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38 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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What does FRU stand for?
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Fast Response Unit.
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What is an FRU?
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A Fast Response Unit is a solo paramedic.
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What are regular callers to the emergency services also known as?
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Frequent Fliers.
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Give 3 reasons someone might call for an ambulance other than in a genuine emergency.
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1. Attention seeking
2. Free food 3. Free ride to hospital |
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How do "frequent fliers" ensure an emergency response?
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Complain of chest pain or abdominal problems.
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When would an ambulance "green up"?
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When a call has been completed and the patient has been taken to hospital, indicating to EOC (control) that the ambulance is now available.
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What does "suspended" mean?
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Patient is between life and death, no pulse, not breathing.. could be saved by CPR.
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Why have some services started to offer a Clinical Telephone Advice (CTA) service?
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There is no "In between" service like in the U.S. (311 instead of 911) for non-emergencies.
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Name 2 big problems faced by those working in the emergency services.
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1. Hoax callers/Time wasters - 1000 per week
2. Abuse - Paramedics wear ballistic stab vests. |
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What is myocardial infarction?
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Heart Attack, describes the death of heart muscle due to lack of blood flow (ischaemia) & clogging of artery due to lack of oxygen.
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What is the linguistic derivation of 'myocardial infarction'?
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Myocardial = of the heart muscle
Infarction = from latin 'infarcere' - to plug up/cram. |
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What is CPR?
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Cardiopulmonary resusciation, used on victims of cardiac/respiratory arrest.
Blood circulation & breathing are simulated artificially by chest compresssions and lung ventilation. |
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Why do CPR?
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To try and maintain a flow of oxygenated blood to the brain and heart, delaying tissue death and extending the window of oppurtunity for successful resuscitation via. defibrillation and life support systems.
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What is defibrillation?
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Attempts to stop fibrillation of the heart and restore normal contraction rhythm using drugs or electric shock.
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What is a purple annexe?
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A morgue.
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What does EMT stand for?
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Emergency Medical Technician.
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What does RSI stand for?
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Rapid Sequence Induction
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What does Rapid Sequence Induction (RSI) do?
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RSI is when you put the patient to sleep with anaesthetic, relazing the muscles so that the patient cannot breathe for themselves and have no gag reflex. It is then possible to intubate using a endotrachael tube (ET) to push air into the lungs.
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What are Delta Alphas?
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Emergency doctors.
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What can only Delta Alphas perform?
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RSI (Rapid Sequence Induction)
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What is cannulation?
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Cannulation is the insertion of a plastic tube (a cannula) into a body cavity
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What would you use cannulation for?
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Nasal delivery of oxygen or delivery of fluids and drugs into the blood introvenously.
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What is KVO?
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KVO means "Keep Vein Open" it is a technique where a patient is cannulated to make a vein 'patent' for later use.
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Name the four initial clinical OBS (observations) made for every patient.
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Vital signs..
1. Respiration rate 2. Pulse rate 3. Blood pressure 4. Temperature |
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Other than the four initial clinical OBS, name 5 other clinical OBS that can be made.
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1.Oxygen saturation level
2.Capillary refill duration, 3. BM (blood glucose) measurement 4. Pupil responses 5. ECG (echocardiogram to measure electrical activity of the heart) |
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What does EOC stand for?
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Emergency Operations Centre (control centre)
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What are the three call categories?
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A. RED - Dead, suspended, in serious trouble, drunk and know how to work the system. Need to get there very fast.
B. AMBER - Pregnant, was ill but feeling better, drunk and not sure how to work the system. Get there fast. C. GREEN - Minor injuries, non-life threatening, lonely, drunk and honest. Get there some point that day. |
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What do PV and PR stand for?
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PV - per vaginam
PR - per rectum - Often followed by the word 'bleed' to indicate bleeding from that area. |
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What can a PR bleed indicate?
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Disease e.g. cancer or internal haemorrhage.
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What can a PV bleed indicate?
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Complications during pregnancy.
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What is a GB?
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A General Broadcast, a radio alert which goes out to ALL frontline vehicles.
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What does the BM clinical test involve?
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BM is the measurement of blood glucose levels. The test involves pricking the skin to obtain capillary blood which is then placed on a measuring strip and then into a light-reflecting metre. The glucometer then measures the glucose level in the blood.
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What is a normal blood-glucose measurement?
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Between 4 and 10mmol
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What would a blood glucose level reading below 4mmol indicate?
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Hypoglycaemia.
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What would a blood glucose level reading above 10mmol indicate?
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Hyperglycaemia.
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What is ventricular fibrillation (VF)?
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A chaotic electrical state in which the heartmuscle is contracting in a random, inefficient way.
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Why is VF so dangerous for the patient?
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The pumping ability of the heart ceases when VF occurs and unless the condition is reversed within a few minutes using defibrillation (electrical charge), the heart will stop working altogether and the patient will die
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What are SATS
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Saturation levels
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