Written by students who passed Immediately available after payment Read online or as PDF Wrong document? Swap it for free 4.6 TrustPilot
logo-home
Exam (elaborations)

NURSE-UN 001 STUDY GUIDE FOR EMT Final Exam Review_Melissa Perkowski,100% CORRECT

Rating
-
Sold
-
Pages
61
Grade
A+
Uploaded on
19-12-2022
Written in
2022/2023

NURSE-UN 001 STUDY GUIDE FOR EMT Final Exam Review_Melissa Perkowski 1. Review types of consent (implied, expressed, etc) o Consent is generally required from every conscious adult before care can be started. The foundation of consent is decision-making capacity. o Implied consent legal assumption that treatment was desired. ▪ Applies to patients who are unconscious or are otherwise incapable of making a rational, informed decision about care. It applies only when a serious medical condition exists and should never be used unless there is a threat to life or limb. ▪ The principle of implied consent is known as the emergency doctrine. ▪ Sometimes what represents a “serious threat” is unclear, and it may become a legal question. o Expressed consent patient gives express authorization for provision of care or transport. The patient acknowledges he or she wants you to provide care or transport. ▪ To be valid, the patient must provide informed consent, which means you have explained the treatment being offered, along with the potential risks, benefits, and alternatives, as well as the potential consequences of refusing treatment. Informed consent is valid if given orally. Always document when a patient provides informed consent, or have someone witness the patient’s consent. o Involuntary consent Applies to patients who are mentally ill, in a behavioral (psychological) crisis, are developmentally delayed. ▪ You should obtain consent from the guardian or conservator; however, it is not always possible to obtain such consent, so understand your local provisions (sometimes need a law enforcement authority to be present to take person to medical facility) 2. Review what your actions should be if you come across an MVC as an EMT on duty and off duty o If you are off duty and come upon a crash, you are not legally obligated to stop and assist patients. 3. Recall the functions of the National Registry, AHA, DOT, Trauma centers, Local EMS offices, State EMS offices o National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) is a nongovernmental agency that provides national standardized EMS testing and certification in much of the United States. May states use the National Registry standards in certifying their EMTs and grant licensing reciprocity to NREMT-certified EMTs ▪ EMS is regulated ENTIRELY by the state in which you are licensed o American Heart Association (AHA) Every 3 to 5 years, the AHA unveils a revised set of guidelines based on large amounts of evidence and serves as a standard for basic life support (BLS) and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). o Department of Transportation (DOT) DOT published the first EMT training curriculum in the early 1970s. In the late 1970s, the DOT developed a recommended National Standard Curriculum. o Trauma Centers Trauma centers are categorized as either adult trauma centers or pediatric trauma centers, but not necessarily both. The goal of a trauma system is to get the right patient to the right facility in the right amount of time. ▪ Trauma patients with shock, or a suspicious MOI, generally should go to a trauma center. ▪ Trauma centers are classified from levels I III, with level I being able to handle every trauma. o Local EMS offices At the local level, each EMS service operates in a designated PSA in which it’s responsible for the provision of prehospital emergency care and the transportation of the sick and injured to the hospital. The medical director decides day-to-day limits of EMS personnel. Examples include the medications that will be carried on an ambulance or where patients are transported. o State office of EMS is the standards for prehospital emergency care and the individuals who provide it are typically regulated by the state office of EMS ▪ EMT training in nearly every state meets or exceeds the guidelines recommended by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) 4. Review types of medical direction, and know situations that would dictate the use of each type o Medical direction a physician medical director authorizes EMTs to provide medical care in the field. Appropriate care is described in standing orders and protocols. ▪ Medical control can be off-line or online. Off-line (indirect) - Standing orders, training, supervision Online (direct) - Physician directions given over the phone or radio 5. Review the components of an EMS system o There are 14 components of the EMS system o The EMS Agenda for the Future outlines 14 components of an EMS system ▪ Public access easy access to help in an emergency is essential. The 9-1-1 system is the public safety access point. At the communication center, trained dispatchers obtain information and dispatch the ambulance crew and other equipment and responders. An emergency medical dispatch (EMD) system has been developed to assist dispatchers in providing callers with vital medical instructions until EMS arrival. ▪ Communication systems From caller information, the dispatcher selects the appropriate parts of the emergency system to activate. EMS may be: part of the fire department, part of the police department, Independent (either public or private). New technology helps responders locate their patients for example cellular telephones linked to global positioning system (GPS) units. ▪ Clinical care Describes the pieces of equipment, scope of practice for using that equipment and familiarizes EMTs with their primary service area (PSA), or main area in which an agency operates. Overall, it familiarizes EMTs with ambulance controls. ▪ Human resources Focuses on the people who deliver the care such as their compensation, interaction with other members of medical community and well-being. Efforts are underway to allow EMS providers to move from state to state more seamlessly. The EMS Agenda for the Future encourages the creation of systems to help protect the well-being of EMS providers, including building career ladders. ▪ Medical direction Physician medical director authorizes EMTs to provide medical care in the field. Appropriate care is described in standing orders and protocols. ▪ Legislation and regulation Although each EMS system, medical direction, and training program has latitude, its training, protocols, and practice must follow state legislation, rules, regulations, and guidelines. A senior EMS official is usually in charge of necessary administrative tasks such as scheduling, personnel, budgets, purchasing, and vehicle maintenance, and the daily operations of ambulances and crews. ▪ Integration of health services Prehospital care by the EMT is coordinated with care administered by the receiving hospital. Care simply continues in the hospital emergency department. This ensures that the patient receives comprehensive continuity of care. ▪ Evaluation The medical director maintains quality control. CQI reviews and performs audits of the EMS system to identify areas of improvement and/or assign remedial training. Information and skills in emergency medical care change constantly. Refresher training and continuing education are important. Minimizing errors is the goal. ▪ Information systems Systems are used to document the care provided. Once stored electronically, the information can be used to improve care. For example, stored information can help determine: Average on-scene time for trauma patients, Need for educational sessions, National trends ▪ System finance Finance systems vary depending on which organization is involved. Personnel may be paid, volunteer, or a mix. EMTs may be involved in gathering insurance information, attending fund- raisers, or other activities that will help the department secure its finances. ▪ Education systems EMS instructors are licensed in most states. ALS training is usually provided in college, adult career center, or hospital settings. Continuing education is needed to update knowledge and refresh skills. ▪ Prevention and public education Prevention and public education are aspects of EMS where the focus is on public health. Public health examines the health needs of entire populations with the goal of preventing health problems. 6. Recall the following terms and know the importance in the prehospital setting Negligence, Abandonment, CQI, PCR, EMS administrator, Medical Director, DNR, living will. o Negligence Failure to provide standard of care ▪ It’s based on the following four factors: duty, breach of duty, damages, and causation. All four elements must be present for the legal doctrine of negligence to apply and for a plaintiff to prevail in a lawsuit against an EMS service or provider. o Abandonment Unilateral termination of care. It’s termination of care without the patient’s consent and without making provisions for the transfer of care to a medical professional with skills at the same level or at a higher level than your own skills. Abandonment is legally and ethically a very serious act. o Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) A system of internal reviews and audits of the EMS system to identify areas of improvement and/or assign remedial training. Positive feedback is also discussed. If a problem appears to be repeated by a single EMT or crew, the medical director will discuss the details with the individual involved. o Patient care report aka Prehospital Care Report (PCR) is a legal document It records all care from dispatch to hospital arrival. It serves six functions: continuity of care, legal documentation, education, administrative information, essential research record, evaluation and continuous quality improvement o EMS Administrator sees to the daily operations and overall direction of the service or company. o Medical Director sees to the daily operations and overall direction of the service or company. The medical director maintains quality control at the LOCAL level. o Do-not-resuscitate (DNR) an order not to administer CPR in the event of cardiac or respiratory arrest. “Do not resuscitate” does not mean “do not treat.” Even in the presence of a DNR order, you are still obligated to provide supportive measures (oxygen, pain relief, and comfort) to a patient who is not in cardiac arrest, whenever possible. o Living will aka Health care directive aka advance directive - a legal document stating a person's wishes regarding life- prolonging medical treatments. It take effect only when a patient is no longer able to make or communicate healthcare decisions for him- or her- self. ▪ As long as a patient is still able to make and express decisions, the existence (or lack) of an advance directive is irrelevant. Regardless of the contents of any existing advance directive, healthcare providers must honor the direct instructions of a competent patient. 