patient assessment Flashcards
chapter 9
What are the Four Main components of patient assessment?
Scene size up, primary assessment, secondary assessment, and reassessment
what is the difference between the secondary assessment and the reassessment?
Secondary assessment is used to monitor’s patents vital and ensure it has not gotten worse
reassessment is used to determine whether or not additional resources are/aren’t needed
what is the purpose of the scene size up
To ensure our scene is safe, and ENAMES
what is does m stand for in ENAMES
Mechanism of injury (MOI) Ex. getting ran over or Nature of Illness (NOI) Ex being elderly
what is the primary assessment focused on?
Identifying and managing life-threatening conditions, such as airway obstruction, breathing issues, or circulatory issues
What Acronym help remember the primary assessment steps?
ABCs- Airway, breathing, circulation
What do you check during the “airway” part of the primary assessment?
Ensure airway is open and clear. whether or not you need to used head tilt maneuver or jaw thrust to open airway
what should you assess during the “breathing” portion of primary assessment
check if they are breathing adequately.
if the rate, rhythm, and depth are normal.
and if they are showing signs of respiratory distress
what are signs of inadequate breathing?
irregular or shallow breaths, using accessory muscles, cyanosis, or abnormal sounds
What is checked during the “circulation” part of primary assessment
checking for signs of circulation (pulse, skin color, temperature, and condition) assess for bleeding and control is present
what is the purpose of the secondary assessment
to gather more detailed info about the patient’s condition through physical exam, vital signs, and medical history
What does SAMPLE stand for?
Signs and Symptoms, Allergies, Medication, Past medical history, last oral intake, events leading to injury or illness
what is a rapid trauma assessment?
A quick head to toe exam to identify obvious life-threatening injuries in trauma patients, often done when unconscious or in critical condition
What is the focused history and physical exam used for?
it is used for patients who are alert and stable. we are focusing on a specific area of concern based on the patient’s symptoms
What should we do during reassessment?
Recheck vitals, monitor for changed, and evaluate the effectiveness of our interventions.
when should we be reassessing patients
every 5 minutes for unstable and every 15 minutes for stable patient
What is the importance of vital signs in patient assessment?
vital signs help gauge the patient’s current condition and provides information on severity of illness or injuries. EX Heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate and temperature
what are normal ranges for adult vital signs
- Heart rate: 60-100 beats per minute
- Respiratory rate: 12-20 breaths per minute
- Blood pressure: Systolic 90-120, diastolic 60-80
- temperature: 97.8 F
what is OPQRST? and what does it help assess
It helps assess pain
- Onset (when did it start)
- Provocation (what makes it worse or better)
- Quality (what does the pain feel like)
- Radiation
- Severity
- Time
What is the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS)
A scale used to assess a patient’s level of consciousness based on eye opening, verbal response, and motor response
What mnemonic is used to assess a patient’s level of consciousness
AVPU
Alert
Verbal response
Painful response
Unresponsive
What should you do if you suspect a spinal injury?
Minimize movement of the head and neck, use things like the cervical collar, and avoid any unnecessary movement
