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Assessment Terms
EMT Vitals & Assessment Terms
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| accesory muscles | secondary muscles of repiration; include the neck muscles, the chest pectoralis major muscles, and the abdominal muscles |
| auscultate | to listen to sounds within an organ with a stethoscope |
| AVPU scale | a method of assessing the level of consciousness by determining whether the patient is awake and alert, responsive to verbal stimuli or pain, or unresponsive |
| blood pressure | the pressure of circulating blood against the walls of the arteries |
| bradycardia | a slow heart rate, less than 60 beats/minute |
| breath sounds | an indication of air movement in the lungs, usually assessed with a stethoscope |
| capillary refill | a test that evaluates distal circulatory system function by squeezing blood from an area such as a nail bed and watching the speed of its return after releasing the pressure |
| capnography | a noninvasive method that can quickly and effictively provide information on a patient's ventilatory status, circulation, and metabolism |
| capnometry | the use of a capnometer, a device that measures the amount of expired carbon dioxide |
| carbon dioxide | carbon dioxide is a component of air and typically makes up 0.3% of air at sea level. It is also a waste product exhaled during expiration by the respiratory system |
| chief complaint | the reason a patient called for help |
| coagulate | to form a clot to plug an opening in an injured blood vessel and stop bleeding |
| conjunctiva | delicate membrane that lines the eyelids and covers the exposed surface of the eye |
| crepitus | a grating or grinding sensation caused by fractured bone ends or joints rubbing together |
| cyanosis | a bluish gray skin color that is caused by a reduced level of oxygen in the blood |
| DCAP-BTLS | a mnemonic for assessment in which each area of the body is evaluated for Deformities, Contusions, Abrasions, Punctures, Burns, Tenderness, Lacerations, and Swelling |
| diaphoretic | characterized by profuse sweating |
| diastolic pressure | pressure that remains in the arteries during the relaxing phase of the heart's cycle when the left ventricle is at rest |
| end-tidal CO2 | the amount of carbon dioxide present in exhaled breath |
| focused assessment | a type of physical assessment that is typically performed on patients who have sustained non-significant mechanisms of injury or on responisve medical patients |
| frostbite | damage to tissue as the result of exposure to cold |
| full-body scan | a systematic head-to-toe examination that is performed suring the secondary assessment of a paitent who is in critical condition |
| general impression | the overall initial impression that determines the priority for patient care |
| Golden Period | the time from injury to definitive care, during which treatment of shock and traumatic injuries should occur because survival potential is best |
| guarding | involuntary muscle contractions of the abdominal wall in an effort to protect an inflamed abdomen |
| history taking | a step within the patient assessment process that porvides detail about the patient's chief compliant and an account of the patient's signs and symptoms |
| hypertension | blood pressure that is higher than the normal range |
| hypotension | blood pressure that is lower than the normal range |
| hypothermia | a condition in which the internal body temperature falls below 95 degrees Fahrenheit after exposure to a cold environment |
| incident command center | system implemented to manage diasasters and mass- and multiple-casualty incidents in which section cheifs report to the incident commander |
| jaundice | yellow skin or sclera that is caused by liver disease od dysfunction |
| labored breathing | breathing that requires visibly increased effort |
| mechanism of injury (MOI) | the way in which traumatic injuries occur |
| nasal flaring | flaring out of the nostrils, indicating that there is an airway obstruction |
| nature of illness (NOI) | the general type of illness a patient is experiencing |
| OPQRST | used for evaluating a patient's pain: Onset, Provocation, Quality, Region, Severity, and Timing of pain |
| orientation | mental status of a patient as measured by memory of a person, place, time, and event |
| palpate | to examine by touch |
| paradoxial motion | the motion of the chest wall section that is detached in a flial chest |
| perfusion | circulation of blood within an organ or tissue |
| personal protective equipment (PPE) | closting or specialized equipment that provides protection to the wearer |
| pertinent negatives | negative findings that warrant no care or intervention |
| primary assessment | a step within the patient assessment process that identifies and initiates treatment of immediate and potential life threats |
| pulse | pressure wave that occurs as each heartbeat causes a surge in the blood circulating through the arteries |
| pulse oximetry | an assessment tool that measures oxygen saturation of hemoglobin in the capillary beds |
| rales | a crackling, rattling breath sound that signals fluid in air spaces of the lungs |
| reassessment | a step within the patient assessment process that is performed at regular intervals during the assessment process |
| responsiveness | the way in which a patient responds to external stimuli |