7. “I am a communicable disease.” “How can I get to you today.” o communicable disease is any disease that can be spread from one person or species to another. o Infection risk can be minimized by: immunizations, protective techniques, hand washing ▪ When these protective measures are used, the risk of the health care provider contracting a serious disease is negligible. o Transmission is the way an infections disease is spread. It may be through: ▪ Direct contact (eg, blood) ▪ Indirect contact (eg, needlesticks) ▪ Airborne transmission (eg, sneezing) ▪ Foodborne transmission (eg, contaminated food) ▪ Vector-borne transmission (eg, fleas) 8. Review base stations, repeaters, multiplex, mobile radios, simplex, duplex o Base Station - A base station is any radio hardware containing a transmitter and receiver that is located in a fixed place. It is a two-way radio consists of transmitter and receiver. o Repeater –is a special base station radio. Receives messages and signals on one frequency. Automatically retransmits them on a second frequency. Provides outstanding EMS communications o Multiplex- A system that has the capability of transmitting two signals, usually voice and ECG, on the same frequency. This allows a paramedic to transmit ECG telemetry to a hospital while continuing to talk with the on-line medical control physician. o Mobile Radio – is installed in a vehicle. They are used in the ambulance to communicate with: the dispatcher and medical control ▪ An ambulance often has more than one mobile radio. Portable radios are hand-held devices. ▪ Portable radios are essential at the scene of an MCI. ▪ When away from the ambulance, a portable radio is helpful to communicate with: Dispatch, Another unit and Medical control o Simplex – is a Two-way radio hardware may operate in simplex mode. Simplex is push to talk, release to listen. A communication system that uses radios that transmits and receives on the same frequency. This means that only one radio in the system can transmit at a time. o Duplex – is a Two-way radio hardware may operate in duplex mode. Duplex is simultaneous talk-listen. A communication system that uses radios that transmits and receives on different frequencies. The paired receive and transmit frequencies in a system that is referred to as a channel. Radios can transmit and receive simultaneously, allowing communications to take place as if they were going over a telephone line. 9. Know the functions of the following glands: Thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal, pituitary o Thyroid Regulates metabolism. Person who has their thyroid removed will have decreased tolerance of hot and cold. ▪ Located in neck (over the larynx). ▪ Hormones Produced: Thyroxine and others. o Parathyroid Regulates serum calcium. ▪ Located on the neck (behind and besides the thyroid). Has a total of 3-5 glands. ▪ Hormones Produced: Parathyroid Hormones. o Adrenal Gland Regulates stress response, fight-or-flight response. ▪ Located above the kidneys. ▪ Hormones Produced: Epinephrine, norepinephrine, and others o Pituitary Gland Regulates all other endocrine glands. ▪ located at the base of skull. ▪ Hormones Produced: a few hormones that control other endocrine glands. 10. Review the abdominal quadrants and know the organs that are situated in each. o The abdomen is divided into quadrants for communication purposes. o Organs commonly found ▪ Right Upper Qudrant (RUQ): Liver, Gallbladder, duodenum of intestines, smaller portion of pancreas ▪ Left Upper Quadrant (LUQ): Stomach, Spleen ▪ Right Lower Quadrant (RLQ): Large and small intestines, ascending colon and the right half of the transverse colon, appendix ▪ Left Lower Quadrant (LLQ): descending colon, left half of the transverse colon 11. “Hello my name is skin” “do you know my layers”? o The skin has two principal layers: ▪ Epidermis tough, external layer that forms a watertight covering for the body. It’s composed of several layers ▪ Dermis the inner layer of the skin. It contains the hair follicles, sweat glands, and sebaceous glands. Blood vessels in the dermis provide the skin with nutrients and oxygen 12. Know the proper positioning of patients and know the situations that would dictate the use of each. Eg. Fowlers, semi-fowlers, trendelenburg, shock, supine, prone, recovery o Fowler’s sitting up with the knees bent greater than 45 degrees, helps them breathe better and control the airway. o Semi-Fowler’s sitting up = less than 45 degrees. The position of a patient who is lying in bed in a supine position with the head of the bed at approximately 45 degrees. o Trendelenburg patients are in a supine position on an incline with their feet higher than their head to keep blood in the core of their body. Their FEET are 6 to 12 inches higher than their HEAD. o Shock position (modified Trendelenburg position)- the patients head and torso are supine, and the lower extremities are elevated 6 to 12 inches higher than the head to help increase blood flow to the brain o Supine body is facing up o Prone body is facing down o Recovery Position on left side. A patient should be placed in the recovery position when he or she is unconscious, uninjured, and breathing adequately. 13. Review following terms Cerebrum, cerebellum, brain stem, diencephalon, frontal, parietal, temporal, occipital lobes o The cerebrum is the largest part. ▪ Located above the cerebellum, is divided into right and left hemispheres. ▪ Each controls activities on the opposite side of the body. o The cerebellum controls muscle and body coordination. ▪ Walking, writing, picking up a coin, playing the piano ▪ Sometimes called the "little brain" o The brain stem controls the most basic functions. ▪ Breathing, blood pressure, swallowing, pupil constriction o Diencephalon controls pain and temperature. ▪ consists almost all of gray matter ▪ located between the midbrain and the cerebrum ▪ consists of the thalamus (sensation and emotion), hypothalamus, optic chiasm, and pineal body ▪ Sometimes called the “interbrain” o Frontal Lobe front of the cerebrum, controls emotion and thought. o Parietal Lobe middle part of the cerebrum, controls touch and movement. o Occipital Lobeback part of the cerebrum, processes sight. 14. Do you know the differences and parts of the central and peripheral nervous systems? o The nervous system is divided into two parts ▪ Central Nervous System (CNS) consists of the brain and the spinal cord is covered and protected by 3 layers of tissue called meninges: dura mater, arachnoid, pia mater ▪ Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) Long nerve cells that link these cells to the body's various organs through openings in the spinal column The peripheral nervous system has two anatomic parts: o 31 pairs of Spinal Nerves: Conduct impulses from the skin and other organs to the spinal cord. Conduct motor impulses from the spinal cord to the muscles. The spinal nerves serving the extremities are arranged in complex networks. o 12 pairs of Cranial Nerves: Transmit information directly to or from the brain. Perform special functions in the head and face, including sight, smell, taste, hearing, and facial expressions There are two major types of peripheral nerves. o Sensory nerves: Carry only one type of information from the body to the brain via the spinal cord. o Motor nerves: One for each muscle. Carry information from the CNS to the muscles. The connecting nerves are found only in the brain and spinal cord. Connect the sensory and motor nerves with short fibers Allow the exchange of simple messages 15. How do check Perfusion, Motor and Sensory in a patients with suspected extremity fractures o Examination of the injured limb should include the 6 P’s of musculoskeletal assessment: ▪ PAIN, PARALYSIS, PARESTHESIA (numbness or tingling), PULSELESSNESS, PALLOR (pale or delayed capillary refill in children), PRESSURE 16. Recall the following terms and know their function Erythrocytes, leukocytes, thrombocytes, monocytes o Erythrocytes Red blood cells that contain hemoglobin which gives blood its color. Hemoglobin carries oxygen. o Leukocytes White blood cells that play a role in the body’s immune defense to fight infection. o Thrombocytes platelets those are essential in the initial formation of a blood clot. o Monocytes a type of white blood cell that attack bacteria or viruses. 17. Know the following terms and what they represent physiologically Systole, diastole, stroke volume, cardiac output Systolic high point of wave as heart is contracting, the left ventricle of heart contracts, it pumps blood from ventricle into aorta. Indicates heart pumping effectiveness, and blood available to the heart o Diastolic low point of wave as ventricle relaxes; therefore the ventricle fills with blood. Indicates adequacy of the amount of blood vessel contraction (arterial), and amount of blood within blood vessels. o Stroke volume (SV) is the amount of blood moved by one beat. o Cardiac output (CO) is the amount of blood moved in 1 minute. ▪ CO can be expressed by Cardiac output (CO) = heart rate (HR) × stroke volume (SV) 18. Review and know the difference between pulmonary and systemic circulation. o Two circuits in the body: systemic circulation and pulmonary circulation ▪ Systemic circulation—body Carries oxygen-rich blood from the left ventricle through the body and back to the right atrium. The portion of the circulatory system outside of the heart and lungs. ▪ Pulmonary circulation—lungs Carries oxygen-poor blood from the right ventricle through the lungs and back to the left atrium. The flow of blood from the right ventricle through the pulmonary arteries and all of their branches and capillaries in the lungs and back to the left atrium through the venules and pulmonary veins; also called the lesser circulation. 