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EMR Unit 2
vocab words
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Blast injury | An injury caused by an explosion; may occur because of the energy released, the debris or the impact of the person falling against an object or the ground. |
| Blunt trauma | An injury in which a person is struck by or falls against a blunt object such as a steering wheel or dashboard, resulting in an injury that does not penetrate the body, may not be evident and may be more widespread and serious than suspected. |
| Chocking | The use of items such as wooden blocks placed against the wheels of a vehicle to help stabilize it. |
| Dispatch | Personnel trained in taking critical information from emergency callers and relaying it to the appropriate rescue personnel. |
| Hazardous material | Any chemical substance or material that can pose a threat or risk to health, safety and property if not properly handled or contained. |
| Hematoma | A mass of usually clotted or partially clotted blood that forms in soft tissue space or an organ as a result of ruptured blood vessels. |
| Kinematics of trauma | The science of the forces involved in traumatic events and how they damage the body. |
| Mechanism of injury | The force or energy that causes a traumatic injury (e.g., a fall, explosion, crash or attack). |
| Nature of illness | The medical condition or complaint for which the person needs care (e.g., shock, difficulty breathing), based on what the patient or others report as well as clues in the environment. |
| Penetrating injury | An injury in which a person is struck by or falls onto an object that penetrates or cuts through the skin, resulting in an open wound or wounds, the severity of which is determined by the path of the object (e.g., a bullet wound). |
| Tripod position | A position of comfort that a person may assume automatically when breathing becomes difficult; in a sitting position, the person leans slightly forward with outstretched arms, and hands resting on knees or an adjacent surface for support to aid breathing. |
| Agonal gasp | Isolated or infrequent gasping in the absence of other breathing in an unconscious person; can occur after the heart has stopped beating. |
| Airway | The pathway for air from the mouth and nose through the pharynx, larynx and trachea and into the lungs. |
| AVPU | Mnemonic describing the four levels of patient response |
| Brachial artery | The main artery of the upper arm; runs from the shoulder down to the bend of the elbow. |
| Breathing rate | Term used to describe the number of breaths per minute. |
| Capillary refill | A technique for estimating how the body is reacting to injury or illness by checking the ability of the capillaries to refill with blood. |
| Carotid artery | The major artery located on either side of the neck that supplies blood to the brain. |
| CPR breathing barrier | Devices that allow for artificial ventilations without direct mouth-to-mouth contact; includes resuscitation masks and bag-valve-mask resuscitators (BVMs). |
| Cyanotic | Showing bluish discoloration of the skin, nailbeds and mucous membranes due to insufficient levels of oxygen in the blood. |
| Glasgow Coma Scale | A measure of level of consciousness (LOC) based on eye opening, verbal response and motor response. |
| Hypoxic | Having below-normal concentrations of oxygen in the organs and tissues of the body. |
| Level of consciousness | A person’s state of awareness, ranging from being fully alert to unconscious; also referred to as mental status. |
| Minute volume | The amount of air breathed in a minute; calculated by multiplying the volume of air inhaled at each breath (in mL) by the number of breaths per minute. |
| Perfusion | The circulation of blood through the body or through a particular body part for the purpose of exchanging oxygen and nutrients with carbon dioxide and other wastes. |
| Primary assessment | A check for conditions that are an immediate threat to a patient’s life. |
| Pulse | The beat felt from each rhythmic contraction of the heart. |
| Respiratory arrest | A condition in which there is an absence of breathing. |
| Respiratory distress | A condition in which a person is having difficulty breathing or requires extra effort to breathe. |
| Signs | Term used to describe any observable evidence of injury or illness, such as bleeding or unusual skin color. |
| Signs of life | A term sometimes used to describe breathing and a pulse in an unresponsive patient. |
| Stoma | A surgical opening in the body; a stoma may be created in the neck following surgery on the trachea to allow the patient to breathe. |
| Symptoms | What the patient reports experiencing, such as pain, nausea, headache or shortness of breath. |
| Vital signs | Important information about the patient’s condition obtained by checking respiratory rate, pulse and blood pressure. |
| Auscultation | Listening to sounds within the body, typically through a stethoscope. |
| Blood pressure | The force exerted by blood against the blood vessel walls as it travels throughout the body. |
| Chief complaint | A brief description, usually in the patient’s own words, of why emergency medical services (EMS) personnel were called to the scene. |
| DCAP-BTLS | A mnemonic to help remember the components of a rapid trauma assessment; the initials stand for deformities, contusions, abrasions, punctures |
| Detailed physical exam | An in-depth head-to-toe physical exam; takes more time than the rapid assessment and is only done when time and the patient’s condition allow. |
| Diastolic blood pressure | The force exerted against the arteries when the heart is between contractions, or at rest. |
| DOTS | A mnemonic to help remember what to look for during the physical exam; the initials stand for deformities, open injuries, tenderness and swelling. |
| Focused medical assessment | A physical exam on a medical patient, focused only on the area of the chief complaint, e.g., the chest in a patient complaining of chest pain. |
| Focused trauma assessment | A physical exam on a trauma patient, focused only on an isolated area with a known injury such as a hand with an obvious laceration. |
| Ongoing assessment | The process of repeating the primary assessment and physical exam while continually monitoring the patient; performed while awaiting the arrival of more highly trained personnel or while transporting the patient. |
| OPQRST | Mnemonic to help remember the questions used to gain information about pain; the initials stand for onset, provoke, quality, region |
| Palpation | Examination performed by feeling part of the body, especially feeling for a pulse. |
| Physical exam | Exam performed after the primary assessment; used to gather additional information and identify signs and symptoms of injury and illness. |
| Pulse oximetry | A test to measure the percentage of oxygen saturation in the blood using a pulse oximeter. |
| Rapid medical assessment | A term describing a quick, head-to-toe exam of a medical patient. |
| Rapid trauma assessment | A term describing a quick, head-to-toe exam of a trauma patient. |
| Respiratory rate | The number of breaths per minute; normal rates vary by age and other factors. |
| SAMPLE history | A way to gather important information about the patient, using the mnemonic SAMPLE; the initials stand for signs and symptoms, allergies, medications, pertinent past medical history, last oral intake and events leading up to the incident. |
| Secondary assessment | A head-to-toe physical exam as well as the focused history; completed following the primary assessment and management of any life-threatening conditions. |
| Sphygmomanometer | A device for measuring BP; also called a BP cuff. |
| Stethoscope | A device for listening, especially to the lungs, heart and abdomen; may be used together with a BP cuff to measure BP. |
| Systolic blood pressure | The force exerted against the arteries when the heart is contracting. |
| Vial of Life | A community service program that provides emergency medical services (EMS) personnel and other responders with vital health and medical information when a person, who suffers a medical emergency at home, is unable to speak |
| Communications center | The point of contact between the public and responders (also known as a 9-1-1 call center or Public Service Answering Point, or [PSAP]) |
| Echo method | A communication technique in which the listener repeats orders word for word to ensure the message was heard and understood accurately. |
| Medical control | Direction given to emergency medical responders (EMRs) by a physician when EMRs are providing care at the scene of an emergency or are en route to the receiving facility |
| Minimum data set | A standardized set of details about patients; this information is included in the prehospital care report (PCR). |
| Patient narrative | A section on the prehospital care report where the assessment and care provided to the patient are described. |
| Prehospital care report | A document filled out for all emergency calls; used to keep medical personnel informed so they can provide appropriate continuity of care; also serves as a record for legal and billing purposes; may be written or electronic |
| Run data | A section on the PCR where information about the incident is documented. |
Created by:
mkliewer
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