Is This Scene Trying to Kill Me?
This assessment begins as you approach the scene in the ambulance.
What is scene size-up?
This type of trauma occurs when an object strikes the body but does not penetrate tissue.
What is blunt-force trauma?
Snoring respirations are a good indication of this airway problem.
What is a partially occluded airway?
This observation is the EMT’s overall first impression of the patient and situation.
What is the general impression?
When the heart contracts and forces blood into the arteries, this pressure is created.
What is systolic blood pressure?
At a vehicle collision with no obvious hazards, this distance should be used as the danger zone in all directions.
What is 50 feet?
This is another term for trauma.
What is injury?
A patient sitting upright, leaning forward, and supporting themselves with their arms is showing signs of this condition.
What is respiratory distress?
This patient statement usually explains why EMS was called.
What is the chief complaint?
Normal pediatric capillary refill should be this long.
What is less than 2 seconds?
An unusual lack of activity at an emergency scene may be a warning sign of this risk.
What is impending violence?
This type of trauma occurs when an object passes through the skin or body tissue.
What is penetrating trauma?
For an unresponsive cyanotic patient making poor respiratory effort, this should be done first.
What is open the airway using a manual maneuver?
In the primary assessment, blood pressure is not an acceptable method for assessing this status.
What is circulatory status?
Dilated pupils are this compared with normal pupils.
What are larger than normal?
At a tanker crash with the odor of diesel fuel, these should be used instead of flares to warn traffic.
What are reflective triangles?
When assessing a stabbing, this information about the weapon is most important to obtain first.
What is the size and type of knife?
An oxygen saturation of 97 percent is considered this.
What is normal?
For an unresponsive patient on the floor, this is the best way to rule trauma in or out if witnesses are available.
What is ask bystanders if they witnessed the incident?
A stable patient should have vital signs reassessed at least every this many minutes.
What is 15 minutes?
When a family member threatens EMS during patient care, this is the safest first action.
What is leave the scene and notify police?
In a gunshot wound, EMTs should remember that bullets cause injury in this way.
What is damage in more than one way?
A middle-aged patient clutching his chest should make you suspect this type of problem.
What is cardiac?
If a patient becomes unresponsive during a detailed physical exam, the EMT should do this next.
What is repeat the primary assessment?
If a monitor shows a blood pressure much higher than the scene reading during transport on a bumpy road, the EMT should do this.
What is re-measure the blood pressure manually?