19. Know the major arterial and venous vessels o Arteries Arteries carry blood from the heart to all body tissues ▪ Major Arteries: Aorta Principal artery leaving the left side of the heart and carrying freshly oxygenated blood to the body. Divides at the level of the umbilicus into the iliac arteries Pulmonary Artery originating at the right ventricle. Carries oxygen-poor blood to the lungs Carotid Major artery of the neck. Supplies the head and brain with blood. Palpation site for pulse on either side of the neck Femoral The major artery of the thigh. Supplies the lower extremities with blood. Palpation site for pulse in the groin area (the crease between the abdomen and thigh) Posterior tibial Palpation site for pulse on the posterior surface of the medial lleolus Dorsalis pedis Palpation site for pulse on the anterior surface of the foot Brachial Major artery of the upper extremity. Supplies blood to the arm. Palpation site for pulse on the inside of the arm between the elbow and the shoulder. Used when determining blood pressure (BP) with a BP cuff and a stethoscope Radial Major artery of the lower arm. Palpation site for pulse at the thumb side of the wrist. o Veins Return oxygen-depleted blood to the heart ▪ Major Vein: Vena cava Superior vena cava carries blood returning from the head, neck, shoulders, and upper extremities. Inferior vena cava carries blood from the abdomen, pelvis, and lower extremities. **These two veins join at the right atrium. 20. Know what is considered significant blood loss in an adult and child patient. Know percentages as well as liters. o The body will not tolerate an acute blood loss of greater than 20% of blood volume. The typical adult had approximately 70 mL of blood per kilogram of body weight, or 6L (10 to 12 pints) in a body weighing 80 kg (175 lbs). o IN ADULT ▪ If the typical adult loses more than 1 L of blood (about 2 pints), significant changes in vital signs will occur, including increasing heart & respiratory rates and decreasing blood pressure. Because infants & children have less blood volume to begin with, the same effect is seen with smaller amounts of blood loss. o IN A CHILD ▪ For example, a 1 year old has a total blood volume of about 800 mL. Significant symptoms of blood loss will occur after only 100 to 200 mL of blood loss. To put this in perspective, a soft drink can holds roughly 355 mL of liquid. o A healthy adult can comfortably donate 1 unit (500 mL) of blood during a period of 15 to 20 minutes and adapts well to this decrease in blood volume. 21. Know examples and locations of central versus peripheral pulses o Central Pulse examples are femoral and carotid pulses o Peripheral Pulse examples are Radial, Brachial, posterior tibial, and dorsalis pedis pulses 22. Review the following terms Heart Rate, Stroke volume, Cardiac Output, Minute Volume o Heart Rate number of heart beats per minute ▪ Normal Pulse rates include Adult and adolescent: 60 to 100 beats/min Child: 70 to 140 beats/min Toddler: 90 to 150 beats/min Infant: 100 to 160 beats/min o Stroke volume (SV) is the amount of blood moved by one beat. o Cardiac output (CO) is the amount of blood moved in 1 minute. ▪ CO can be expressed by CO = HR × SV o Minute Volume aka minute ventilation is the amount of air that moves in and out of the lungs in 1 minute minus the dead space. ▪ Minute Volume =Respiratory Rate (RR) x Tidal Volume (TV) 23. Review the following terms and know what they are associated with. SA node, AV node, Bundle of His, Purkinje fibers. o SA Node is the heart’s main pacemaker, which is located in the wall of the right atrium, where it meets the superior vena cava. ▪ There are three intermodal pathways that transmit the pacing impulse form the SA node to the AV node o AV node transmits the impulse from the atria to the ventricles o Bundle of His starts at the AV node and then splits into the right and left bundle branches ▪ the right and left bundle branches, which travel through the interventricular septum and lead to the purkinje fibers in the ventricular walls Purkinje Fibers electrical conduction travels to the ventricles, causing the cardiac muscle of the ventricles to contract at a paced interval. 24. Know the phases of General adaptation syndrome o General Adaption Syndrome - Body's three-stage response to stress. ▪ Alarm response to stress ▪ Reaction/Resistance to stress ▪ Recovery—or if the stress is prolonged then exhaustion. 25. Review the following terms Acute stress, Cumulative stress, CISD, CISM, PTSD. o Acute Stress Reaction – occur during a stressful situation. The EMT feels nervous, excited, and his or her ability to focus increases. This can be very helpful in managing a crisis situation. But if the stress of the situation becomes too great, the EMT is at risk of being caught up in emotional and physical reactions to stress. o Cumulative stress – exposure to prolonged or excessive stress o Critical incident stress management (CISM) a theoretical process that confronts the responses to critical incidents and defuses them, directing the emergency services personnel toward physical and emotional equilibrium. ▪ was developed to address acute stress situations and potentially decrease the likelihood that PTSD will develop after such an incident. o Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD) the CISM can be held formally as debriefing sessions are held within 24 to 72 hours of a major incident. o Post Traumatic Stress (PTSD) Characterized by reexperiencing the event and over responding to the stimuli that recall the event . Some of the symptoms include depression, startle reactions, flashback phenomena, and dissociative episodes (e.g. is amnesia of the event). 26. Hey, do you know Kubler Ross? He developed something really cool. Please know its components o In 1969, DR. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross published research revealing people go through several stages of grieving. They are as follows: ▪ Denial refusal to accept diagnosis or care, unrealistic demands for miracles, or persistent failure to understand hwy there is no improvement. ▪ Anger, hostility projection of bad news onto the environment and commonly in all directions, at times almost at random. The person lashes out, someone must be blamed, and those who are responsible must be punished. This is usually the ugly phase, and may even be inappropriately directed toward the EMT. ▪ Bargaining an attempt to secure a prize for good behavior or promise to change lifestyle. “I promise to be a “perfect patient” only if I can live under “x event. ▪ Depression internalized anger, hopelessness, and the desire to die. It rarely involves suicidal threats, complete withdrawal, or giving up long before the illness seems terminal. The patient is usually silent. ▪ Acceptance Acceptance of impending death by the patient, or the acceptance of the death of a loved one. o The stages may follow one another, occur simultaneously or a person may jump back and forth between stages. 27. Review the hypoxic drive Hypoxic drive is the backup system that controls breathing. It is less sensitive and less powerful than the carbon dioxide sensors in the brain stem. It senses drops in the oxygen level in the blood and then the body uses this drive. 28. Know the difference between respiration and ventilation o Respiration – is the process of breathing, it is the actual exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the alveoli and in tissues of the body. ▪ The medulla keeps us breathing so we do not have to think about it. It initiates the ventilation cycles, stimulated by high carbon dioxide levels. Medulla has two main portions: Dorsal respiratory group (DRG) which initiates inspiration and sets pattern for respirations Ventral respiratory group (VRG) which provides for forced inspiration or expiration as needed. o Ventilation – is simple movement of air into and out of the lungs. You provide ventilation when you administer oxygen. It is the process of inhalation and exhalation, it is a physical act. 29. Know the MAJOR differences between child and adult anatomy o Pediatric airway is smaller in diameter and shorter in length. i. Breath sounds are more easily heard because of their thinner chest walls. o Occiput is larger and rounder, which requires more careful positioning of the airway. o Tongue is larger relative to the size of the mouth and in a more anterior location in the mouth. Child’s tongue can easily block the airway. o Open growth plates allow bones to grow during childhood. As a result of open growth plates, children’s bones are softer and more flexible, making them prone to stress fracture o The thoracic cage in children is highly elastic and pliable because it is primarily composed of cartilaginous connective tissue. The ribs and vital organs are less protected by muscle and fat. 30. Review the difference between Osmosis and Diffusion o Osmosis is the diffusion of water across a semi-permeable membrane from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration o Diffusion is a passive process in which molecules move from an area with a higher concentration of molecules to an area of lower concentration. ▪ *no semi-permeable membrane is involved o Diffusion is the dilution of solutes and osmosis is the movement of fluids. 31. Be able to describe the process of Inhalation and Exhalation. Think active vs passive process, position of diaphragm, status of intercostals muscles and pressure differences. o Inhalation is an active process in which the diaphragm and intercostal muscles contract and moving the ribs up and out enlarging the chest cavity, decreasing the pressure in the lungs. This causes air to flow into the lungs. o Exhalation is a passive process, in which the diaphragm and intercostal muscles relax, (no muscular effort) decreasing the chest cavity, increasing the pressure in the lungs. The air flows out of the lungs. 32. Review solid versus hollow organs o Hollow Organs ureters, bladder, stomach, intestines, fallopian tubes, small intestines, large intestines, gallbladder ▪ Injury: spill contents into the abdomen, blunt and penetrating trauma can cause hollow organ injuries o Solid Organ liver, spleen, pancreas, ovary, adrenal gland, kidneys, great vessels, abdominal aorta, IVC ▪ Injury: can bleed significantly and cause rapid blood loss, liver is very vascular and the largest organ in the abdomen and often injured first by a fractured lower right rib or penetrating trauma, look out for Kehr sign to suspect liver damage 33. Know the respiratory structures in ascending and descending order o Upper Airway: nose, mouth, tongue, jaw, oral cavity, pharynx, (nasopharynx, pharynx, oropharynx), epiglottis o Lower Airway: Larynx, trachea, bronchi, brochioles, alveoli 34. Know the following terms Thyroid cartilage, Cricoid cartilage, uvula, pharynx o Thyroid Cartilage A firm prominence of cartilage that forms the upper part of the larynx; the Adam's apple. Easily seen in the middle of the front of the neck; the anterior part of the larynx. o Cricoid Cartilage A firm ridge of cartilage that forms the lower part of the larynx; immediately below the thyroid cartilage. The location for using the Sellick maneuver to help in maintaining a proper airway. o Uvula Small flesh mass that hangs from the center of the soft plate, conical in shape. o Pharynx Composed of the nasopharynx, oropharynx, and the laryngopharynx. Food and liquids enter the pharynx & pass into the esophagus, which carries them to the stomach. Air and other gases enter the trachea and go to the lungs. ▪ Two passages are located at the bottom of the pharynx: Esophagus behind Trachea (windpipe) in front 35. Know the types of muscles and examples of where each can be found o 3 types of muscles ▪ Skeletal a muscle that is connected at either or both ends to a bone and so move parts of the skeleton, form the major muscle mass of the body. It is voluntary. Also called a striated muscle. ▪ Cardiac muscle tissue of the heart ▪ Smooth a muscle that contracts without conscious control and found in walls of internal organs such as stomach and intestine and bladder and blood vessels (excluding the heart). It constitutes the bulk of the GI tract and is present in nearly every organ to regulate autonomic activity. 