What type of exam should an unresponsive medical patient receive?

Posted on by Dominique Stacey

What type of exam should an unresponsive medical patient receive?

For the unresponsive medical patient perform the rapid medical assessment. If the patient is or STABLE, perform the appropriate focused physical exam (for the medical pt. perform the focused physical exam; for trauma patient perform the focused trauma assessment.)

How should we focus our assessment with an unresponsive patient?

For the unresponsive patient, you will obtain a focused history and physical exam as follows:

  1. Conduct a rapid physical exam using DCAP-BTLS.
  2. Obtain baseline vital signs (respirations, pulse, skin, pupils, BP).
  3. Gather the history (OPQRST) from family/bystanders if possible.

Which one of the following would be considered a significant mechanism of injury?

The mechanism of injury describes how, with what force, and to which part of the body the patient was injured. Significant mechanisms of injury include: ejection from vehicle. death in same passenger compartment.

When performing a rapid trauma assessment the EMT should begin with?

Just like any assessment, the Rapid Trauma Assessment begins with an assessment of your patient’s mental status. If your patient is responsive, you would ask them questions to determine how alert and oriented they are (A&O 1-4). REMEMBER, the A&O Scale is: Alert and Oriented to Person, Place, Time, and Event.

How do you assess patient status?

A structured physical examination allows the nurse to obtain a complete assessment of the patient. Observation/inspection, palpation, percussion and auscultation are techniques used to gather information. Clinical judgment should be used to decide on the extent of assessment required.

What is the goal of reassessment?

The goals of reassessment or to be aware of the changes in your patient’s condition. These changes can be improvement in condition, deterioration in condition, or an unchanged status.

How do you treat an unresponsive patient?

What you need to do

  1. Step 1 of 5: Open the airway. Place one hand on the person’s forehead and gently tilt their head back.
  2. Step 2 of 5: Check breathing.
  3. Step 3 of 5: Put them in the recovery position.
  4. Step 4 of 5: If you suspect spinal injury.
  5. Step 5 of 5: Call for help.

When an EMT feels that the patient just doesn’t look right this is called?

3. When an EMT feels that a patient just “doesn’t look right,” this is called: A. prehospital perspective.

Why is it important to know the mechanism of injury?

Knowing the mechanism of injury helps determine how likely it is that a serious injury has occurred. The reported mechanism may indicate the injuries EMS providers can expect to find upon their arrival.

In what order should you check an unresponsive patient for life threatening problems?

Primary survey:

  • Check for Danger.
  • Check for a Response.
  • Open Airway.
  • Check Breathing.
  • Check Circulation.
  • Treat the steps as needed.

What do rapid trauma assessments look for?

Rapid patient assessment

  1. SCENE SURVEY.
  2. SIMULTANEOUS ACTIONS.
  3. Assessment of AIRWAY.
  4. Assessment of BREATHING.
  5. Supporting VENTILATIONS.
  6. Assessment of CIRCULATION.
  7. CONTROL BLEEDING.
  8. ASSESS THE HEAD (quickly through) DCAP-BTLS for obvious injury (inspect and palpate)