Chapter 1: Before Giving Care
This is the first step you must take to play your role in the EMS system.
What is recognizing that an emergency exists?
In the SAMPLE acronym, this letter stands for asking about a person's past medical conditions.
What is P (Pertinent medical history)?
Occurs when blood flow to a part of the heart muscle is blocked (e.g., as a result of coronary artery disease).
What is a heart attack?
Typically has a panicked, confused or surprised facial expression. Some people may place one or both hands on their throat.
What is a person who is choking?
An illness that strikes suddenly and usually only lasts for a short period of time.
What is an acute illness?
This step involves making the decision to help and could mean the difference between life and death.
What is deciding to take action?
When checking a responsive person from head to toe, you should look for these signs of injury, such as bleeding, bruising, and swelling.
What are visible injuries or abnormalities?
What is if you think that a person is having a heart attack?
Give yourself abdominal thrusts, using your hands, just as if you were giving abdominal thrusts to another person. Bend over and press your abdomen against any firm object. Do not bend over anything with a sharp edge or corner that might hurt you, and be careful when leaning on a railing that is elevated.
What is if you are alone and choking?
An illness that a person lives with on an ongoing basis and that often requires continuous treatment to manage.
What is chronic illness?
These EMS professionals are trained to provide the highest level of advanced medical care, including administering medications and advanced airway support.
What are paramedics?
This is the first thing you should do if a person is responsive but not fully awake and is breathing normally.
What is place them into a recovery position?
Call 9-1-1 or the designated emergency number immediately. Never try to drive a person who is experiencing signs and symptoms of a heart attack to the hospital yourself. EMS personnel can transport the person to the hospital safely while initiating care.
What is if you think that someone else might be having a heart attack?
Give chest thrusts instead of abdominal thrusts.
What is if the person is obviously pregnant or known to be pregnant?
Difficulty breathing, is evidenced by signs and symptoms such as shortness of breath, gasping for breath,
What is respiratory distress?
The EMS system begins when someone sees an emergency and does this.
What is calls 9-1-1 or the designated emergency number?
Besides checking for breathing and life-threatening bleeding, this is what you should immediately do if a person is unresponsive.
What is send someone to call 9-1-1 or the designated emergency number and get an AED and first-aid kit?
Occurs when the heart stops beating or beats too ineffectively to circulate blood to the brain and other vital organs.
What is cardiac arrest?
Stand behind the person, with one foot in front of the other for balance and stability. If possible, place your front foot between the person’s feet. Wrap your arms around the person’s waist. Alternatively, if the person is a child, you can kneel behind the child, wrapping your arms around the child’s waist. Find the person’s navel by placing one finger on the person’s navel, and the adjacent finger above the first. Make a fist with your other hand and place the thumb side just above your fingers. Cover your fist with your other hand and give quick, inward and upward thrusts into the person’s abdomen. Each abdominal thrust should be separate from the others.
What are abdominal thrusts?
A chronic illness in which certain substances or conditions,
What is asthma?
What are emergency medical responders (EMRs)?
When placing a child or adult into a recovery position, you should extend this part of their body to above their head.
What is the person's arm?
Have someone call 9-1-1 or the designated emergency number immediately, begin CPR immediately, use an AED as soon as possible.
Nuts and Seeds. Hot dogs and sausages. Chunks of meat or cheese. Raw vegetables. Etc.
What may be food choking hazards for children younger than 4 years?
Wheezing or coughing, rapid, shallow bleeding, sweating, being unable to talk without stopping for a breath in between words, etc.
What are signs and symptoms of an asthma attack?