36. What is the difference between voluntary and involuntary muscles? o Voluntary Muscles it is under direct voluntary control of the brain. It connects to the bones of the skeletal system o Involuntary Muscles The muscle over which a person has no conscious control. It is found in many automatic regulating systems of the body. ▪ Includes smooth muscles ad cardiac muscles 37. Hey remember that leaf-shaped respiratory airway structure? I hope you do. o Epiglottis protects the opening of the trachea. It is a hin, lead-shaped valve that allows air to pass into the trachea but prevents food and liquid from entering the trachea 38. I am a spinal column do you know my section? Spinal cord has 33 bones called vertebrae o Cervical: 7 *Most prominent vertebrae is C7* o Thoracic: 12 o Lumbar: 5 o Sacral: 5 o Coccyx: 4 (fused) 39. How do you assess and treat patients with joint injuries o Focus on determining whether the patient has a pulse, has adequate perfusion, or is bleeding. Hypoperfusion and bleeding problems will most likely be your primary concern. o Steps ▪ gently support the limb at the site of injury (to prevent excessive movement) ▪ place the rigid splint under or alongside the limb ▪ place padding between the limb and the splint to make sure there is even pressure and even contact, ▪ apply bindings to hold the splint securely to the limb ▪ check and record the distal nervous and circulatory (neurovascular) function 40. Know all about Nitroglycerin also know the important questions to ask you patient and what action you should take after administering this drug. important question o Nitroglycerin medication that helps relieve the pain of angina (chest pain). Administered sublingually/ The purpose is to increase blood flow to relieve the spasms or causing the arteries to dilate. It does this by replacing the muscular walls of the coronary arteries and veins. Nitroglycerin also relaxes veins throughout the body, so less blood is returned to the heart and the heart does not have to work as hard each time it contacts. In short, BP is decreased. ▪ ALWAYS take persons BP before administering medication, patient MUST HAVE BP higher than 120 mm Hg If systolic BP is less than 120 mm Hg, nitroglycerin may have harmful effects of lowering blood flow to the heart’s low blood vessel. ▪ Trade name: Nitrostat ▪ Action: Dilates blood vessels ▪ Indications; chest pain due to myocardial infarction or angina ▪ Contraindications: hypotention, erectile dysfunction meds within past 36 hours, head injury ▪ Routes: SL/Spray or Tablet form (use gloves if using tablets) ▪ Side effects: headache, burning under tongue, hypotention, nausea ▪ Interactions: increasing dilating effects of other blood vessel-dilating medications ▪ Adult Dose: 0.3-0.4 mg SL, 0.4 mg spray ▪ Administration concerns: ensure ALS is en route 41. Know trade names and generic name of commonly used drugs o Brand Name- a brand name that a manufacturer gives to a medication, ▪ Begins with a capital letter ▪ One drug may have more than one trade name o Generic Name - usually the original chemical name of a medication. (It is a simple, clear, nonproprietary name) ▪ Not capitalized o Examples Trade Generic Tylenol Acetaminophen Advil, Nuprin, Motrin Ibuprofen Albuterol Proventil, Ventolin Alupent Metaproterenol Nitroglycerin Nitrostat, Isordil Bayer Aspirin Actidose with Sorbitol Activated Charcoal Benadryl Diphenhydramine EpiPen Epinephrine Glucose Oral Glucose Oxygen (has no trade name) Oxygen 42. Know the side effects of commonly used drugs Drug Side Effect Tylenol Allergic Rxn Advil, Nuprin, Motrin, Ibuprofen Nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, bleeding, allergic rxn Albuterol, Proventil, Ventolin Hypertention, tachycardia, anxiety, restlessness Alupent, Metaproterenol Increased pulse rate (tachycardia), anxiety, nausea, cough, wheezing, tremors, and/or dizziness. Nitroglycerin, Nitrostat, Isordil Headache, burning under tongue, hypotension, nausea Bayer, Aspirin Nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, bleeding, allergic rxn Actidose with Sorbitol, Activated Charcoal Nausea, vomiting, constipation, black stool Benadryl, Diphenyhydramine Sleepiness, dry mouth + throat EpiPen, Epinephrine Hypertention, tachycardia, anxiety, restlessness Glucose, Oral Glucose Nausea, vomiting Oxygen (has no trade name) Decreased respiratory effort in rare cases in patients w/COPD 43. Review the following terms therapeutic effects, side effects, indications, contraindications, dose, route, form of drug o Therapeutic effects consequence of a medical treatment of any kind, the results of which are judged to be desirable/ beneficial and even unintended consequence of the treatment. ▪ Quizlet; When administering albuterol to patient with shortness of breath, the EMT realizes that the therapeutic effect of this medication is achieved by: dilating the small airways. o Side Effects Any actions of a medication other than the desired ones. ▪ Unintended effects: Effects that are undesirable but pose little risk to the patient. ▪ Untoward effects: Effects that can be harmful to the patient. o Indications Reasons or conditions for which a particular medication is given. o Contraindications When a medication would either harm the patient or have no positive effect. o Dose The amount of the medication that is given; depends on: patient’s weight, patient’s age, desired action of the medication o Route the way in which a medication is intended to be taken o Form of a Drug form of a medication usually dictates the route of administration. ▪ Basic Medication forms include: Tablets and capsules are swallowed Solutions and suspensions Solutions can be given by almost any route (orally, IV, IM, or SC injection) while suspensions are usually given by mouth, also rectally, applied directly to skin, IM or SC injections) Metered-dose inhalers (MDIs) Topical medications Applied to the skin surface and only affect that area Transcutaneous medications are absorbed through skin Gels orally (have consistency of paste, example oral glucose) Gases for inhalation delivered through nonrebreathing mask or nasal cannula 44. Review the routes of medicine administration. Know the fastest & slowest route & conditions that may affect each 45. What is the name of the structures found on the head of an infant and at what age does it close o The bones of an infant’s head are flexible and soft. The soft spots are located at the front and back of the head and are called fontanelles. ▪ These allow the infant’s head to pass through the birth canal. ▪ The three or four bones of the skull eventually bind together and form suture joints. The posterior fontanelle fuses by 3 months. The anterior fontanelle fuses between 9 and 18 months of age. 46. Know the indications for the use of epi-pen( refer to state protocol) o Indication for Epi-Pen: ▪ Difficulty breathing, hives, itching, tongue swelling, patient is unable to swallow ▪ ALL 3 MUST BE PRESENT: Pt. has physician prescribed auto-injector Pt has a medical historu of allergic rxns and is conscious/unconscious with anaphylaxis Pt complains of respiratory distress or displays signs/symptoms of shock o State Protocol (NY): The EMT-B is trained to recognize the signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis and the contraindications for epinephrine. In cases of an allergic reaction, where the patient is conscious and alert, the patient should be able to participate in the decision and the delivery of the epinephrine autoinjector. 47. Know the side effects, dose and route of administration of epi-pen o Side Effects: increased heart rate, pallow, dizziness, chest pain, nausea, vomiting, excitability, anxious, headache o Dose: 0.3 mg for adults (Epi-Pen) 0.15 mg for child (Epi-Junior) o Route of Administration: intramuscularly 48. Know the signs and symptoms and how to treat a patient with hypoglycemia o Hypoglycemia is a state in which the blood glucose is below normal. ▪ Untreated, it results in unresponsiveness and eventually hypoglycemic crisis. ▪ Signs and symptoms include: History: Insufficient food intake; excessive insulin dosage; rapid onset (minutes); pale, cool, moist skin Gastrointestinal tract: Absence of thirst and intense hunger Respiratory system: Normal to shallow or rapid respirations Cardiovascular system: Normal to low blood pressure; rapid, weak pulse Nervous system: Altered mental status (aggressive, confused, lethargic, or unusual behavior); seizure, fainting, or coma; unsteady gait (weakness on one side of the body, may mimic stroke) Response to treatment: Immediate ▪ Treatment: Oral Glucose (give sublingually, whole tube) 49. What is the action of Aspirin and what type of patient would receive Aspirin o Purposes(Action) ▪ Antipyretic (reduces fever) ▪ Analgesic (reduces pain) ▪ Anti-inflammatory (reduces inflammation) ▪ Inhibits platelet aggregation (clumping), which is useful during a potential heart attack o Contraindications ▪ Hypersensitivity to aspirin ▪ Preexisting liver damage, bleeding disorders, and asthma ▪ Children during episodes of fever-causing illnesses o Type of Patient who would receive Aspirin ▪ Patients at risk for coronary artery disease, or potential heart attack patients o Depending on protocol: Administer low-dose aspirin. ▪ Effects: Prevents blood clots from forming or getting bigger , 81-mg chewable tablets, Recommended dose: 162 mg (two tablets) to 324 mg (four tablets) 50. Know the liter flow per minute and the percentage of the different oxygen delivery devices. Also know the indication for the use