EMS Section 3, Chapter 8 Flashcards

Patient Assessment Key Terms

• Accessory Muscles: Secondary respiratory muscles including sternocleidomastoids, pectoralis major, and abdominal muscles that assist in breathing.

• Auscultate: The practice of using a stethoscope to listen to internal sounds of organs.

• AVPU Scale: A tool for evaluating consciousness based on patient alertness and responsiveness to stimuli.

• Blood Pressure (BP): Measurement of pressure exerted by circulating blood against arterial walls.

• Bradycardia: A condition characterized by a heart rate slower than 60 beats per minute.

• Breath Sounds: Sounds produced by air movement in the lungs, assessed through auscultation.

• Capillary Refill: A test measuring blood flow by applying pressure to a nail bed and observing the speed of color return.

• Capnography: A noninvasive technique to monitor a patient’s ventilation, circulation, and metabolism via carbon dioxide levels.

• Capnometry: Measurement of exhaled carbon dioxide using a specialized device.

• Carbon Dioxide: A gas that constitutes about 0.3% of air at sea level and is exhaled as a waste product.

• Chief Complaint: The primary reason a patient seeks medical assistance, typically summarized in their initial response.

• Coagulate: The process of forming a clot to seal an injured blood vessel and prevent bleeding.

• Colorimetric Devices: Equipment that detects carbon dioxide levels using a color change in response to chemical reactions.

• Conjunctiva: The thin membrane lining the eyelids and covering the eye's surface.

• Crepitus: A grating sensation or sound due to bone ends or air bubbles in tissue.

• Cyanosis: A bluish-gray tint to the skin indicating low blood oxygen levels.

• DCAP-BTLS: Mnemonic for examining injuries: Deformities, Contusion, Abrasions, Punctures, Burns, Tenderness, Lacerations, Swelling.

• Diaphoretic: Describes excessive sweating, often as a physiological response.

• Diastolic Pressure: Blood pressure during the relaxation phase of the heart cycle.

• End-tidal CO2: Measurement of carbon dioxide levels in exhaled breath.

• Focused Assessment: A targeted physical examination based on the chief complaint, typically for patients with low-risk injuries.

• Frostbite: Tissue damage due to prolonged exposure to cold.

• Full-body Scan: A comprehensive physical examination performed on critically injured or unconscious patients.

• General Impression: Initial assessment influencing immediate patient care decisions based on environment and complaints.

• Golden Period: The critical time following an injury during which treatment significantly impacts survival chances.

• Guarding: Involuntary muscle tension in the abdomen indicating potential peritonitis.

• History Taking: Gathering information about the patient's condition and history of current issues.

• Hypertension: Blood pressure reading above the normal range.

• Hypotension: Blood pressure reading below the normal range.

• Hypothermia: Body temperature dropping below 95°F (35°C) due to cold exposure.

• Incident Command System: Structure for managing multi-casualty incidents, assigning roles to streamline management.

• Jaundice: Yellowing of the skin or eyes usually linked to liver dysfunction.

• Labored Breathing: Respiratory effort evident through visible distress and use of accessory muscles.

• Mechanism of Injury (MOI): The physical forces that result in trauma to a patient.

• Nasal Flaring: Widening of nostrils indicative of respiratory distress.

• Nature of Illness (NOI): General categorization of the patient's ailment.

• OPQRST: Framework for assessing pain: Onset, Provocation, Quality, Region/Radiation, Severity, Timing.

• Orientation: Mental evaluation based on a patient's awareness of self, location, time, and events.

• Palpate: Physical examination technique involving touch.

• Paradoxical Motion: Opposite movement of chest wall segments in cases of flail chest.

• Perfusion: Blood circulation within organs and tissues.

• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Gear designed to protect against exposure to health hazards.

• Pertinent Negatives: Absences of symptoms that help in decision making and intervention.

• Primary Assessment: Initial identification of life threats and commencement of essential treatment.

• Pulse: The wave of pressure from a heartbeat, indicating cardiovascular activity.

• Pulse Oximetry: Tool for measuring oxygen saturation in the blood.

• Rales: Abnormal lung sounds like crackles, indicating fluid presence.

• Reassessment: Ongoing evaluation to track changes in a patient’s condition.

• Retractions: Skin pulling in around ribs during inhalation, indicating respiratory distress.

• Rhonchi: Low-pitched lung sounds that suggest mucus obstruction.

• SAMPLE History: A succinct patient history covering Signs, Allergies, Medications, Past history, Last intake, Events leading to injury.

• Scene Size-Up: Initial assessment of the emergency scene for safety and mechanism of injury.

• Sclera: The white outer layer of the eyeball.

• Secondary Assessment: Comprehensive examination method focusing on identifying specific injuries or conditions.

• Shallow Respirations: Low-volume breathing characterized by limited chest movement.

• Sign: Objective evidence of a condition observable by others.

• Sniffing Position: A posture that aids in airway openness, with the patient’s head slightly forward.

• Spontaneous Respirations: Breathing occurring naturally without assistance.

• Standard Precautions: Health guidelines for interaction with potentially infectious materials.

• Stridor: A harsh breathing sound, often signaling airway obstruction.

• Subcutaneous Emphysema: Air trapped under the skin, detectable by a crackling sensation upon palpation.

• Symptom: Subjective experiences reported by the patient regarding their health status.

• Systolic Pressure: Arterial pressure during heart contractions.

• Tachycardia: Heart rate exceeding 100 beats per minute.

• Tidal Volume: Volume of air exchanged during a single breath.

• Triage: Prioritization process for treatment based on injury severity and medical need.

• Tripod Position: A position where a patient leans forward with arms extended to assist breathing.

• Two- to Three-word Dyspnea: Severe difficulty in breathing, leading to the ability to speak only a few words.

• Vasoconstriction: Narrowing of blood vessels, typically affecting blood flow.

• Vital Signs: Indicators of a patient's health status including respirations, pulse, blood pressure, consciousness, and skin condition.

Test your knowledge with these flashcards focused on patient assessment in emergency medical services. Each card provides essential terms and definitions to enhance your understanding of critical concepts. Perfect for students and practitioners in the field of EMS.