Stick Your Neck Out
This two-part manual maneuver requires placing one hand on the patient's forehead and two fingers of the other hand under the bony part of the chin to open the airway of a non-trauma patient
What is the Head-Tilt/Chin-Lift?
This semicircular plastic device helps hold the tongue away from the posterior pharynx but is strictly indicated only for patients who have no gag reflex
What is an Oropharyngeal Airway (OPA)?
Distinguished by its reservoir bag and one-way side ports, this mask delivers the highest oxygen concentration of all available delivery devices
What is a Nonrebreather Mask?
In the standard trauma history mnemonic SAMPLE, the "A" reminds the paramedic to ask about these, which might also be identified by checking for medical alert jewelry.
What are Allergies?
Usually the first thing recorded, this is defined as the pain, discomfort, or dysfunction that caused the patient to request help.
What is the Chief Complaint?
When a patient has a suspected cervical spine injury, you should use this maneuver, which involves lifting the mandible angles without tilting the head or extending the neck
What is the Jaw-Thrust Maneuver?
Often referred to as a "nasal trumpet," this soft rubber uncuffed tube is designed to follow the curvature of the nasopharynx
What is a Nasopharyngeal Airway (NPA)?
While a nasal cannula is a low-flow device, this specific type of mask uses a system to deliver precise, controlled oxygen concentrations to the patient
What is a Venturi Mask?
When using OPQRST to assess a patient's pain, the "Q" stands for this term, which asks the patient to describe what the pain feels like (e.g., stabbing or crushing).
What is Quality?
Beyond checking for hereditary diseases, this portion of the history review involves asking about the patient's diet, living situation, and use of substances like tobacco or alcohol.
What is the Family/Social History?
It’s not just for smelling flowers; this position is achieved when a non-obese patient is placed so their ear-to-sternal notch axis is aligned to improve ventilation
What is the "Sniffing Position"?
To properly position an OPA, you insert it with the tip facing the soft palate and then perform this specific maneuver to place it beneath the tongue
What is Rotate (or turn) it 180 degrees?
To avoid over-ventilating a pediatric patient with a BVM, you should follow this rhythmic three-word cadence to maintain the proper rate
What is "Squeeze, Release, Release"?
During the Review of Body Systems (ROS), this five-letter acronym guides the paramedic to inspect the Head, Eyes, Ears, Nose, and Throat.
What is HEENT?
When conducting a Review of Body Systems (ROS) on the upper respiratory and cranial region, paramedics use the acronym HEENT, which stands for these five anatomical parts.
What are Head, Eyes, Ears, Nose, and Throat?
Because the ear-to-sternal notch axis is not horizontal in obese patients when they lie supine, you must place them in this position to properly align the airway
What is the Ramped Position?
Unlike the OPA which sits in the mouth, the NPA passes through the nose and extends from the nostril to this anatomical space located below the base of the tongue
What is the Posterior Pharynx?
Unlike CPAP, which maintains a steady pressure, this device maintains a higher level of pressure during inhalation and a lower level of pressure during exhalation
What is BiPAP (Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure)?
The expanded history mnemonic OPQRST-ASPN includes "PN," which stands for these specific findings—signs that are expected given the complaint but are notably absent.
What are Pertinent Negatives?
• OPQRST–ASPN – Onset – Provocation/Palliation – Quality – Region/Radiation – Severity – Time – Associated Symptoms – Pertinent Negatives
When forming a differential diagnosis, the paramedic uses clinical reasoning to narrow down the list of potential diagnoses from "possibilities" to these.
What are Probabilities?
While not used for rapid sequence intubation, this technique involves applying firm downward pressure to the anterolateral aspect of the cricoid cartilage to prevent gastric insufflation during BVM ventilation
What is Cricoid Pressure?
When inserting an OPA, you must ensure the tip is initially facing towards this specific "roof" structure of the mouth before you rotate the device into its final position
What is the Soft Palate?
While Positive End Expiratory Pressure (PEEP) helps keep alveoli open, high levels of it can be dangerous because it impedes left heart filling volumes, leading to a decrease in this vital metric
What is Cardiac Output?
In the CAGE questionnaire used to assess alcohol use, the "A" stands for this word, asking if people have ever made the patient feel this way by criticizing their drinking.
What is Annoyed?
• Components of the family/social history (continued): – CAGE questionnaire
▪ Cut down ▪ Annoyed ▪ Guilty ▪ Eye-opener
– Ask about blackouts, accidents, injuries that happened while drinking
Distinct from the chief complaint, which is why the patient called, this specific term refers to the underlying principal medical cause of that complaint.
What is the Primary Problem?