of each. o Nonrebreathing mask at 10 to 15 L/min provides up to 90% oxygen concentration ▪ Preferred method of giving oxygen, used on conscious patient. o Nasal cannula at 1 to 6 L/min provides 24% to 44% oxygen concentration. ▪ Used on conscious patient when non-rebreather mask cannot be tolerated o Bag-mask device at 10 to 15 L/min provides 90% oxygen concentration. ▪ Used on unconscious patient o Mouth-to-mask device at 15 L/min provides nearly 100% oxygen concentration ▪ Used on unconscious patient. o Blow-by technique at 6 L/min provides more than 21% oxygen concentration. ▪ Give to child with shortness of breath because many will not tolerate (or refuse to wear) a face mask. Rather than fighting with the child, provide blow-by-oxygen by holding the oxygen mask in front of the child’s face or ask the parent to hold the mask. 51. Know the common medications used to treat Asthma, hypertension, allergic reactions, heart disease o Common Medications used to treat: ▪ Asthma In asthma patients, they seem to have problems with EXHALATION, not inhalation. Patients with asthma do not have great difficulty with oxygenation their problem is more related to severe contraction of the muscles surrounding the lower airways. An MDI (metered-dose inhaler) is often used by a patient with respiratory illnesses (including asthma and emphysema) Trade names of some asthma inhalers (Beta 2 agonist cause bronchodilation) o Primatene Mist, Bronitin Mist, Bronkaid Mist, Medihaler-Epi o Albuterol (generic is Proventil or Ventolin) is a medication commonly used during asthma attacks. It’s available in an inhaler and in a small volume nebulizer (SVN). Albuterol acts on the (beta2) receptors of the sympathetic nervous system, which results in dilation of the airways. ▪ Hypertension Blood pressure that is higher than the normal range. Treated with diuretics, beta blockers (decreases HR and decreases heart contraction), alpha blockers (dilate blood vessels in heart), and vasodilators. o Drugs: Diovan HCT/valsartanand hydrocholorothiazide treat hypertention ▪ Allergic Reactions body's exaggerated immune response to an internal or surface agent Treated with auto injectable epinephrine, and some meter dosed inhalers. ▪ Heart Disease ex. Congestive heart failure (CHF), acute myocardial infarction (classic heart attack), Treated with nitroglycerin (dilates blood vessels), and aspirin (acts as anti-platelet, treats chest pain or suspected ischemic origin) More Drugs: o Lipidor/atorvastatin lowers cholesterol o Toprol/metoprolol lowers blood pressure o Vytorin/ezetimibe and simvastatin lowers cholesterol o Diovan/valsartan lowers high blood pressure o Zetia/ezetimibe lowers cholesterol o Crestor/rosuvastatin lowers cholesterol 52. Know the differences between signs and symptoms o Symptom is a subjective condition the patient feels and tells you about. o Sign is an objective condition you can observe about the patient. 53. Review and know the components steps of patient assessment. Also know the goal of each component. o The assessment process begins with the scene size-up which identifies real or potential hazards. The patient should not be approached until these hazards have been dealt with in a way that eliminates or minimizes risk to the EMTs and the patient(s). Can be done at a distance, ask yourself: ▪ BSI Body Substance Isolation (example, wearing medical gloves) ▪ Scene Safety (Hazards, threats) ▪ How many patients? ▪ MOI (mechanism of injury for trauma)/ NOI (nature of illness) ▪ Call for backup if necessary o The primary assessment is performed on all patients. It includes forming an initial general impression of the patient, including the level of consciousness, and identifies any life-threatening conditions to the ABCs. A rapid scan is performed to assist in prioritizing time and mode of transport. ▪ Any life threats identified must be treated before moving on to the next step of the assessment. ▪ Airway, breathing, and circulation are assessed to evaluate the patient’s general condition. o History taking includes an investigation of the patient’s chief complaint or history of present illness. A SAMPLE history is generally taken during this step of the assessment process. This information may be obtained from the patient, family, friends, or bystanders. ▪ By asking several important questions, you will be able to determine the patient’s signs and symptoms, allergies, medications, pertinent past history, last oral intake, and events leading up to the incident. ▪ SAMPLE History (Make sure you have Broad and Open ended questions!) S – Symptoms “So what’s going on today? Or “Can you tell me what’s been bothering you today?” A – Allergies “Have you ever had an allergic reaction?” or “Are you allergic to any foods or medication?” o Person has “no known allergies” you can write “NKA” M – Medications “Are you currently taking any medications that are prescribed, over the counter, or herbal?” P – Past/Pertinent Medical History “Have you ever been hospitalized for this or any other reason before?” L – Last Oral Intake “What was the last time you ate or drank anything?” E – Events Leading Up To Present Illness / Injury “What were you doing before you felt ill/this happened to you?” or “What was going on today before this happened?” ▪ Assessment of Pain O—Onset “When did the problem begin?” and “What caused it?” P—Provocation/Palliation “Does anything make it feel better or worse?” Q—Quality “How is the pain like—sharp, dull, crushing, tearing?” R—Region/Radiation “Where does it hurt?” and “Does the pain move anywhere?” S—Severity “On a scale of 1 to 0, how would you rate your pain?” T—Timing “When did the pain start?” o The secondary assessment is a systematic physical examination of the patient. The physical examination may be a systematic head-to-toe, full-body scan or a systematic assessment that focuses on a certain area or region of the body, often determined through the chief complaint. Circumstances will dictate which aspects of the physical examination will be used. ▪ Is performed on scene or in the back of the ambulance en route to the hospital; there are times when you may not have time to perform a secondary assessment at all if the patient has serious life threats. o The reassessment is performed on all patients. It gives you an opportunity to reevaluate the chief complaint and to reassess interventions to ensure that they are still being delivered correctly. ▪ Information from the reassessment may be used to identify and treat changes in the patient’s condition. ▪ A patient in stable condition should be reassessed every 15 minutes, whereas a patient in unstable condition should be reassessed every 5 minutes. 54. Know the term MOI and be able to recognize examples of significant MOI and non Significant MOI o MOI (mechanism of injury for trauma) how the traumatic injury occurred. o You must evaluate three factors: ▪ the amount of force applied to the body ▪ the length of time the force was applied ▪ and the areas of the body that are involved 55. Know the term surfactant and what it is associated with o Surfactant is a liquid protein substance that coats the alveoli in the lungs, decreases alveoli surface tension, and keeps the alveoli expanded making it easier for gas exchanged; a low level in a premature infant contributes to respiratory distress syndrome. ▪ Quizlet: Pulmonary surfactant serves which of the following functions? It facilitates the transport of oxygen-poor blood from the right ventricle to the lungs. 56. Know the normal heart and respiration rates of adults, children and infants o Heart Rate number of heart beats per minute ▪ Normal Pulse rates include Adult and adolescent: 60 to 100 beats/min Child: 70 to 140 beats/min Toddler: 90 to 150 beats/min Infant: 100 to 160 beats/min o Respiratory Rates number of breathes per minute ▪ Normal Respiratory Rate Adults and adolescent: 12 to 20 breaths/min Children (1-12 years old): 15 to 30 breaths/min Infants: 25-50 breaths/min 57. Know when to use capillary refill and know what is considered abnormal and what could the abnormal findings suggest o Capillary Refill is evaluated to assess the ability of the circulatory system to restore blood to the capillary system. It provides the patients level of perfusion. ▪ Normally Capillary Refill time is a return of color to your nail beds after 2 seconds. A time of more than 2 seconds is considered abnormal, and suggests there is poor perfusion. ▪ Capillary refill is unreliable in elderly people because of compromised circulation. ▪ To test a patient's capillary refill, the EMT will: firmly compress and then release pressure on the nail bed. Normal color to the tested area should return within 2 seconds. 58. Know the differences between compensated, decompensated and irreversible shock. o Compensated shock – In early stages of shock, the body can still compensate for blood loss. ▪ Signs and symptoms: Agitation, Anxiety, Restlessness, Feeling of impending doom, Altered mental status, Weak, rapid (thready), or absent pulse, Clammy (pale, cool, moist) skin, Pallor, with cyanosis about the lips, Shallow, rapid breathing, Air hunger (shortness of breath), especially if there is a chest injury, Nausea or vomiting , Capillary refill of longer than 2 seconds in infants and children, Marked thirst o Decompensated shock - The late stage, when blood pressure is fallin ▪ Signs and symptoms: falling blood pressure (systolic blood pressure of 90 mm Hg or lower in an adult), Labored or irregular breathing, ashen, mottled, or cyanotic skin, thready or absent peripheral pulses, dull eyes, dilated pupils, poor urinary output o Irreversible shock- Terminal stage of shock. A transfusion of any type will not be enough to save a patient’s life. 59. Know the components of blood o Plasma the liquid portion of blood) contains: ▪ Water ( a primary component),proteins (a primary component), oxygen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, nutrients, cellular wastes o Red blood cells (erythrocytes) contain hemoglobin which gives blood its color ▪ Hemoglobin carries oxygen. o White blood cells (leukocytes) which play a role in the body’s immune defense to fight infection o Platelets are essential in the initial formation of a blood clot 60. Know the different types of shock & be able to recognize the signs & symptoms that are consistent with each type o Types of Shock: Distributive, Obstructive, Cardiogenic, Hypovolemic, Septic, Anaphylatic o Shock (hypoperfusion) means a state of collapse and failure of the cardiovascular system. ▪ In the early stages of shock, the body attempts to maintain homeostasis (a balance of all systems in the body). ▪ As