medical emergencies Flashcards
general guidelines for what to do when there is a medical emergency
- ensure environment safety
- terminate treatment
- supine position
- oxygen supplement
- airway, breathing, circulation
- take vital parameters or circulation
- review: medical history, current findings, allergies, medications, next of kin
types of syncope
- peripheral circulatory syncope
- central nervous system
- cardiac
- metabolic eg salt imbalance
- vasovagal synope (orthostatic hypotension)
for diabetics, appointment time should be kept to
mid morning
if patient is hypoglycemic, what can you give the patient
sugary drink
IM/IV glucagon if patient unconscious
what should you do if a patient is having seizure
do not put anything in the patient’s mouth
recovery position
if unwitnessed fall, check for signs of head injury
if seizure goes on for more than a minute or two, give suppository if possible
benzodiazepine
if patient is experiencing chest pain, what do you do
- rule out muocardial infarction. ask got MI history, if they are smokers, etc. may give glyceryl trinitrate to treat angina
- give antacid: if it relieves pain, chest pain may be due to esophageal reflux (elderly, pregnant, obese)
- check if chest pain due to musculoskeletal issues eg worked out recently, only hurts when patient moves arm, does not hurt when not moving arm
signs of stroke
ask patient to smile, one side of face droops
ask patient to hold out arms, one arm drift downwards. one arm feels numb/weak
patient speech slurred, unable to repeat sentnece correctly
what are the things you evaluate for gcs?
eye, verbal, motor responses
gcs airway protection likely needed if score is < or equal to
8
gcs score range
3 to 15
in sepsis, patient is hypothermic or hyperthermic?
can be either
