Size Up the Scene
What is the first thing an EMS provider should determine upon arriving at a scene?
Is the scene safe?
This chamber of the heart receives deoxygenated blood from the body through the superior and inferior vena cava.
What is the right atrium?
What is the main purpose of the primary assessment?
What is to identify and treat immediate life threats.
What is the first step in managing a patient's airway?
What is Open and assess the airway
What are the two major components of a secondary assessment?
What is patient history and physical examination
This term describes determining how many patients are involved and whether additional resources are needed.
What is the number of patients/need for additional resources
This chamber pumps oxygenated blood into the systemic circulation through the aorta.
What is the left ventricle?
During the primary assessment, what three areas should an EMT evaluate first?
What is Airway, breathing, and circulation (ABCs)
What maneuver is used to open the airway of a patient without suspected spinal injury?
What is Head-tilt/chin-lift
What mnemonic is commonly used by EMTs to obtain a patient's medical history?
What is SAMPLE — Signs/Symptoms, Allergies, Medications, Pertinent past medical history, Last oral intake, Events leading to the illness or injury.
When approaching a crash involving a vehicle, EMS should consider this potential hazard before entering the vehicle.
What are traffic, unstable vehicles, or hazardous materials?
This valve is located between the right atrium and right ventricle.
What is the tricuspid valve?
An unresponsive patient has an open airway but is not breathing normally. What should the EMT do?
What is begin appropriate ventilations and initiate CPR/AED procedures as indicated
What maneuver should be used to open the airway when a spinal injury is suspected?
What is aw-thrust maneuver
What mnemonic can help an EMT investigate a patient's chief complaint, especially pain?
What is OPQRST — Onset, Provocation/Palliation, Quality, Region/Radiation, Severity, Time.
This part of the scene size-up involves identifying whether the patient’s condition resulted from trauma, illness, or another mechanism.
What is determining the nature of illness or mechanism of injury (NOI/MOI)?
This valve separates the left ventricle from the aorta.
What is the aortic valve?
What finding during the primary assessment indicates that a patient may have poor circulation?
What is absent/weak pulse, severe bleeding, pale/cool/clammy skin, or signs of shock.
A patient has gurgling sounds coming from the airway. What does this usually indicate, and what should the EMT do?
What is Fluid or secretions are obstructing the airway. Suction the airway as needed
During a secondary assessment, an EMT finds unequal pupils, facial droop, and slurred speech. What should the EMT suspect?
What is a possible stroke or other neurological emergency and should recognize the need for rapid transport/ALS support as appropriate.
You arrive at a house where a patient is unconscious, but family members report that several people inside also feel dizzy and nauseated. What major scene-size-up concern should you suspect?
What is a hazardous environment, such as carbon monoxide or another toxic exposure?
These vessels carry oxygenated blood from the lungs back to the left atrium.
What are the pulmonary veins?
During the primary assessment, a patient has severe external bleeding. Should the EMT complete the entire assessment before treating it?
What is No. Life threats should be treated as soon as they are identified
An unresponsive patient has no gag reflex and needs an airway adjunct. Which device is appropriate?
What is an oropharyngeal airway (OPA)
When performing a physical examination, should an EMT always perform a complete head-to-toe exam?
What is No. The examination should be appropriate to the patient's condition, chief complaint, mechanism of injury, and findings from the primary assessment.
During scene size-up, EMS should identify hazards, determine the number of patients, consider NOI/MOI, request additional resources, and establish this before beginning patient care.
What is scene safety / ensuring the scene is secure?
This muscular wall separates the right and left sides of the heart and helps prevent mixing of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood.
What is the septum?
You arrive at a patient who is confused, pale, sweaty, and weak. His respirations are rapid, and his radial pulse is weak. What should you recognize, and what should be your priority?
The patient is showing signs consistent with shock/poor perfusion. The EMT should address immediate life threats, provide appropriate oxygen/ventilatory support as indicated, control bleeding if present, keep the patient warm, and request ALS/rapid transport as appropriate.
A conscious patient has an intact gag reflex but needs an airway adjunct. Which device is generally appropriate?
What is a nasopharyngeal airway (NPA), assuming there are no contraindications.
A patient complains of abdominal pain. The primary assessment reveals no immediate life threats. What should the EMT focus on during the secondary assessment?
What is obtain a focused history, including OPQRST and SAMPLE, perform an appropriate focused physical examination, obtain vital signs, and reassess for changes or deterioration.