Emt-B Chapter 05

Front 1

auscultation

Back 1

a method of listening to sounds within an organ with a stethoscope

Front 2

AVPU scale

Back 2

a method of assessing level of consciousness by determining whether the patient is awake and alert, responsive to verbal stimuli, or pain, or unresponsive; used early in the assessment.

Front 3

bradycardia

Back 3

slow heart rate, less than 60 bpm

Front 4

capillary refill

Back 4

The ability of the circulatory system to restore blood to the capillary system.

Front 5

chief complaint

Back 5

The reason a patient called for help. Also, the patient's response to "what's wrong?"

Front 6

conjunctiva

Back 6

The delicate membrane lining the eyelids and covering the exposed surface of the eye.

Front 7

cyanosis

Back 7

A bluish-grey skin color that is caused by reduced levels of oxygen in the blood.

Front 8

diaphoretic

Back 8

characterized by profuse sweating

Front 9

diastolic pressure

Back 9

The pressure that remains in the arteries during the relaxing phase of the heart's cycle (diastole) when the ventricles are at rest.

Front 10

hypertension

Back 10

blood pressure that is higher than the normal range

Front 11

hypotension

Back 11

blood pressure that is lower than the normal range

Front 12

jaundice

Back 12

a yellow skin or sclera color that is caused by liver disease or dysfunction

Front 13

labored breathing

Back 13

Breathing that requires visibly increased effort; characterized by grunting, stridor, and use of accessory muscles.

Front 14

OPQRST

Back 14

Acronym for key terms used to assess patients symptoms: onset, provocation/pallation, quality, region/radiation, severity, and timing of pain.

Front 15

pulse oximetry

Back 15

An assessment tool that measures oxygen saturation of hemoglobin in the capillary beds.

Front 16

SAMPLE history

Back 16

A brief history of the patient’s condition: Signs/symptoms, Allergies, medications, Pertinent past history, Last oral intake/Last menstruation, Events leading up to incident or illness.

Front 17

sclera

Back 17

the white portion of the eye

Front 18

signs

Back 18

objective findings that can be seen, heard, felt, smelled, or measured

Front 19

sniffing position

Back 19

An unusually upright position in which the patients head and chin are thrust slightly forward.

Front 20

spontaneous respiration

Back 20

breathing in a patient that occurs with no assistance

Front 21

stridor

Back 21

A harsh, high-pitched, crowing inspiratory sound, such as often heard in acute laryngeal (upper airway) obstruction.

Front 22

symptoms

Back 22

Subjective findings that the patient feels but that can only be identified by the patient

Front 23

systolic pressure

Back 23

The increase pressure along an artery with each contraction (systole) of the ventricle.

Front 24

tachycardia

Back 24

rapid heart rhythm, more than 100 bpm

Front 25

tidal volume

Back 25

the amount of air that is exchanged with each breath

Front 26

tripod position

Back 26

an upright position in which the patient leans forward onto two arms stretched forward and thrusts head and chin forward,

Front 27

vasoconstriction

Back 27

narrowing of blood vessels

Front 28

vital signs

Back 28

The key signs used to evaluate the patient's overall condition: respirations, pulse, blood pressure, level of consciousness, skin characteristics.