shock progresses, however, blood circulation slows and eventually ceases. o Shock can result from many conditions, including bleeding, respiratory failure, acute allergic reactions, and overwhelming infection. o Cardiogenic shock ▪ Cardiogenic shock is caused by inadequate function of the heart, or pump failure. ▪ A major effect is the backup of blood into the lungs. The resulting buildup of pulmonary fluid is called pulmonary edema. Edema is the presence of abnormally large amounts of fluid between cells in body tissues, causing swelling of the affected area. Pulmonary edema leads to impaired ventilation. ▪ Cardiogenic shock develops when the heart cannot maintain sufficient output to meet the demands of the body. Cardiac output is the volume of blood that the heart can pump per minute, and it is dependent upon several factors. The heart must have adequate strength, which is largely determined by the ability of the heart muscle to contract (myocardial contractility). ▪ The heart must receive adequate blood to pump. The resistance to flow in the peripheral circulation must be appropriate. o Obstructive shock ▪ Occurs when conditions that cause mechanical obstruction of the cardiac muscle also affect the pump function. Common examples: Cardiac tamponade - It is a collection of fluid between the pericardial sac and the myocardium. It is caused by blunt or penetrating trauma and can progress rapidly. Blood leaks into the tough fibrous membrane known as the pericardium, causing an accumulation of blood within the pericardial sac. This accumulation leads to compression of the heart. Signs and symptoms of cardiac tamponade are referred to as Beck’s triad, the presence of jugular vein distention, muffled heart sounds, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure starting to merge. Tension pneumothorax - It is caused by damage to lung tissue. The damage allows air normally held within the lung to escape into the chest cavity. This air applies pressure to the organs, including the heart. o Distributive Shock (“SNAP” septic, neurogenic, anaphylaxis, psychogenic) ▪ Results when there is widespread dilation of small arterioles,venules, or both. The circulating blood volume pools in the expanded vascular beds and tissue perfusion decreases. ▪ Septic shock occurs as result of severe infections, usually bacterial, in which toxins are generated by the bacteria or by infected body tissues. The toxins damage the vessel walls, causing increased cellular permeability. The vessel walls leak and are unable to contract well. Widespread dilation of vessels, in combination with plasma loss through the injured vessel walls, results in shock. Septic shock is a complex problem. There is an insufficient volume of fluid in the container, because much of the plasma has leaked out of the vascular system (hypovolemia). The fluid that has leaked out often collects in the respiratory system, interfering with ventilation. The vasodilation leads to a larger-than-normal vascular bed to contain the smaller-than-normal volume of intravascular fluid. Septic shock is almost always a complication of a very serious illness, injury, or surgery. ▪ Neurogenic Shock Is usually a result of injury to the part of the nervous system that controls the size and muscle tone of the blood vessels. Causes include: o Damage to the spinal cord o Brain conditions o Tumors o Pressure on the spinal cord o Spina bifida In neurogenic shock, the muscles in the walls of the blood vessels are cut off from the sympathetic nervous system and nerve impulses that cause them to contract. All vessels below the level of the spinal injury dilate widely, increasing the size and capacity of the vascular system and causing blood to pool. The available 6 L of blood in the body can no longer fill the enlarged vascular system. Even though no blood or fluid has been lost, perfusion of organs and tissues becomes inadequate, and shock occurs. ▪ Anaphylactic shock Occurs when a person reacts violently to a substance to which he or she has been sensitized. Sensitization means becoming sensitive to a substance that did not initially cause a reaction. Each subsequent exposure after sensitization tends to produce a more severe reaction. Common causes include: o Injections (tetanus antitoxin, penicillin) o Stings (honeybee, wasp, yellow jacket, hornet) o Ingestion (shellfish, fruit, medication) o Inhalation (dust, pollen) o Anaphylactic shock can develop within minutes or even seconds of contact with the substance Note that cyanosis (bluish color of the skin) is a late sign of anaphylactic shock. ▪ Psychogenic shock A patient in psychogenic shock has had a sudden reaction of the nervous system that produces a temporary, generalized vascular dilation, resulting in fainting, or syncope. Blood pools in the dilated vessels, reducing the blood supply to the brain. As a result, the brain ceases to function normally, and the patient faints. o Life-threatening causes include irregular heartbeat and brain aneurysm. o Non–life-threatening causes include receiving bad news, experiencing fear, or seeing unpleasant sights (like the sight of blood). o Hypovolemic shock ▪ Hypovolemic shock is the result of an inadequate amount of fluid or volume in the system. ▪ There are hemorrhagic causes and nonhemorrhagic causes. Hypovolemic shock also occurs with severe thermal burns. Intravascular plasma is lost. Plasma leaks from the circulatory system into the burned tissues that lie adjacent to the injury. ▪ Dehydration, the loss of water or fluid from body tissues, can cause or aggravate shock. Fluid loss may be a result of severe vomiting and/or diarrhea. 61. Review indications for the use of the AED and the indication for CPR. Remember the ratios for the different age groups. Compression to ventilations, depth of compressions, hand position, number of cycles with one and two rescuers. o CPR used to establish artificial ventilation and circulation in a patient who is not breathing and has no pulse. ▪ Adult CPR is performed by performing 30 high quality compressions at least 2” deep at the rate of 100 per minute followed by 2 breaths that ensure adequate chest rise (for both 1 rescue or 2 rescuers). With a second rescuer, make one ventilate). CPR should be performed for 2 minute intervals. For adults, hands should be placed in the lower 2/3 of the sternum. ▪ For a child perform 30 compressions (approx 2” depth) to 2 ventilations for one rescuer and 15:2 for 2 rescuers. For an infant perform 30:2 (approx. 1 ½”) for 1 rescuer and 15:2 for 2 rescuers. For children and infants, two finger method should be placed in the middle of the sternum with one finger touching the nipple line. ▪ Give CPR when a person has no pulse. One Rescuer ADULT/CHILD: 30 compressions: 2 ventilations Two Rescuers ADULT give 30 compressions: 2 ventilations and CHILD/INFANT give 15 compressions: 2 ventilations o With a child/infant, do 10 cycles o With an adult, do 5 cycles o AED a device that detects treatable life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias (ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia) and delivers the appropriate electrical shock to the patients). It should be applied to any cardiac arrest patient as soon as possible. ▪ AEDs can be used in children using the pediatric-sized pads and a dose-attenuating system. However, if these are unavailable, you should use an adult AED. 62. Pay particular attention to the ratios for intubated patients and the neonate o Rescue Breathing for ▪ Intubated Patients deliver one rescue breath every 6 to 8 seconds. ▪ Neonate A compression to ventilation ratio of 3:1 should be used, which yields 120 actions per minute (90 compressions & 30 vents) ▪ Infant covering both the nose and the mouth of the infant with the mask, deliver breaths at a rate of 40 to 60 breaths/min. 63. Review the primary differences between the causes of cardiac or respiratory in adults and children o Recognize Respiratory arrest vs. cardiac arrest ▪ Cardiac arrests in children frequently result from respiratory failure. That is why it is important to give rescue breaths to a child who is not breathing but has a pulse! ▪ While in adults, they often go straight to cardiac arrest (have no pulse and stop breathing) 64. Review kinetic energy, potential energy, force, and work o Three concepts of energy are typically associated with injury: potential energy, kinetic energy, and work ▪ Potential energy is the product of mass (weight), force of gravity, and height; it is mostly associated with the energy of falling objects. ▪ Kinetic Energy is the work of a moving object. Kinetic energy reflects the relationship between the mass (weight) of the object and the velocity (speech) at which it is traveling. According to the equation for kinetic energy, the energy that is available to cause injury doubles when an object’s weight doubles but quadruples when its speed doubles. ▪ Force any interaction which tends to change the motion of an object. ▪ Work is defined as force acting over a distance. Forces that bend, pull, or compress tissues beyond their inherent limits result in the work that causes injury. o Example: if the worker falls, potential energy is converted to kinetic energy. As the worker hits the ground, kinetic energy is converted into work that is the work of bringing the body to a stop and thereby fracturing bones and damaging tissues. 65. Review the following terms hypoperfusion, hypoxemia, cyanosis, fibrin, fibrinogen, plasminogen,dysrhythmia, hypoxia, perfusion and hyphema o Shock (hypoperfusion) means a state of collapse and failure of the cardiovascular system. It is a condition that occurs when the level of tissue perfusion decreases below that needed to maintain normal cellular functions. o Hypoxemia a deficiency if oxygen in the blood. o Cyanosis Cyanosis reflects a decreased level of oxygen in the blood where a person starts to have a bluish gray skin color that is caused by a reduced level of oxygen in the blood ▪ Is a late sign of respiratory failure or shock. o Fibrin an insoluble protein formed from fibrinogen during the clotting of blood. It forms a fibrous mesh that impedes the flow of blood. o Fibrinogen a soluble protein present in blood plasma, from which fibrin is produced by the action of the enzyme thrombin. It helps in the formation of clots. o Plasma is a sticky, yellow fluid that carries the blood cells and nutrients. This is the liquid portion of the blood. The primary components are water and proteins. All of the other components together make up 1% of the plasma. Water is 92% of plasma, proteins is 7% of plasma (major protein is albumin which functions to regulate on

