WEEK 7 - Low Acuity Medical Conditions

Question 1

Treatment of a headache

Answer 1

Analgesia, IV fluid, and antiemetics make up the treatment options.

Question 2

Treating epistaxis can involve:

Answer 2

In the prehospital setting people often call an ambulance due to the site of blood, or not being able to stop the nose bleed. Manual pressure should be applied by pinching the nostrils hard, and educating the patient not to sniff, or wipe or blow their nose. All too often the bleeding stops and then the patient wipes or blows their nose which interrupts the normal clotting and the bleeding begins again! A rapid rhino can also be inserted to abait the bleeding, and then transport to hospital. If the patient is on anticoagulants it may take a long time to stop the bleeding and there is the risk of significant blood loss.

Question 3

Causes of back pain include:

Answer 3

disc problems
sciatica
stress
poor posture/kyphosis
arthritis
osetoporosis
poor lifting techniques
obesity

Question 4

Treatment of non-traumatic back pain includes:

Answer 4

rest
heat/ice packs and gels
exercises
physio/chiro appointments
analgesia/muscle relaxants
surgery

Question 5

Symptoms of a UTI include:

Answer 5

dysuria (painful and frequent urination)
haematuria
strong smelling urine
lower abdominal pain
fever/chills and other signs of infection
confusion in the elderly

Question 6

Management of a UTI

Answer 6

Paramedic intervention for a UTI is limited, and most cases can be managed by referring the patient to their GP for a prescription. The elderly with moderate to severe cases should be transported to hospital as this group can deteriorate quickly and often present atypically. Paramedics should manage any associated symptoms and assess for signs of sepsis.

Question 7

Examples of minor wounds include:

Answer 7

small skin tear (often the elderly bumping into things or falling)
cut/laceration (common after an assault)
contusion/bruising
abrasion/gravel rash (sporting injury/children playing)
burn (minor sunburn)

Question 8

Management of minor wounds

Answer 8

Paramedic intervention in a lot of these cases is limited, and not actually required. If tasked to a patient with a minor injury, who after assessment is deemed not to require hospitalisation, they can be managed by an ECP or referred to their GP for follow-up. Nonetheless, a comprehensive patient assessment still needs to be performed to rule out any sinister cause of the minor wound, especially if it is the result of a fall.

Question 9

Risk factors for falls include:

Answer 9

poor vision
dementia
poor environment (uneven floors, rugs etc.)
balance problems
decreased strength/flexibility
decreased muscle tone/agility
Obesity (raises the risk of a fall by 30%)

Question 10

Management of falls

Answer 10

A paramedic will often be called to assist in getting a patient off the floor, and most of the time they are uninjured. After you perform a thorough assessment and determine they are safe to remain at home, you can assist them back to bed/chair, ensure someone is there to monitor them, and leave paperwork with a plan. If the patient is injured you may need to consider spinal precautions and treat associated pain and symptoms.