| retractions | movements in which the skin pull in around the ribs during inspiration |
| rhonchi | coarse, low-pitched breath sounds heard in patients with chronic mucus in the upper airways |
| SAMPLE history | a brief history of a patient's condition to determine signs and symptoms, allergies, medications, pertinent past history, last oral intake, and events leading to the injury or illness |
| scene size-up | quick assessment of the scene and the surroundings to provied information about scene safety and mechanism of injury or nature of illness before you enter and begin patient care |
| sclera | white portion of the eye |
| secondary assessment | systematic physical examination of the patient is performed |
| shallow respirations | respirations that are characterized by little movement of the chest wall or poor chest chest excursion |
| sign | objective findings that can be seen, heard, felt, smelled, or measured |
| sniffing position | an upright position in which the patient's head and chin are thrust slightly forward to keep the airway open |
| spontaneous respirations | breathing that occurs with no assistance |
| standard precautions | protective measures used in dealing with objects, blood, body fluids, and other potential exposure risks of communicable disease |
| stridor | harsh, high-pitched, crowing inspiratory sound, such as the sound often heard in acute laryngeal obstruction |
| subcutaneous emphysema | presence of air in soft tissues, causing a characteristic crackling sensation on palpation |
| symptom | subjective findings that the patient feels but that can be identified only by the patient |
| systolic pressure | increased pressure in an artery with each contraction of the ventricles |
| tachycardia | a rapid heart rate, more than 100 beats/minute |
| tidal volume | the amount of air that is moved in or out of thelungs during one breath |
| triage | process of establishing treatment and transportation priorities according to severity of injury and medical need |
| tripod postion | an upright position in which the patient leans forward onto two arms stretched forward and thrusts the head and chin forward |
| two- to three-word dyspnea | severe breathing problem in which a patient can speak only two or three words at a time without pausing to take a breath |
| vasoconstriction | narrowing of a blood vessel |
| vital signs | key signs that are used to evaluate the patient's overall condition, including respirations, pulse, blood pressure, level of consciousness, and skin characteristics |
| Vital signs (defn.) | assessments related to breathing, pulse, skin, pupils, and blood pressure |
| Vital signs (exam) | B-Breathing P-Pulse S-Skin B-Blood Pressure P-Pupils |
| Respiratory rate range for adult patients is: | at rest is 8-24 per minute |
| Elderly patients have a higher average of chest rises per minute with: | 20 |
| Elderly patients also have a decreased: | Tidal Volume |
| If either respiratory rate OR tidal volume inadequate, then: | Positive Pressure Ventilation must be initiated |
| Respiratory quality is another word for: | Tidal volume; volume of air moving in and out of the lungs with each breath |
| Labored breathing | indicated by abnormal sound of grunting or stridor (harsh high-[itched sound) |
| Noisy breathing | including snoring, wheezing, gurgling, crowning, or stridor. |
| Carotid artery | either side of neck |
| femoral artery | crease btw lower abdomen |
| radial artery | proximal to the thumb on wrist |
| brachial artery | medial aspect of the arm, btw shoulder and elbow |
| popliteal artery | crease behind knee |
| posterier tibial artery | behind malleolus(ankle bone) |
| dorsalis pedis artery | top of foot on great-toe side |
| Which artery should be used on all patients 1 or older? | Radial artery |
| tachycardia | heart rate greater than 100 bpm |
| bradycardia | heart rate less than 60 bpm |
| capillary refill | time it takes for capillaries to fill up with blood again |
| Diaphoresis | profuse sweating |
| pulsus paradoxus | increase in strength of pulse during inspiratory phase of patient. Could indicate cardic injury or illness |
| Dilated pupils (big) | cardiac arrest, use of certain drugs (LSD, amphetamines, atropine, cocaine). |
| Constricted pupils (small) | central nervous system disorder, use of narcotics, glaucoma meds, or bright environment |
| unequal pupils | stroke, head injury, eyedrops |
| Reactivity | (pupils changing in size response to light in eye) |
| Un responsiveness in eye | cardiac arrest, brain injury, drug intoxication or overdose |
| consensual reflex | Both pupils havin the same response when a light in shining in only one eye |
| blood pressure | pressure exerted on the walls of arteries by blood flowing through them |
| systolic BP | top # in BP. amount of pressure exerted on walls of arteries during contraction and ejection of blood from left ventricle |
| T or F? Pulse is an assessment of the systolic BP? | T, correlates w the wave of blood that creates a pulse |
| diastolic BP | pressure exerted against the walls of the arteries while the left ventricle of the heart is at rest |
| Diastolic related to BOTH amount of blood in the artery and diameter of the artery? T or F? | T |
| orthostatic vital signs | comparison of blood pressure and heart rate readings while a patient is supine and while sitting upright or standing. |
Created by:
Krista.anthony
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