Show more Read less
Institution
Course

Content preview

NURSE-UN 001 STUDY GUIDE FOR EMT Final Exam Review_Melissa Perkowski

1. Review types of consent (implied, expressed, etc)
o Consent ➔ is generally required from every conscious adult before care can be started. The
foundation of consent is
decision-making capacity.

o Implied consent ➔ legal assumption that treatment was desired.
▪ Applies to patients who are unconscious or are otherwise incapable of making a
rational, informed decision about care. It applies only when a serious medical condition
exists and should never be used unless there is a threat to life or limb.
▪ The principle of implied consent is known as the emergency doctrine.
▪ Sometimes what represents a “serious threat” is unclear, and it may become a lega
question.

o Expressed consent ➔ patient gives express authorization for provision of care or transport.
The patient acknowledges he or she wants you to provide care or transport.
▪ To be valid, the patient must provide informed consent, which means you have
explained the treatment being offered, along with the potential risks, benefits, and
alternatives, as well as the potential consequences of refusing treatment. Informed
consent is valid if given orally. Always document when a patient provides informed
consent, or have someone witness the patient’s consent.

o Involuntary consent ➔ Applies to patients who are mentally ill, in a behavioral
(psychological) crisis, are developmentally delayed.
▪ You should obtain consent from the guardian or conservator; however, it is not always
possible to obtain such consent, so understand your local provisions (sometimes need
a law enforcement authority to be present to take person to medical facility)

2. Review what your actions should be if you come across an MVC as an EMT on duty and off duty
o If you are off duty and come upon a crash, you are not legally obligated to stop and assist
patients.

