Scene Size-Up & Primary Assessment
This is the first step performed at every scene to ensure personal and scene safety.
Question: What is BSI and scene safety?
👉 Always ensure your personal protective equipment is on and the scene is safe to enter.
This airway adjunct is used when the patient has a gag reflex and cannot tolerate an OPA.
What is a Nasopharyngeal Airway (NPA)?
👉 NPA is tolerated in semi-conscious patients and avoids stimulating the gag reflex.
This device delivers 80–100% O2 at 10–15 LPM when the bag is fully inflated.
What is a non-rebreather mask?
👉 Ensure the reservoir bag doesn’t deflate beyond 50%
This head-to-toe assessment is performed rapidly when the patient is unresponsive or has multi-system trauma.
What is a rapid trauma assessment?
👉 Look for DCAP-BTLS (Deformities, Contusions, Abrasions, etc.)
In the trauma station, failing to do this after primary assessment is an automatic fail.
What is calling for immediate transport?
👉 Especially with a patient showing signs of decompensation or severe injury.
In trauma assessment, this decision is made after the primary survey if the patient is unstable.
What is making a priority transport decision?
👉 “Load and go” for critical trauma patients — don’t delay transport.
These conditions contraindicates use of an NPA.
Facial trauma
Deviated Septum
Nasal Fracture
Basal Fracture — Signs: Battles sign and Raccoon Eyes
This is the only BVM setup that delivers 90–100% oxygen.
What is a BVM with O2 at 15 LPM and an attached reservoir?
👉 Without a reservoir, delivery drops significantly (50–60%).
This vital sign gives you information about perfusion and is crucial in trauma patients.
Question: What is capillary refill or skin signs?
👉 Pale, cool, clammy skin = shock until proven otherwise.
During the BVM station, not inserting this adjunct before ventilating is a fail.
What is an airway adjunct (OPA/NPA)?
👉 Must ensure the airway is open and maintained before ventilating.
This acronym helps assess the patient’s mental status during primary assessment.
What is AVPU (Alert, Verbal, Pain, Unresponsive)?
👉 Used to assess neurological function quickly.
This is how to measure an NPA or OPA for proper sizing.
What is from the tip of the nose (NPA) or mouth (OPA) to the earlobe?
👉 Improper size can cause obstruction or injury.
This is the required timing for initiating ventilations on an apneic adult.
What is within 30 seconds?
👉 Failure to ventilate within this window is an automatic fail in the NREMT BVM station.
This mnemonic is used to assess pain or a chief complaint.
What is OPQRST?
👉 Onset, Provocation, Quality, Radiation, Severity, Time
Failing to ask for this resource in the first 15–30 seconds of any scenario is a critical failure.
What is requesting ALS backup?
👉 NREMT expects you to demonstrate scene control and judgment — ALS is essential for critical patients.
These two assessments are done after general impression and level of consciousness in the primary survey.
What are airway and breathing assessments?
👉 Open the airway, assess breathing rate/quality, and initiate appropriate intervention.
This is the correct insertion method for an OPA in an adult patient.
What is insert upside down, then rotate 180 degrees when resistance is met?
👉 For pediatric, use a tongue depressor to insert anatomically to avoid trauma.
This medication combo can be used in a Duo-Neb for wheezing patients.
What are Albuterol and Ipratropium Bromide?
👉 Albuterol for bronchodilation, Ipratropium for drying secretions; used in asthma/COPD exacerbations.
This is how often you reassess a stable vs unstable patient.
What is every 15 minutes for stable, every 5 minutes for unstable?
👉 Reassessment includes vitals, complaints, and interventions.
This must be verbalized after treating life threats and obtaining vitals in trauma patients.
Question: What is "I'm preparing for immediate transport"?
🔹 It’s a pass/fail point under “Determines patient priority and makes treatment/transport decision.”
This is the acronym used for gathering a focused history in medical assessment.
What is SAMPLE?
👉 S – Signs/Symptoms, A – Allergies, M – Meds, P – Past history, L – Last oral intake, E – Events leading up.
This suction type is used for thin secretions or in pediatric patients, with less trauma risk.
What is a soft (French) catheter?
This nasal device titrates low-flow O2 (1–6 LPM) to maintain a SpO2 of 94–99%.
What is a nasal cannula?
👉 Used for mild hypoxia or patients who don’t tolerate masks.
After assessing the head in a trauma patient, you must assess this area and apply manual stabilization.
What is the neck?
🟢 You must check for JVD and tracheal deviation and apply a C-collar.