Chapter 9 - Patient Assessment Flashcards
accessory muscles
the secondary muscles of respiration. They include the neck muscles (sternocleidomastoids), the chest pectoralis major muscles, and the abdominal muscles.
altered mental status
Any deviation from alert and oriented to person, place, time and event, or any deviation from a patient’s normal baseline mental status.
auscultate
to listen to sounds within an organ with a stethoscope
AVPU scale
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
blood pressure
the pressure that the blood exerts against the wall of the arteries as it passes through them
bradycardia
a slow heart rate, less than 60 beats/min.
breath sounds
an indication of air movement in the lungs, usually assessed with a stethoscope
capillary refill
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.
capnography
a noninvasive method to quickly and efficiently provide information on a patient’s ventilatory status, circulation, and metabolism; effectively measures the concentration of carbon dioxide in the expired air over time.
carbon dioxide
carbon dioxide is a component of air and typically makes up 0.3% of air at sea level; also a waste product exhaled during expiration by the respiratory system
chief complaint
the reason a patient called for help; also, the patient’s response to the question “what’s wrong?”
coagulate
to form a clot to plug an opening in an injured blood vessel and stop bleeding
conjunctiva
the delicate membrane that lines the eyelids and covers the exposed surface of the eye
crackles
a crackling, rattling breath sound that signals fluid in the airspace of the lungs
crepitus
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 feelings.
cyanosis
a blue-grey skin color that is caused by a reduced level of oxygen in the blood
DCAP-BTLS
a mnemonic for assessments in which each area of the body is evaluated for Deformities, Contusions, Abrasions, Punctures, Punctures/penetrations, Burns, Tenderness, Lacerations, and Swelling
diaphoretic
characterized by light or profuse sweating
diastolic pressure
the pressure that remains in the arteries during the relaxing phase of the heart’s cycle (diastole)
distracting injury
any injury that prevents the patient from noticing other injuries he or she may have, even severe injuries; for example, a painful femur or tibia fracture that prevents the patient from noticing back pain associated with spinal injury
focused assessment
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 chief complaint and focuses on one body system or part.
frostbite
damage to tissues as the result of exposure to cold; frozen or partially frozen body parts are frostbitten
general impression
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.
Golden Hour
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
