Emt-B Ch.8 Patient Assessment

Front 1

Accessory muscles

Back 1

The secondary muscles of respiration.

Front 2

AVPU

Back 2

A method of assessing a patient's level of consciousness by determining whether a patient is Awake and alert, responsive to Verbal stimulus or Pain, or Unresponsive; used principally in the initial assessment.

Front 3

Body substance isolation (BSI)

Back 3

An infection control concept and practice that assumes that all body fluids are potentially infectious.

Front 4

Breath sounds

Back 4

An indication of air movement in the lungs, usually assessed with a stethscope.

Front 5

Capillary refill

Back 5

A test that evaluates distal circulatory system function by squeezing (blanching) blood from an area such as a nail bed and watching the speed of its return after releasing the pressure.

Front 6

Chief complaint

Back 6

The reason a patient called for help; also, the patient's response to general questions such as "What's wrong?" or "What happened?"

Front 7

Coagulate

Back 7

To form a clot to plug an opening in an injured blood vessel and stop bleeding.

Front 8

Conjunctiva

Back 8

The delicate membrane that lines the eyelids and covers the exposed surface of the eye.

Front 9

Crepitus

Back 9

A grating or grinding sensation caused by fractured bone ends or joints rubbing together; also air bubles under the skin that produce a crackling sound or crinkly feeling.

Front 10

Cyanosis

Back 10

Bluish-gray skin color that is caused by reduced oxygen levels in the blood.

Front 11

DCAP-BTLS

Back 11

A mnemonic for assessment in which each area of the body is evaluated for Deformities, Contusions, Abrasions, Punctures/Penetrations, Burns, Tenderness, Lacerations, and Swelling.

Front 12

Detailed physical exam

Back 12

The part of the assessment process in which a detailed area-by-area exam is performed on patients whose problems cannot be readily identified or when more specific information is needed about problems indentified in the focused history and physical exam.

Front 13

Frostbite

Back 13

Damage to tissues as the result of exposure to cold; frozen or partially frozen body parts.

Front 14

General impression

Back 14

The overall initial impression that determines the priority for patient care; based on the patient's surroundings, the mechanism of injury, signs and symptoms, and the chief complaint.

Front 15

Golden Hour

Back 15

The time from injury to definitive care, during which treatment of shock or traumatic injuries should occur because survival potential is best.

Front 16

Guarding

Back 16

Involuntary muscle contractions (spasm) of the abdominal wall in an effort to protect the inflamed abdomen; a sign of peritonitis.

Front 17

Hypothermia

Back 17

A condition in which the internal body temperature falls below 95F (35C) after exposure to a cold environment.

Front 18

Initial assessment

Back 18

The part of the assessment process that helps you to identify any immediately or potentially life-threatening conditions so that you can initiate lifesaving care.

Front 19

Jaundice

Back 19

A yellow skin color that is seen in patients with liver disease or dysfunction.

Front 20

Mechanism of injury (MOI)

Back 20

The way in which traumatic injuries occur; the forces that act on the body to cause damage.

Front 21

Nasal flaring

Back 21

Flaring out of the nostrils, indicating that there is an airway obstruction.

Front 22

Nature of illness (NOI)

Back 22

The general type of illness a patient is experiencing.

Front 23

Ongoing assessment

Back 23

The part of the assessment process in which problems are reevaluated and responses to treatment are assessed.

Front 24

Orientation

Back 24

The mental status of a patient as measured by memory of person (name), place (current location), time (current year, month, and approximate date), and event (what happened).

Front 25

OPQRST

Back 25

The six pain questions: Onset, Provoking factors, Quality, Radiation, Severity, Time.

Front 26

Palpate

Back 26

Examine by touch.

Front 27

Paradoxical motion

Back 27

The motion of the chest wall section that is detached in a flail chest; the motion is exactly the opposite of normal motion during breathing (ie, in during inhalation, out during exhalation).

Front 28

Rales

Back 28

Crackling, rattling, breath sound that signals fluid in the air spaces of the lungs; also called crackles.

Front 29

Responsiveness

Back 29

The way in which a patient responds to external stimuli, including verbal stimuli (sound), tactile stimuli (touch), and painful stimuli.

Front 30

Retractions

Back 30

Movements in which the skin pulls in around the ribs during inspiration.

Front 31

Rhonchi

Back 31

Coarse, low-pithed breath sounds heard in patients with chronic mucus in the upper airways.

Front 32

SAMPLE history

Back 32

A key brief history of a patient's condition to determine Signs/Symptoms, Allergies, Medications, Pertinent past history, Last oral intake, and Events leading to the illness/injury.

Front 33

Scene size-up

Back 33

A quick assessment of the scene and the surroundings made to provide information about its safety and the mechanism of injury or nature of illness, before you enter and begin patient care.

Front 34

sclera

Back 34

The white portion of the eye; the tough outer coat that gives protection to the delicate, light sensitive, inner layer.

Front 35

Stridor

Back 35

A harsh, high-pitched inspiratory sound that is often heard in acute laryngeal (upper airway) obstruction; may sound like crowing and be audible without a stethoscope.

Front 36

Subcutaneous emphysema

Back 36

The presence of air in soft tissues, causing a characteristic crackling sensation on palpation.

Front 37

Triage

Back 37

The process of establishing treatment and transportation priorities according to severity of injury and medical need.

Front 38

Two-to three word dyspnea

Back 38

A severe breathing problem in which a patient can speak only two to three words at a time without pausing to take a breath.