Week 3: Emergency Conditions Flashcards
Athletic Therapist 2 Main Goals
- Provide care to manage conditions
- Minimize secondary complications (and determine safe removal- WB or NWB?)
General Hierarchy of Conditions- Priority of Assessing (6)
- ABCs and major bleeds
- Acquired brain injury/concussion
- Spinal
- Fracture/dislocation
- Sprains/strains
- Abrasions
*Ones lower in hierarchy can move up if people react badly
Emergency On-Field Assessment- Steps to Assess (6)
- Survey the scene (what do you see? Safe to approach?)
- Control c-spine (block the head)
- Assess LOC- (determine level of consciousness- AVPU= alert, verbal, painful, unresponsive)
- Assess vitals (ABCs)
- Secondary survey (rapid body survey, history- SAMPLE, PQRST), decision on next steps
- Head-to-toe (to identify any other injuries)
Call EMS if any 2 out of the 4 following (or if unsure) signs of suspected spinal
- Central pain on palpation (of spinous processes)
- Tingling/numbness/unable to move extremities
- Mechanism of injury
- Unwillingness to move
Head Injury Symptom Assessment (and Ocular/Motor Screen)
-Any pain or pressure in head?
-Ringing in ears?
-Feel dizzy?
-Feel nauseous?
-Anything blurry or seeing double?
*even one symptom is considered a concussion= no RTP
Ocular/Motor Screen:
-PEARL- Pupils Equal And Reacting to Light (cover one eye, what happens to other?)
-Tracking- “follow my finger”, peripheral vision, ability to focus- “how many fingers
Head Injury Cognitive Screening
- Orientation (what is the date, what team are you playing, which arena/field/court are you playing at, when was your last practice?)
- Immediate memory (remember these 3 words and repeat after me- pick 3 unrelated words i.e. five purple pigs)
- Delayed recall (recheck the 3 words a few minutes later)
- Concentration (can you count backwards by 3, starting at 100)
*Gold standard= SCAT6 Test
Major Fractures and Dislocations
-Major fractures: large bone, unstable or displaced, compound fracture/open fracture
-Stabilize, treat for shock, call 911
Emergency Medical Conditions (6)
-Diabetic emergency
-Epilepsy/seizures
-Asthma
-Anaphylactic shock- food allergies, bee stings
-Heat/cold emergencies
-Abdominal injuries
Shock
-Circulatory system fails to circulate blood adequately
-Life-threatening condition= medical emergency
Symptoms:
-Pale, cool, clammy skin
-Rapid breathing, rapid and weak pulse
-Changes in LOC/confused
-Nausea and decreasing blood pressure
Care for Shock
-Blanket to maintain body temp
-Rest in comfortable position that minimizes pain
-Have athlete lie down if necessary (increase blood to organs/brain)
-Reassure
-Oxygen if available
