PATIENT ASSESSMENT pt 2

Question 1

Standard Precautions

Answer 1

wear PPE

Question 2

When Standard Precaution takes place

Answer 2

When you step out of the vehicle and before patient contact

Question 3

Forming a general impression

Answer 3

Take note of age, sex, race, level of distress, overall appearance

Question 4

Assessing the LOC

Answer 4

Determine which category best fits patient:

Conscious with unaltered LOC
Conscious with an altered LOC
Unconscious

Question 5

Causes of a conscious person with altered LOC

Answer 5

Perfusion, meds, drugs, alcohol, poisoning

Question 6

First focus for Unconscious patients

Answer 6

ABC

Question 7

When someone is unconscious

Answer 7

A critical respiratory, circulatory, or CNS problem or deficit may exist

Pack and transport to the hospital immediately

Question 8

Testing mental status

Answer 8

Evaluate the patients memory, does the patient:

Remember their name
Knows there current location
Knows date
Knows the event that just occurred

Question 9

Assess the Airway

Answer 9

Determine if the patients airway is open and adequate
Talking or crying = open airway
Listening to patients speak provides info on breathing status
If patient is not breathing, stop assessment and obtain a patient airway

Question 10

Unresponsive patients/decreased LOC patient

Answer 10

Immediately assess airways

Question 11

If trauma is present (during airway assessment)

Answer 11

Use modified jaw-thrust technique to open airway

Question 12

If trauma is not present (during airway assessment)

Answer 12

Use head tilt-chin lift technique to open and maintain airway

Question 13

Assess Breathing

Answer 13

After EMT opens the airway make sure the patient is breathing.
Breathing = regular flow with no notable interruption.
Watch the patients chest rise and fall
Feeling the air through the mouth and nose during exhale.
Listen to breath sounds with stethoscope over each lung.
Jot down respiratory rate, rhythm, quality/character of breathing, depth of breathing.

Question 14

Ask these questions when assessing breathing

Answer 14

Is the patient choking?
Is respiratory rate to fast or slow?
Are respirations shallow or deep?
Is the patient have blue skin?
Are there abnormal sounds when listening to the lungs?
Is air coming into both lungs during breathing?

Question 15

Immediately reevaluate the airway

Answer 15

If patient has difficult time breathing after primary assessment

Question 16

Administer supplemental oxygen

Answer 16

Respirations are too fast (>20 breaths a min)
Respirations are too shallow
Respirations are too slow (<12 breaths a min)

Question 17

Provide positive-pressure ventilation with an airway adjunct

Answer 17

Respirations exceed 24 breaths a min
Respirations are fewer than 8 breaths a min

Question 18

What are you listening for (assessing breathing)

Answer 18

Normal breath sounds
Wheezing
Rales
Rhonchi
Stridor

Question 19

Tidal volume

Answer 19

A measure of the depth of breathing and is the amount of air in milliliter that is moved into or out of the lungs

Question 20

Unresponsive patients older than

Answer 20

Palpate carotid (neck) pulse

Question 21

If pulse is present determine

Answer 21

Pulse rate
Quality of pulse
Assess skin
Assess and control external bleeding
Identify and treat life threats

Question 22

Normal adult pulse rate

Answer 22

60-100 BPM

Question 23

Tachycardia

Answer 23

> 100

Question 24

Bradycardia

Answer 24

< 60

Question 25

Perform a rapid scan

Answer 25

Scan the patient’s body to identify injuries that must be managed or protected immediately.
Takes 60-90 seconds to perform.
This is not a focused physical assessment.