pressure that is higher than the normal range

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

Hypotension

A

Blood pressure that is lower than the normal range

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

Hypothermia

A

A condition in which the internal body temperature falls below 95°F (35°C) after exposure to a cold environment

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

Incident command system

A

Hey system implemented to manage disasters and mass and multiple casualty incident in which section chiefs, including finance, logistics, operations, and planning, reports to the incident commander. Also referred to as the incident management system

31
Q

Jaundice

A

Yellow skin or sclera that is caused by a liver disease or dysfunction

32
Q

Labored breathing

A

Breathing that requires greater than normal effort; maybe slower or faster than normal and characterized by grunting, Strider, and use of accessory muscles

33
Q

Mechanism of injury (MOI)

A

The forces, or energy transmission, applied to the body that causes injury

34
Q

Metabolism

A

The bio chemical process that results in production of energy from nutrients within the cells

35
Q

Nasal flaring

A

Widening of the nostrils, indicating that there is an airway obstruction

36
Q

Nature of illness (NOI)

A

The general type of illness a patient is experiencing

37
Q

0PQRST

A

A pneumonic used in evaluating a patient’s pain: answered, provocation/palliation, quality, region/radiation, severity, and timing

38
Q

Orientation

A

The mental status of a patient as measured by memory of person (name), place (current location), Time (current year, month, and approximate date), and event (what happened).

39
Q

Palpate

A

To examine by touch

40
Q

Paradoxical motion

A

The motion of the portion of the chest wall that is detached in a flail chest; the motion – in during inhalation, out during exhalation – is exactly the opposite of normal chest wall motion during breathing

41
Q

Perfusion

A

The flow of blood through the body tissues and vessels

42
Q

Personal protective equipment (PPE)

A

Protective equipment that blocks exposure to a pathogen or a hazardous material

43
Q

Pertinent negatives

A

Negative findings that warrant no care or intervention

44
Q

Priapism

A

A painful, tender, persistent erection of the penis; can results from the spinal cord injury, erectile dysfunction drugs, or sickle cell disease

45
Q

Primary assessment

A

A step within the patient assessment process that identifies and initiates treatment of immediate and potential Life threats

46
Q

Pulse

A

The pressure wave that occurs as each heartbeat causes a surge in the blood circulating through the arteries

47
Q

Pulse oximetry

A

An assessment tool that measures oxygen saturation of hemoglobin in the capillary beds

48
Q

Reassessment

A

Eastep within the patients assessment process performed at regular intervals during the assessment process to identify and treat changes in a patient’s condition. a patient in unstable condition should be reassessed every five minutes, where as a patient in stable condition should be reassessed every 15 minutes

49
Q

Responsiveness

A

The way in which a patient response to an external stimuli, including verbal stimuli (sound), tactile stimuli (touch), and painful stimuli

50
Q

Retractions

A

Movements in which the skin pulls in around the ribs during inspiration

51
Q

Rhonchi

A

Course, low pitched breath sounds heard in patients with chronic mucus in the upper airways

52
Q

SAMPLE history

A

A brief history of the patient’s condition to determine signs and symptoms, allergies, medications, pertinent past history, last oral intake, and events leading to the injury or illness

53
Q

Scene size up

A

A step within the patient assessment process that involves a quick assessment of the scene and the surroundings to provide information about scene safety and the mechanism of injury or nature of illness before you enter and begin patient care

54
Q

Sclera

A

The tough, fibers, white portion of the eye that protects the more delicate inner structures

55
Q

Secondary assessment

A

A step within the patient assessment process in which a systematic physical examination of the patient is performed. The examination may be a systematic exam or an assessment that focuses on a certain area or region of the body, often determined through the chief complaint

56
Q

Shallow respirations

A

Respirations characterized by little movement of the chest wall (reduced tidal volume) or poor chest excursion

57
Q

Sign

A

Objective findings that can be seen, heard, felt, smelled, or measured

58
Q

Situational awareness

A

Knowledge and understanding of your surroundings and situation and the risk they potentially pose to your safety or the safety of the EMS team

59
Q

Sniffing position

A

And upright position in which the patient’s head and Chin are thrust slightly forward to keep the airway open

60
Q

Spontaneous respirations

A

Breathing that occurs without assistance

61
Q

Standard precautions

A

Protective measures that have traditionally been developed by the centers for disease control and prevention (CDC) for use in dealing with objects, blood, body fluids, and other potential exposure risks of communicable disease

62
Q

Stridor

A

A harsh, high-pitched, breath sounds, generally heard during inspiration, that is caused by partial blockage or narrowing of the upper airway; maybe audible without a stethoscope

63
Q

Subcutaneous emphysema

A

A characteristic crackling sensation felt on palpation of the skin, caused by the presence of air in soft tissues

64
Q

Symptom

A

Subjective findings that the patient feels but that can be identified only by the patient

65
Q

Systolic pressure

A

The increased pressure in an artery with each contraction of the ventricles (systole)

66
Q

Tachycardia

A

A rapid heart rate more than 100 bpm

67
Q

Tidal volume

A

The amount of air (in milliliters) that is moved in or out of the lungs during one breath

68
Q

Triage

A

The process of establishing treatment and transportation priorities according to severity of injury and medical need

69
Q

Tripod position

A

And upright position in which the patient leans forward onto arms stretched forward and thrusts the head and chin forward

70
Q

2 to 3 word dyspnea

A

A severe breathing problems in which a patient can speak only 2 to 3 words at a time without pausing to take a breath

71
Q

Vasoconstriction

A

Narrowing of a blood vessel

72
Q

Vital signs

A

The key signs that are used to evaluate the patient’s overall condition, including respirations, pulse, blood pressure, level of consciousness, and skin characteristics

73
Q

Wheezing

A

A high pitched, whistling sound that is most prominent on expiration, and which suggests an obstruction or narrowing of the lower airway is; occurs in asthma and bronchiolitis