Midterm Flashcards
What’s a general breakdown of Vet emergencies?
10% true emergencies
40% non life-threatening ERs
50% Client ERs
Difference between GP and ER
- GP: Ps tx’ed in series
- ER: Ps tx’ed in parallel
- GP: Client-patient relationship present, ER absent
- GP has med hx, ER typically doesn’t
What must you know in ER?
- how to recognize and tx shock
- CPR
- Critical Respiratory Resuscitation
- how to stop hemorrhage
- how to stop a seizure
and more
What are the greatest sources of stress in regards to emergency medicine
- global terror (anxiety before the case even comes in)
- personal confidence (“Am I capable of this?”)
- client confidence (“Is this vet even qualified?”)
- communication
- difficult cases
What are the key things to communicate?
- This is what I know
- this is what I don’t
- this is what I need to find out
- this is what I need to do to find out
Project confidence, but be realistic, and don’t set up false hopes
What are the expectations of ER med?
- be prepared
- have basic procedure skills
- stay current
- triage the patient
- stabilize the patient
- Treat within your means or transfer to ER/CC
- communicate w/ client
what are the three types of telephone calls?
- obvious ERs (any problem O considers an ER)
- obvious non-ERs (try to talk to O, but if they want to be seen, it’s ultimately their choice
- Everything in-between (refusing to see an animal is bad policy; if you’re not sure if P should be seen, recommend it be evaluated)
What kind of things can you tell the client?
- number for poison control- call ahead
- directions- have posted near phone
- bring samples (vomit, diarrhea, etc.)
- apply pressure to bleeding wounds
- mouth to snout resp 10-12x/ min
- don’t remove the penetrating object!
- don’t pull string from the mouth or anus!!
Important points of intro to ER
- in ER, often no doctor-client-patient relationship
- cannot dx a condition and/or Rx tx over the phone
- you can make recommendations for first aid for transport to the hospital
- remind Os that Ps are seen in order in which they REQUIRE care, not order of arrival. O doesn’t determine order, we do
What is triage?
- the evaluation of patients to DETERMINE URGENCY and to prioritize cases for further care by the veterinary staff
- to guide allocation of limited resources to selected individuals within a group
(a way to maximize the # of survivors)
What are the important points of In-hospital triage?
- capsule hx
- Utilize the ABC’s of ER care (airway, breathing, circulation)
- Add D and F (dysfunction of CNS; freaked-out client)
- goal: P stable/unstable?
- determine urgency of further therapy
- add to order to be seen
What emergencies require immediate attention?
- respiratory distress
- signs of hypovolemic shock
- cardiopulmonary arrest
- unconscious or altered LOC
- ongoing seizure activity
- trauma
- dystocia
- burns
- exposure to toxins
- severe hypothermia / hyperthermia
- open fractures
- dehiscence
- prolapsed organs
- excessive bleeding
So… what exactly is shock?
- inadequate O2 delivery to the tissues, which can result in cellular damage and death if untreated
Why is O2 so important?
body creates more energy (ATP) with O2 than w/o
What is the main job of tlhe Cardiovascular system?
to deliver O2 and nutrients to the tissues
What results in O2 deficiency?
- hypovolemic shock
- distributive shock
- cardiogenic shock
- obstructive shock
What is hypovolemic shock? what can cause it?
- decreased volume
- hemorrhage, dehydration, hypoproteinemia