Triage/ Posturing
Current triage systems base their assessment on....
The patients breathing, circulation and LOC
The ability to walk / move is a good start but all three things need to be considered
Patient of a MVA presents as calm / and alert. Patient did have impact injuries but they are now presenting with increased pulse and respirations. What condition is most likely the cause...
Shock - increase of pulse and respirations are often a sign of the body trying to make up for poor perfusion (shock)
Car accident with air bags...what critical injury should EMS provider be attentive to
Collapsed lung - There is often some injury with facial burns and body bruising...but lung problems are a critical factor.
two bone ends are pulled out of a joint. This is called a
Dislocation
Of all the vital signs, which one is the most serious and indictor of shock
Low BP
As a treating EMS provider, what color of triaged patients need to be treated first
RED - needs immediate attention
What is a missing radial pulse a potential sign of
Low Blood pressure
Patient has a puncture wound to the back and is having trouble breathing. What treatment should be considered
Open wounds to the chest may require an occlusive dressing to prevent air from entering from outside the chest.
*remember: holes in the chest should not make noise and need attention
A patient indicates their hand got caught in between two chairs and is now swollen and sore...what is a good next step
immobilize the area and put ice on the injury site to help with pain and swelling.
Bruised brain is called.................
A contusion (bruise is key word here)
If a patient presents with injuries that have legs and arms straight out with toes pointing downward...what is that called
Decerebrate posturing
Child is victim of a major trauma - alert at first but now sleepy - pulse is down to under 60. What system is potentially being affected
breathing - (pulse is down - could becoming hypoxic)
Patient has a protruding object as an injury. What steps does the provider need to perform
Need to get the patient on oxygen and carefully stabilize the object. Transport as soon as possible
You have placed a splint on a lower extremity and the pulse is now absent...what is your next step
Try loosening the splint to see if it is just too tight first. The option of doing alignment is an option but other alternatives should always be considered.
What is diaphragmatic breathing
A complete spinal cord injury affects everything from the injury down. This means that if the diaphragm is affected, so are the intercostal and abdominal muscles.
If an injured patient presents with arms close to sides and elbows bent towards the body...what is that called.
Decorticate posturing
Child in a car seat facing forward-what body part should you be concerned with in a collision as high priority
Since they are facing forward and the head is large - consider a neck injury
You have a patient that presents with the entire leg rotated and and has a large bulge near the top of the leg joint. What is the potential injury...
Hip dislocation
What splint do you use for a fractured clavicle
sling and swathe...we would often use multiple swathes / saran wrap or some other method to do a tight stabilization.
Mark 1 kits are used for whose treatment first
For responders / not patients
Primary goal of triage is to help determine.....
Which patients receive treatment first
If you see bubbling around an injury close to an airway.. what could be a reason?
the wound is open to the airway
Do we cover the entire hand / foot when putting on a splint?
No, we need to be attentive to finger/hand coloring and temperature after splint is applied
You have placed a vacuum splint on your patient. They indicate that the area is now numb. What information do you need from the patient
When did they first notice the numbness (need to know if it was because of your treatment or they had it before you started)
What color is the light saber for a sithe (star wars)
Red....silly people