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Patient assessment for the Basic EMT
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Lesson Goal Obtain and interpret vital signs & SAMPLE history
Provide information necessary to evaluate scene during initial stages of response Perform initial patient assessment, form a general impression, and determine transport priority of medical or trauma patient Recognize MOI to predict injury in trauma patient CONFIDENTIAL
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Presentation Information
Lesson Goal Perform detailed physical examination, understand findings, and use findings to provide appropriate patient care Perform ongoing assessment Reassess & confirm patient’s status Review assessment Check interventions for adequacy & response Assess patients with medical complaint and obtain a focused history CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL
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Why is it important? We are the eyes and ears
We cannot treat what we do not assess We cannot report what we do not assess or treat CONFIDENTIAL
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Assessment tools CONFIDENTIAL
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Most Important Assessment Tools
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When does assessment begin?
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PATIENT ASSESSMENT OVERVIEW
Scene Size-up Initial Assessment Rapid Focused and Physical Exam: Trauma Rapid Focused And Physical Exam: Medical Vital Signs/History Detailed Exam Ongoing Assessment CONFIDENTIAL
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Scene Size-Up CONFIDENTIAL
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General Impression Includes: NOI for medical patients
MOI for trauma patients Determine need for cervical spine stabilization Both medical problem & injury possible Age Gender Race (ethnicity) CONFIDENTIAL
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Level of Consciousness (Mental Status)
A Alert V responds to Verbal stimulus P responds only to Painful stimulus U Unresponsive CONFIDENTIAL
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PATIENT ASSESSMENT OVERVIEW
Scene Size-up Initial Assessment Rapid Focused and Physical Exam: Trauma Rapid Focused And Physical Exam: Medical Vital Signs/History Detailed Exam Ongoing Assessment CONFIDENTIAL
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Initial Assessment Find and fix Assess disability/environment
Airway Breathing Circulation/Shock Assess disability/environment Expose as necessary Transport decision CONFIDENTIAL
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Assess Airway Look Listen Feel Patient position Intact structure
No foreign bodies Patient color Listen Snoring Gurgling Crowing/stridor Silence Patient complaint Feel Stable structure Air exchange CONFIDENTIAL
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Treat Airway Position Suction Adjuncts Consider early transport
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Assess Breathing Look Listen Feel Patient position Patient color
Chest wall movement Use of accessory muscles Rate/Regularity Pulse oxymetry Listen Audible wheezing Breath sounds Patient complaint Feel Chest wall Subcutaneous emphysema CONFIDENTIAL
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Treat breathing Position for comfort Consider early transport
Apply oxygen High-flow/NRB Assist breathing Once every 5-6 seconds Seal chest wounds Occlusive dressing CONFIDENTIAL
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Assess Circulation/Shock
Look External bleeding Patient color Listen Mental status Feel Pulse Location Quality Rate regularity CONFIDENTIAL
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Treat Circulation/Shock
Stop the bleeding High-flow oxygen Maintain body temperature CONFIDENTIAL
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Consider C-Spine stabilization
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Assess Disability (neuro status)
Mental Status Pupil check Bilateral movement Glasgow Coma scale CONFIDENTIAL
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Assess Environment/Expose
Too hot/too cold Surface contact Move patient to a controlled environment ASAP Expose injuries CONFIDENTIAL
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PATIENT ASSESSMENT OVERVIEW
Scene Size-up Initial Assessment Rapid Focused and Physical Exam: Trauma Rapid Focused And Physical Exam: Medical Vital Signs/History Detailed Exam Ongoing Assessment CONFIDENTIAL
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Focused History and Physical Exam—Trauma
Presentation Information Focused History and Physical Exam—Trauma Rapid Trauma Assessment VS Focused Trauma Assessment CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL
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Check the nooks and crannies
Detailed Exam Check the nooks and crannies CONFIDENTIAL
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Hands-on Assessment—Head to Toe
Presentation Information Hands-on Assessment—Head to Toe D Deformities C Contusions A Abrasions P Penetrations B Burns T Tenderness L Lacerations S Swelling The video will start when the mouse is clicked. CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL
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PATIENT ASSESSMENT OVERVIEW
Scene Size-up Initial Assessment Rapid Focused and Physical Exam: Trauma Rapid Focused And Physical Exam: Medical Vital Signs/History Detailed Exam Ongoing Assessment CONFIDENTIAL
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Focused History and Physical Exam--Medical
Getting a history is the key!! S Signs and Symptoms--OPQRST A Allergies M Medications P Pertinent Past history L Last oral intake E Events leading up to Focused physical assessment CONFIDENTIAL
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Assessing Signs and Symptoms
O Onset P Provoke Q Quality R Radiate S Severity T Time CONFIDENTIAL
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PATIENT ASSESSMENT OVERVIEW
Scene Size-up Initial Assessment Rapid Focused and Physical Exam: Trauma Rapid Focused And Physical Exam: Medical Vital Signs/History Detailed Exam Ongoing Assessment CONFIDENTIAL
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Check the nooks and crannies
Detailed Exam Check the nooks and crannies CONFIDENTIAL
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PATIENT ASSESSMENT OVERVIEW
Scene Size-up Initial Assessment Rapid Focused and Physical Exam: Trauma Rapid Focused And Physical Exam: Medical Vital Signs/History Detailed Exam Ongoing Assessment CONFIDENTIAL
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Presentation Information
On-Going Assessment Assess, re-assess and then assess again Vital signs every 15 minutes for the stable patient Vital signs every 5 minutes for the unstable patient CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL
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Vital Signs Pulse Respirations Breath Sounds Blood Pressure
Oxygen saturation Pupils GCS Skin color, condition, and temperature Time CONFIDENTIAL
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Skin color/condition Pupils Normal, pale, jaundiced, flushed, cyanotic
Warm, hot, cool , cold, moist, dry Pupils Equal/reactive CONFIDENTIAL
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Pulse Respirations Breath sounds Rate: adult normal 60-100
Location: carotid/radial Quality: strong, weak, thready Regularity: regular/irregular Respirations Rate: adult normal 12-20 Quality: easy, labored, noisy Regularity Breath sounds Present and equal CONFIDENTIAL
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Blood pressure Oxygen saturation Auscultation Palpation Oscillation
Automatic Oxygen saturation > 90% for adults > 95% for pediatrics CONFIDENTIAL
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Presentation Information
Glasgow Coma Scale Criteria Patient Response Score Eye opening Spontaneously To speech To pain None 4 3 2 1 Verbal response Oriented Confused Inappropriate words Incomprehensible words 5 Motor response Obeys commands Localizes pain Withdraws to pain Flexion to pain Extension to pain 6 CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL
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EVERYONE gets an assessment
The Last Word… EVERYONE gets an assessment CONFIDENTIAL
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Questions and answers CONFIDENTIAL
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