EMT Glossary page 1346 Flashcards
Patella
The kneecap.
Patent
Open; not closed, as a patent airway.
Patent airway
An airway that is open and clear of any obstructions.
Pathogens
Microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses that cause disease.
Patient assessment
Procedures performed to determine immediate life threats and injuries sustained or the condition of the patient, on which decision about emergency medical care and transport will be based.
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
Inflammation of the female reproductive tract.
Pelvis
The bones that form the floor of the abdominal cavity; the sacrum and coccyx of the spine, the iliac crests, the pubis, and the ischium.
Penetrating trauma
A force that pierces the skin and body tissues, for example, a knife or gunshot wound.
Penetration/puncture
An open injury caused by a sharp, pointed object being pushed into the soft tissues.
Perfusion
The delivery of oxygen and other nutrients tot he cells of all organ systems, which results from the constant adequate circulation of blood through the capillaries.
Pericardial tamponade
Blood or fluid filling the fibrous sac around the heart, causing compression of the heart and decreasing the ability of the ventricles to effectively fill and eject blood.
Perineum
The area of skin between a female’s vagina and anus.
Peripheral chemoreceptors
Receptors located in the aortic arch and the carotid bodies that are somewhat sensitive to CO2 and pH but are most sensitive to the level of oxygen in the arterial blood; see also chemoreceptors.
Peripheral nervous system (PNS)
That portion of the nervous system location outside the brain and spinal cord.
Peripheral neuropathy
See neuropathy.
Peritoneal space
The anterior abdominal cavity that houses the majority of the abdominal organs and is lined by the peritoneum.
Peritoneum
The lining of the abdominal cavity.
Peritonitis
Irritation and inflammation of the abdominal lining.
Persistence
A characteristic of agents that do not evaporate quickly and tend to remain as a puddle for long periods of time.
Personal protective equipment (PPE)
Equipment work to protect against injury and disease.
Pertinent negatives
Signs or symptoms that might be expected in certain circumstances, based on the chief complaint or physical exam, but are denied by the patient or not found on examination.
Phalanges
Bones of the fingers, thumbs, and toes; plural of phalanx.
Pharmacology
The study of drugs.
Pharming
Raiding others’ home medicine supplies or using faked prescriptions to obtain drugs.
Pharynx
The throat, or passageway for air from the nasal cavity to the larynx and passageway for food from the mouth to the esophagus; the common passageway for the respiratory and digestive tracts.
Phobia
An irrational feat that often surrounds or is triggered by specific things, places, or situations.
Physical abuse
Improper or excessive action taken so as to injure or cause bodily harm.
Physician orders for life-sustaining treatment (POLST)
Orders that identify the desired level of life-sustaining treatment in patients with a terminal or life-threatening illness who are not likely to survive.
Physiology
The study of the function of the living body and its parts.
Pia mater
Inner layer of protective brain tissue (meninges).