Emergency Care Provider Flashcards
Abandonment
Abandonment occurs when an emergency responder begins treatment of a patient, and then leaves the patient or discontinues treatment prior to the arrival of an equally or higher trained responder.
Abrasion
A scrape or brush of the skin usually making it reddish in color and resulting in minor capillary bleeding.
Allergic Reaction
The body’s reaction to a substance to which there is an allergy.
Amputation
Occurs when part of the body is servered completely as a result of an injury.
Arterial Bleeding
Bleeding from an artery.
Arteries
The blood vessels, or tubes, within the body that carry blood rich with oxygen and nutrients away from the heart.
Automated External Defibrillator (AED)
A portable computer-driven device that analyzes a patients’s heart rhythm and delivers defibrillation shocks when necessary.
Avulsion
An injury where a part of the skin is torn away, but still attached, leaving a flap or loose area hanging.
Brachial Artery
A major artery in the inside of the upper arm that supplies blood to the arm. Can be used as a pressure point for controlling bleeding and for locating a pulse on an infant.
Capillaries
The very small blood vessels in the body that connect arteries and veins, and filter the oxygen and nutrients fro the blood into the tissues of the body.
Capillary Bleeding
Bleeding from a capillary
Cardiovascular System
The heart, blood vessels, and blood within the body.
Carotid Pulse
The pulse located on either side of the neck.
Chemical Burn
A burn caused by chemical substances that come into contact with the skin or tissues of the body, creating a caustic reaction.
Communicable Disease
A disease that can be transmitted fromone person to another.
Consent
The acceptance of emergency medical treatment by a patient or victim.
Constricted
A condition of the pupils where they are much smaller than normal and may appear almost like a “pintpoint.”
Dehydration
A loss of water and vital fluids in the body.
Dilated
A condition of the pupils where they are much larger than normal and can take up almost the whole colored portion of the eye.
Exposure
A contact with a potentially disease-producting organism; the contact does not necessarily produce the disease iin the exposed individual.
External Bleeding
Bleeding that is coming from an open wound on the body.
Femoral Artery
A major artery in the lower body near the groin that supplies the leg with blood. Can be used as a pressure point for controlling bleeding in the lower extremities.
Fracture
A medical term for a broken or cracked bone in the body.
Full Thickness Burns
Burns affecting not only the skin structure byt the tissues and muscles underneath. Full thickness burns may be red, white, or charred in color and will appear dry because the blood vessels in the skin are damaged extensively and are not supplying fluids to the area.
Hypoperfusion
A serious condition caused by a problem or failure of the circularoty system that results in a decrease of oxygen and vital nutrients to the body’s tissues. Also known as shock.
Implied Consent
The assumption tof acceptance of emergency medical treatment by an unconscious patient or a child with no parents or legal guardians present.
Incision
A cut to the skin that leaves a straight, even pattern.
Infection Control
Procedures and practices for firefighters and emergency medical care providers to follow to prevent the transmission of disease and germs from a patient to themselves or other patients.
Initial Assessment
The initial investigative action take by care providers to determine if the patient has the basic signs of life as well as any serious life threatening injuries.
Internal Bleeding
Bleeding within the body when no visible open wound is present.
Laceration
A cut to the skin and underlying tissues that leaves an irregular, even pattern.
Medi-Vac
An ambulance that transports patients by air. Typically, medi-vac units are helicopters with highly trained EMS personnel and nurses.
Partial Thickness Burns
Burns affecting the entire skin structure that lies over the top of the fatty tissues and muscles causing skin to turn red and blister.
Puncture
An injury caused by an object that has stabbed the body.
Radial Pulse
The pulse located in either wrist.
Shock
A serious condition caused by a problem or failure of the circulatory system that results in a decrease of oxygen and vital nutrients to the body’s tissues. Also known as hypoperfusion.
Sprain
Injury to the ligaments that hold the body’s joints together and allow them to move.
Standard of Care
A legal term that means for every emergency medical incident, an emergency responder should treat the patient in the same manner as another emergency responder with the same training.
Thermal Burns
Burns caused by heat or hot objects.
Triage
A quick and syematic method of identifying which patients are in serious condition and which patients are not, so that the more seriously injured patients can be treated first.
Veins
The blood vessels, or tubes, within the body that carry blood lacking oxygen and nutrients back to the heart.
Venous Bleeding
Bleeding from a vein.
BSI
Body Substance Isolation
BLS
Basic Life Support
ALS
Advanced Life Support
Head Tilt / Chin Lift
Open airway for patient WITHOUT traumatic injury
Jaw Thrust
Open airway for patient WITH traumatic injury.
LABCM
Level of Consciousness, Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Major Bleeding
Internal Bleeding Signs
Bruising, Pale skin, Cold & Clammy skin, Dialated Pupils, obvious deformities, rigid and tender abdomen, blood in urine, blood from mouth or nose
Signs of Shock
Pale skin color, cool skin temp, Sweating or moist skin, Pupils dilated, rapid/shallow breathing, rapid/weak pulse, nausea or vomitting, thirst, restlessness/anxiety, unconsciousness
Signs of Allergic Reaction
Trouble Breathing, Rapid Pulse, Shallow Breathing, Hives, Anxiety
Anterior
Front of surface
Posterior
Back of surface
Midline
Vertical line separating left and right
Medial
Toward the midline
Lateral
Away from the midline
Proximal
Close to the torso
Distal
Away from the torso
Superior
Toward the head
Inferior
Toward the feet
DOS
Death on Scene
Upper Extremeties
Humerous, Radius, Ulna
Hand & Wrist
Carpals, Metacarpals, phalanges
Longest / Strongest Bone
Femur
Knee Cap
Patella
5 Upper Organs
Heart, Lungs, ?
5 Lower Organs
Intestines, Kidneys, Liver, Stomach ?
Ryan White Law
Notify responders of possible exposure or patient with an airborne transmissible disease
AVPU
Alert, Verbal, Pain, Unconscious
Systolic
Top BP Number
Diastolic
Bottom BP Number
Auscultation
Normal BP Check
Palpation
Manual BP Check
Capillary Refill
Pinch finger, should refill w/i 2 seconds
DCAP BTLS
Deformaties, Contusions, Abrasions, Punctures, Burn, Tenderness, Lacerations, Swelling
