difference between Chief complaint in diagnosing a patient
Chief complaint is what the patient is complaining about, diagnosing a patient is determining what is wrong with them which may not be the same as the chief complaint
define palpation
use of the sense of touch to determine the characteristics of an organ
what does opqrst stand for?
onset, provocation, quality, radiation, severity, time
what type of medication is nitroglycerin?
vasodilator
if you do not have child's AED pads what can you use instead?
you can use adult AED pads as long as they do not touch
what are the effects of nitroglycerin?
drop in blood pressure and less pain
what is the main precaution before an AED shocks a patient?
ensure no one is touching them
how do you check for breathing?
look, listen, feel
what should be included in a reassessment?
continued assessment a mental status, ABCs and vital signs
what is the most common airway obstruction?
tongue
what is the flow range for a nasal cannula?
1-6 LPM
define atherosclerosis
narrowing of arteries due to fatty plaque
what are some modifications of used for aeds?
implanted pacemaker, drug patch, hairy chest, patient's body in water
what is the benefit of humidifying oxygen for patient?
nasal cannulas dry out the nose. by humidifying the oxygen and keeps the nose moist.
define nature of illness (NOI)
what's the cause of an illness is
define mechanism of injury (MOI)
a force or forces that may have caused injury
define myocardial infarction
area of heart muscle dying due to lack of oxygen
definition of signs versus symptoms
signs can be seen or are measurable in some way (objective) while symptoms are non-measurable (subjective)
signs and symptoms of asthma
wheezing on inspiration/expiration
bronchospasm
what is the minimum data set included in patient care reports?
times of dispatch, arrival unseen, vital signs, nature of call, etc
signs and symptoms of partial airway obstruction versus complete airway obstruction
you can cough and a partial airway obstruction, you cannot talk, cannot cough, and cannot breathe in a complete airway obstruction
how should the narrative section on PCR be written?
totally objective
what causes gurgling sounds? how do you treat this?
caused by water, blood, or any other liquids in the throat blocking the airway. this is treated by suctioning out the airway
when to use BVM for positive pressure ventilations?
when the patient is not breathing or not breathing accurately
subjective versus objective information on patients
objective information is something that can be measured or scene. subjective information is something that the patient is feeling that cannot be measured
what comes after manual stabilization of head during assessments?
general impression
what a & o x 4 means
person, place, Time, event (if it is a four, then they are fully aware)
what are classic signs of moderate to severe respiratory distress?
two to three word sentences and tripod position
what is the first priority with a crime scene?
scene safety
what is a PCR?
a legal document
what is something to keep in mind for airway Management in the elderly?
issues with stiffer neck and jaw
define continuity of care
taking care of a patient from the moment you get to call all the way through till getting to the hospital
define perfusion
adequately oxygenated blood being circulated throughout the body
hazards of oxygen use
tank is a dangerous projectile, oxygen supports combustion, and it does not mix well with oil
head tilt chin lift vs. jaw thrust maneuver
head tilt chin lift is more effective but should only be used without spinal precautions, the jaw thrust maneuver is to be used with spinal precautions
percentage of oxygen delivered for nasal cannula?
25 to 45% for 1 to 6 liters
percentage of oxygen delivered for nrb?
85 to 90% for 10 to 15 liters
percentage of oxygen delivered with BVM?
99 to 100% for 15 liters
examples of significant mechanisms of injury
falling from a roof, thrown from a car in a car crash, etc.
definition of pin index safety system
things only fits in one type of gas tank; ensures appropriate regulator
oxygen concentration vs. supplemental oxygen
oxygen concentration is the amount of o2 being given while supplemental oxygen is giving O2 to any extent
when is utilizing family members for additional information necessary?
when the patient has Alzheimer's
what are the functions of oxygen tank regulators?
reduces pressure of tank, shows amount of pressure in tank, manipulate flow rate
what are baseline vitals?
The first set of vitals taken from a patient
what is the definition of trending?
continually taking and comparing the vitals. this should be done every 15 minutes for a stable patient and every 5 minutes for an unstable patient.
how should you describe a patient's respiratory rate?
use the acronym RDSE: rate, depth, sounds, and ease
when should you use a nasal cannula?
for mild to moderate respiratory problems or if the patient is too claustrophobic to use a BVM
name a few of the COPDs listed in respiratory chapter that commonly cause respiratory compromise
emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and asthma
how long does it take for angina pectoris to resolve itself with medication?
10 minutes
why is angina pectoris so dangerous?
it can lead to a heart attack
how can you determine myocardial infarction from angina pectoris?
myocardial infarction chest pain usually does not resolve nor is it helped by medication
what is a PCR?
patient care report
define auscultation
listening to sounds produced by internal organs. Usually done to evaluate:
1. heart
2. lungs
3. abdomen