3. Recall the functions of the National Registry, AHA, DOT, Trauma centers, Local EMS offices,
State EMS offices
o National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) ➔ is a nongovernmental
agency that provides national standardized EMS testing and certification in much of the
United States. May states use the National Registry standards in certifying their EMTs and
grant licensing reciprocity to NREMT-certified EMTs
▪ EMS is regulated ENTIRELY by the state in which you are licensed

o American Heart Association (AHA) ➔Every 3 to 5 years, the AHA unveils a revised set of
guidelines based on large amounts of evidence and serves as a standard for basic life
support (BLS) and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

o Department of Transportation (DOT) ➔ DOT published the first EMT training curriculum in

, the early 1970s. In the late 1970s, the DOT developed a recommended National Standard
Curriculum.

o Trauma Centers ➔ Trauma centers are categorized as either adult trauma centers or
pediatric trauma centers, but notnecessarily both. The goal of a trauma system is to get the
right patient to the right facility in the right amount of time.
▪ Trauma patients with shock, or a suspicious MOI, generally should go to a trauma center.
▪ Trauma centers are classified from levels I III, with level I being able to handle every
trauma.
o Local EMS offices ➔At the local level, each EMS service operates in a designated PSA in
which it’s responsible for the provision of prehospital emergency care and the
transportation of the sick and injured to the hospital. The medical director decides day-
to-day limits of EMS personnel. Examples include the medications that will be carried on
an ambulance or where patients are transported.

o State office of EMS➔ is the standards for prehospital emergency care and the individuals
who provide it are typically regulated by the state office of EMS
▪ EMT training in nearly every state meets or exceeds the guidelines recommended by the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

4. Review types of medical direction, and know situations that would dictate the use of each type
o Medical direction ➔ a physician medical director authorizes EMTs to provide medical care
in the field. Appropriate care is described in standing orders and protocols.
▪ Medical control can be off-line or online.
➢ Off-line (indirect) - Standing orders, training, supervision
➢ Online (direct) - Physician directions given over the phone or radio




5. Review the components of an EMS system

,o There are 14 components of the EMS system
o The EMS Agenda for the Future outlines 14 components of an EMS system
▪ Public access ➔ easy access to help in an emergency is essential. The 9-1-1 system is
the public safety access point. At the communication center, trained dispatchers obtain
information and dispatch the ambulance crew and other equipment and responders.
An emergency medical dispatch (EMD) system has been developed to assist
dispatchers in providing callers with vital medical instructions until EMS arrival.

▪ Communication systems ➔ From caller information, the dispatcher selects the
appropriate parts of the emergency system to activate. EMS may be: part of the fire
department, part of the police department, Independent (either public or private). New
technology helps responders locate their patients for example cellular telephones
linked to global positioning system (GPS) units.

▪ Clinical care ➔ Describes the pieces of equipment, scope of practice for using that
equipment and familiarizes EMTs with their primary service area (PSA), or main area
in which an agency operates. Overall, it familiarizes EMTs with ambulance controls.

▪ Human resources ➔ Focuses on the people who deliver the care such as their
compensation, interaction with other members of medical community and well-being.
Efforts are underway to allow EMS providers to move from state to state more
seamlessly. The EMS Agenda for the Future encourages the creation of systems to help
protect the well-being of EMS providers, including building career ladders.

▪ Medical direction ➔ Physician medical director authorizes EMTs to provide medical
care in the field. Appropriate care is described in standing orders and protocols.

▪ Legislation and regulation ➔ Although each EMS system, medical direction, and training
program has latitude, its training, protocols, and practice must follow state legislation,
rules, regulations, and guidelines. A senior EMS official is usually in charge of necessary
administrative tasks such as scheduling, personnel, budgets, purchasing, and vehicle
maintenance, and the daily operations of ambulances and crews.

▪ Integration of health services ➔ Prehospital care by the EMT is coordinated with
care administered by the receiving hospital. Care simply continues in the hospital
emergency department. This ensures that the patient receives comprehensive
continuity of care.

▪ Evaluation ➔ The medical director maintains quality control. CQI reviews and performs
audits of the EMS system to identify areas of improvement and/or assign remedial
training. Information and skills in emergency medical care change constantly. Refresher
training and continuing education are important. Minimizing errors is the goal.

▪ Information systems ➔ Systems are used to document the care provided. Once stored
electronically, the information can be used to improve care. For example, stored

, information can help determine: Average on-scene time for trauma patients, Need for
educational sessions, National trends

▪ System finance ➔ Finance systems vary depending on which organization is involved.
Personnel may be paid, volunteer, or a mix. EMTs may be involved in gathering
insurance information, attending fund- raisers, or other activities that will help the
department secure its finances.

▪ Education systems ➔ EMS instructors are licensed in most states. ALS training is
usually provided in college, adult career center, or hospital settings. Continuing
education is needed to update knowledge and refresh skills.

▪ Prevention and public education ➔ Prevention and public education are aspects of
EMS where the focus is on public health. Public health examines the health needs of
entire populations with the goal of preventing health problems.

6. Recall the following terms and know the importance in the prehospital setting
Negligence, Abandonment, CQI, PCR, EMS administrator, Medical Director, DNR, living
will.
o Negligence ➔ Failure to provide standard of care
▪ It’s based on the following four factors: duty, breach of duty, damages, and causation.
All four elements must be present for the legal doctrine of negligence to apply and for
a plaintiff to prevail in a lawsuit against an EMS service or provider.

o Abandonment ➔ Unilateral termination of care. It’s termination of care without the
patient’s consent and without making provisions for the transfer of care to a medical
professional with skills at the same level or at a higher level than your own skills.
Abandonment is legally and ethically a very serious act.

o Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) ➔ A system of internal reviews and audits of the
EMS system to identify areas of improvement and/or assign remedial training. Positive
feedback is also discussed. If a problem appears to be repeated by a single EMT or crew,
the medical director will discuss the details with the individual involved.

Written for

Course

Document information

Uploaded on
December 19, 2022
Number of pages
61
Written in
2022/2023
Type
Exam (elaborations)
Contains
Questions & answers

Subjects

$16.49
Get access to the full document:

Wrong document? Swap it for free Within 14 days of purchase and before downloading, you can choose a different document. You can simply spend the amount again.
Written by students who passed
Immediately available after payment
Read online or as PDF

Get to know the seller

Seller avatar
Reputation scores are based on the amount of documents a seller has sold for a fee and the reviews they have received for those documents. There are three levels: Bronze, Silver and Gold. The better the reputation, the more your can rely on the quality of the sellers work.
ElonMusk Yale School Of Medicine
Follow You need to be logged in order to follow users or courses
Sold
186
Member since
4 year
Number of followers
163
Documents
1345
Last sold
5 months ago
chemistry

FOR THE BEST ASSIGNMENTS AND HOMEWORKS ,TO HELP AND TUTORING ALL KIND OF EXAMS I have done papers of various topics and complexities. I am punctual and always submit work on-deadline. I write engaging and informative content on all subjects. Send me your research papers, case studies, psychology papers, etc, and I’ll do them to the best of my abilities. Writing is my passion when it comes to academic work. I’ve got a good sense of structure and enjoy finding interesting ways to deliver information in any given paper. I love impressing clients with my work, and I am very punctual about deadlines. Send me your assignment and I’ll take it to the next level. I strive for my content to be of the highest quality. Your wishes come first— send me your requirements and I’ll make a piece of work with fresh ideas, consistent structure, and following the academic formatting rules. I'm an expert on major courses especially; All AQA, OCR, A & AS LEVELS AND GCSE, Chemistry, Psychology, Nursing, Mathematics. Human Resource Management. Quality work is my priority. I ensure scholarly standards in my documents. Use my work for GOOD GRADES. In requirement of case studies, test banks, exams and many other studies document our site helps in acquiring them all. If in need of any revision document you can go to the inbox and you will be attended to right away. SUCCESS and BEST OF LUCK.

Read more Read less
4.2

42 reviews

5
27
4
7
3
3
2
1
1
4

Recently viewed by you

Why students choose Stuvia

Created by fellow students, verified by reviews

Quality you can trust: written by students who passed their tests and reviewed by others who've used these notes.

Didn't get what you expected? Choose another document

No worries! You can instantly pick a different document that better fits what you're looking for.

Pay as you like, start learning right away

No subscription, no commitments. Pay the way you're used to via credit card and download your PDF document instantly.

Student with book image

“Bought, downloaded, and aced it. It really can be that simple.”

Alisha Student

Working on your references?

Create accurate citations in APA, MLA and Harvard with our free citation generator.

Working on your references?

Frequently asked questions