Chapter Ten Flashcards
The secondary muscles of respiration. They include neck muscles (sternocleidomastoids) the chest pectorals major muscles and the abdominal muscles
Accessory muscles
A change in the way a person thinks and behaves that may signal disease in the central nervous system or elsewhere in the body
Altered mental status
To listen to sounds within an organ with a stethoscope
Auscultate
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.
AVPU Scale
The pressure that the blood exerts against the walls of the arteries as it passes through them
Blood pressure
A slow heart rate, less than 60 BPM
Bradycardia
An indication of air movement in the lungs usually assed with a stethoscope
Breath sounds
A test that evaluates a distal circulatory system function by squeezing (blanching) blood from an area such as the nail bed and watching the speed of its return after releasing the pressure
Capillary refill
A noninvasive method to quickly and efficiently provide information on a patients ventilatory status, circulation, and metabolism. Effectively measures the concentration of carbon dioxide in expired air over time
Capnography
A component of air that typically makes up 0.03% of air at sea level; also a waste product exhaled during expiration by the respiratory system
Carbon dioxide
The reason a patient called for help; also the patients response to questions such as “what’s wrong? ” or “what happened?”
Cheif complaint
The delicate membrane that lines the eyelids and covers the exposed surface of the eye
Conjunctiva
A crackling, rattling breath sound that signals fluid in the air spaces or lungs
Crackles
A grating or grinding sensation that signals fluid in the air spaces or lungs
Crepitus
A blue skin discoloration that is caused by a reduced level of oxygen in the blood
Cyanosis
A mnemonic for assessment in which each area of the body is evaluated for deformities, contusions, abrasions, punctures/penetrations, burns, tenderness, lacerations, and swelling
DCAP-BTLS
Characterized by light or profuse sweating
Diaphoretic
The pressure that remains in the arteries during the relaxation phase of the hearts cycle (diastole) when the left ventricle is at rest
Diastolic pressure
Any injury that prevents the patient from noticing other injuries he or she may have, even severe injuries; for example, a painful tibia fracture that prevents the patient from noticing back pain associated with a spinal fracture
Distracting injury
The conclusion about the cause of the patients condition after considering the situation, history, and examination findings.
Field impressions
A type of physical assessment typically performed on patients who have sustained nonsignificant mechanisms of injury or on non responsive medical patient. This type of examination is based on the Cheif complaint and focuses on one body system or part
Focused assessment
Damage to tissues as the result of exposure to cold; frozen or partially frozen body parts are __________
Frostbite
The overall initial impression that determines the priority for patient care; based on the patients surroundings, the mechanism of injury, signs and symptoms, and the Cheif complaint
General impression
The time from injury to definitive care, during which treatment of shock and traumatic injuries should occur because survival potential is the best
Golden hour
Involuntary muscle contractions (spasms) of the abdominal wall; an effort to protect the inflamed abdomen
Guarding
A step within the patients assessment process that provides detail about the patients Cheif complaint and an account of the patients vital signs and symptoms
History taking
Blood pressure that is higher than the normal range
Hypertension
Blood pressure that is lower than the normal range
Hypotension
A condition in which the internal body temperature falls below 95 degrees F
Hypothermia
A system implemented to manage disasters and mass- and multiple- casualty incidents in which sections Cheifs, including finance, logistics, operations, and planning, report to the incident commander
Incident command system
Yellow skin or sclera that is caused by liver disease or dysfunction
Jaundice
Breathing that requires greater than normal effort; may be slower or faster than normal and is characterized by grunting, stridor, and use of accessory muscles.
Labored breathing
The average pressure in the circulatory system during one cardiac cycle
mean arterial pressure (MAP)
The forces, or energy transmission, applied to the body that cause injury
Mechanism of injury (MOI)
The biochemical process that result in production of energy from nutrients within cells
Metabolism
Widening of the nostrils, indicating there is an airway obstruction
Nasal flaring
The general type of illness a patient is experiencing
Nature of illness (NOI)
A mnemonic used in evaluating a patients pain: Onset, Provocation/ palliation, quality, region/ radiation, severity and timing
QPQRST
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)
Orientation
To examine by touch
Palpate
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 the exact opposite of normal chest wall motion during breathing
Paradoxical motion
The flow of blood through body tissues and vessels
Perfusion
Protective equipment that blocks exposure to a pathogen or a hazardous material
Personal protective equipment (PPE)
Negative findings that warrant no care or intervention
Pertinent negatives
A step within the patient assessment process that identifies and initiates treatment of immediate and potential life threats
Primary assessment
The wave of pressure created as the heart contracts and forces blood out of the left ventricle and into the major arteries
Pulse
An assessment tool that measures oxygen saturation of hemoglobin in the capillary beds
Pulse oximetry
A step within the patient assessment process performed at regular intervals during the assessment process to identify and treat changes in a patients condition. A patient in unstable condition should be reassessed every 5 minutes, whereas a patient in stable condition should be reassessed every 15 minutes
Reassessment
The way in which a patient responds to external stimuli, including verbal stimuli (sound), tactile stimuli (touch), and painful stimuli
Responsiveness
Movements in which the skin pulls in around the rib cage during inspiration
Retractions
Coarse, low-pitches breath sounds heard in patients with chronic mucus in the upper airways
Rhonchi
A brief history of a patients condition to determine signs and symptoms, allergies, medications, pertinent past history, last oral intake, and the events leading to the injury or illness
SAMPLE history
The steps within the patient assessment process that involves a quick assessment of the scene and the surroundings to provide information about the scene safety and the mechanism of injury or nature of illness before you enter and begin patient care
Scene size up
The tough, fibrous, white portion of the eye that protects the more delicate inner structures
Sclera
A step within the patient assessment process in which a systematic physical examination of the patient is performed. The examination may be systematic exam or an assessment that focuses on a certain area or region of the body; often determined through the Cheif complaint.
Secondary assessment
Respirations characterized by little movement of the chest wall ( reduced tidal volume) or poor chest excursion
Shallow respirations
Objective finding that can be seen, heard, felt, smelled, or measured
Sign
Knowledge and understanding of one’s surroundings and the ability to recognize potential risks to the safety of the patient or EMS team
Situational awareness
An upright position in which the patients head and chin are slightly forward to keep the airway open
Sniffling position
Breathing that occurs without assistance
Spontaneous respirations
Protective measures that have traditionally been developed by the CDC for use in dealing with objects, blood, bodily fluids, and other potential exposure risks of communicable disease.
Standard precaution
A harsh, high-pitched, respiratory sound, generally heard during inspiration, that is caused by partial blockage or narrowing of the upper airway; may be audible without a stethoscope
Stridor
A characteristic crackling sensation felt on palpitation of the skin, caused by presence of air in soft tissues
Subcutaneous emphysema
Subjective findings that the patient feels but that can be identified only by the patient
Symptom
The increased pressure in an artery with each contraction of the ventricles (systole)
Systolic pressure
A rapid heart rate, more than 100 BPM
Tachycardia
The amount of air (in mLs) that is moved into or out of the lungs during one breath
Tidal volume
The process of establishing treatment and transportation priorities according to severity of injury and medical need
Tripod position
A severe breathing problem in which can speak only two to three words at a time without pausing to take a breath
Two-to three-word dyspnea
Narrowing of a blood vessel
Vasoconstriction
The key signs that are used to evaluate the patient’s overall condition, including respirations, pulse, blood pressure, level of consciousness, and skin characteristics
Vital signs
Hi pitched whistling breath sound that is most prominent on expiration and which suggests an obstruction on narrowing of the lower airways; occurs an asthma and bronchiolitis 
Wheezing
