Emergency Health Care Flashcards
what are the 4 primary duties for a first responder?
safely gain access to pt, determine problem & provide care, lift / move pt, and let trained professionals know status of scene and pt.
what is the role and education required for a emergency/trauma physician?
role: access, treat, admit, & discharge pt. that seeks medical attention
education: medical degree, residency, & pass USMLE
what is the job of a emergency/trauma physician?
job: take full history, perform physical exam, & obtain results that will determine care (result: treat / refer to appropriate follow up care)
what are the duties for a flight nurse?
duties: provide in flight EMS to pt. (evaluate pt, provide proper care / tx until pt reaches hospital. administer meds / injection to ease pain / suffering
what is the education required to be flight nurse?
previous experience working in ICU as RN (many organization want 5 yrs of experience as RN & bachelor’s degree)
what are the 3 different paths for an EMT?
EMT- Basic (B), EMT-Intermediate, & EMT-Paramedic (P)
what can an EMT-B do?
oral / nasal airways; c-spine immobilization, AED’s, administer pt’s own meds, and immobilization of arm / leg injuries
what can an EMT-Intermediate do?
start IV’s, perform intubation, interpret ECG’s, use defibrillators, & administer certain meds
what education does an EMT-I need?
300-400 training course hours including classroom, practical, clinical, & field internship
what does an EMT-P do?
previous B and I skills + administering meds all routes, advanced airway techniques, using monitors, & making decisions in seconds when life slipping away
what education does an EMT-P need?
≥ 1000 hours of paramedic training & maybe Associate
what is the definition of first aid?
immediate care given to victim to minimize effects of injury / illness til experts take over
first aid can mean the difference between _ vs. _, or _ vs. _
…mean the difference b/w life vs. death, or recovery vs. permanent disability
what are the basic principles for first aid?
remain calm, evaluate situation thoroughly, have reason for every decision, & tx. based on injury/illness/environment/bystanders/equipment or medical personal available
what is the first step of first aid?
1: recognize that an emergency exists (use all sense: sight, hearing, and smell). sometimes the signs are obvious and sometimes not
what is the second step of first aid?
2: take actions to assist victim(s). check if scene is safe and avoid danger while providing care. (if not safe, call EMS)
what does triage mean?
determine which injuries are life-threatening and treat those first
what do you report to EMS?
situation, actions taken, phone #, exact location, assistance needed, and # of people involved and their conditions
what are 3 ways to obtain info. about injury/illness/accident?
victim, bystanders, or items present
- obtain _ _ asap
- avoid _ victim
- _ victim
- if unconscious/vomiting, _
- obtain qualified help asap
- avoid moving victim
- reassure victim
- if unconscious/vomiting, avoid giving anything to eat or drink
- protect against _; avoid _
- work _
- don’t make _ or _
- avoid further _
- protect against cold; avoid overheating
- work quickly & in efficient/organized manner
- don’t make diagnosis/ discuss condition with others
- avoid further injury
what is the basic roles of EMT?
role: access, take infection control precautions, provide appropriate out of hospital care, and transport pt.
what is the education required for basic for EMT?
education: basic (minimum 120 hrs. in approved training program & 10 hr. internship)
what does each letter in CPR stand for
C: cardio (heart)
P: pulmonary (lungs)
R: resuscitation (remove from apparent death)
what is the purpose of CPR?
keep oxygenated blood flowing to brain & vital organs (performed until heart & lungs work or medical help arrives)
what is the difference between clinical and biological deaths?
clinical: heart stops & pt. stops breathing
biological: death of body cells (4-6 mins after clinical)
what does CABD stand for?
C: circulation
A: airway
B: breathing
D: defibrillation
when you check for carotid pulse, how long should you check for?
check for less than 10 seconds
what is the ratio for compression to breaths for one and two rescuers for adult?
one person: 30:2
what is the criteria for infants?
birth to 1 year
what is the criteria for children?
1 year to puberty
if victim is choking and CPR started, continue unless:
victim starts breathing, qualified help arrives, physician orders you to discontinue, rescuer exhausted, scene unsafe, or DNR provided
wound is ____
injury to soft tissue
what does a closed wound mean?
no break in skin / mucous membrane, but in underlying tissue (bruise/hematoma)
what does an open wound mean?
break in skin / mucous membrane
what is an abrasion?
skin scraped off; bleeding limited, but infection can occur with dirt / contaminants that enter
what is an laceration?
tearing of tissue w/ excessive force; jagged edges and bleeding heavy. when deep, contamination possible
what is an incision?
cut caused by sharp object & has smooth edges. deep cut leads to heavy bleeding. damage to nerve, tissue, etc can occur
what is a puncture?
caused by object w/ pointed tip (gunshot also). external bleeding limited, but internal bleeding can occur (chance of infection / tetanus high)
what is an avulsion?
tissue torn/separated from body. results in piece of tissue hanging from ear, nose, hand, etc. bleeding heavy & important to preserve body part
what is an amputation?
body part cut off. bleeding heavy & important to preserve part because surgeon may reattach it. (part wrapped in cool, moist dressing- sterile or normal saline- & placed in plastic bag. bag kept cool/placed in ice)
what does arterial bleeding look like?
spurts from wound & results in heavy loss. bright red & life-threatening
what does venous bleeding look like?
slow, steadier, and dark red/maroon. constant & can lead to pool of blood, but controlled easier)
what does capillary bleeding look like?
oozes from wound and less red than arterial. clots easily
what is the order in which controlling bleeding should be performed?
- direct pressure
- elevation
- pressure bandage
- pressure points
(each step adding to other step)
what are the signs of infection?
swelling, heat, redness, pain, fever, pus, & red streaks
what wounds are most common for tetanus bacteria?
puncture wounds & wounds with damage to the tissue underneath skin
what do you do if the object embedded is superficial?
gently remove with sterile tweezers
what are the signs of internal bleeding?
pain, tenderness, swelling, deformity, cold clammy skin, BP drop, restlessness, excessive thirst, vomiting, blood, blood in urine/feces, and rapid/weak pulse
what are the basic principles for a closed wound?
check breathing, check for shock, avoid unnecessary movement, & avoid giving fluids/food
what is the definition of shock?
clinical set of symptoms associated with inadequate supply to body organs (heart/brain)