Tag: patient assessment
- History Taking ()
Collect The Right Information The best source of information about the patient is the patient. The patient knows what hurts and how bad. Just ask. In lieu of the patient, ask the family. Rarely does EMS experience patients who are completely alone. EMS is responsible for collecting the following information on all patients encountered: Correct […]
- Patient History For The Frequent Flier ()
SAMPLE History The focused history and physical exam answers the question, “why am I here?” When the EMS crew is confronted with a patient who has a medical problem but there is no mechanism of injury, the medics have to figure out the complaint and formulate a differential diagnosis. A differential diagnosis is a temporary […]
- Managing The Patient History ()
The Basics The interview is always the same and follows a set pattern of questions. Questions that occur to the ambulance crew after this conversation would be referred to as a follow up question. Subjective – This is the patient’s chief complaint as defined in terms of onset, provocation, quality, radiation, severity, and time. The […]
- Setting The Stage For Obtaining A Patient History ()
Setting The Stage The patient doesn’t have the privilege of checking out the ambulance crew on the internet before they arrive. They are stuck with who they get (the same can be said for medics). Given the realities of responding to incidents, the patient may have had to wait a considerable time. Despite the fact […]
- Assisting Ventilation ()
The Patient Imagine if you will a patient with difficulty breathing is laying on the stretcher in the back of the ambulance. Their shortness of breath is turning into an inability to speak and the patient has a scared look in their eyes that tells you that they need serious help. The medics can see […]
- Problems With Ambient Air ()
Problems with ambient air can cause a patient to inexplicably experience shortness of breath. Imagine a situation where a patient is struggling to breathe but there is no history of medical problems. Perhaps the patient’s problem is the ambient air. Various situations that affect ambient air can result in hypoxia: Enclosed Spaces – Carbon dioxide […]
- A Complete Guide To Pulse Oximetry ()
At georgiaemsacademy, we teach that patients who are not alert may need positive pressure ventilation and that patients with rapid respiratory rate or demonstrated work of breathing need oxygen via non rebreather mask. It’s easy to keep things that simple if you are primarily looking at ventilation as all one has to do is count […]
- Signs of Inadequate Ventilation ()
If we’ve said it once, we have said it a million times. People that need to be ventilated (with a bag valve mask) are, for the most part UNCONSCIOUS, or minimally not alert. The vast majority of time, a person who is just having shortness of breath will not let you bag them (try as […]
- Simple Extrication ()
First, make sure the car is in park When approaching a vehicle that has been in a motor vehicle collision, the medics should make sure the vehicle is in ‘park’ or in gear with the parking brake deployed. Turning off the ignition is another move that can make the accident safer. If the tires are […]
- Vehicle Extrication ()
The goal is to get the patient out of the car One of the most common EMS calls are motor vehicle collisions (MVC). The patient could be seriously injured or just not. The patient may be able to get out of their car and walk around or not. If the patient is able to get […]