02 Advanced Patient Assessment Free Online FlashCards

What is the continuous cycle of patient assessment?

Assessment is continuous: gather information, identify threats, form and test a working impression, act, and evaluate the response.

What should clinicians do when a scene is unsafe?

Use appropriate PPE and stage or withdraw if the scene is unsafe; reassess safety as conditions change.

What resource needs should scene size-up identify?

Determine the number of patients and whether additional units, specialized rescue, law enforcement, ALS support, or triage are needed.

What sequence guides the primary assessment?

Assess general impression and responsiveness, airway, breathing, circulation and major bleeding, then disability and exposure.

How should clinicians respond to critical problems found during assessment?

Treat critical problems as they are found; a detailed history or complete examination must not postpone care for an unstable patient.

What symptom details does OPQRST organize?

OPQRST structures symptom questions: onset, provocation or palliation, quality, region or radiation, severity, and time.

What information does SAMPLE organize?

SAMPLE organizes signs and symptoms, allergies, medications, pertinent history, last oral intake, and events leading to the illness or injury.

How should reported information be handled in the patient history?

Distinguish what the patient or another source reports from what you directly observe, and identify the source of important details.

How should secondary assessment be limited for an unstable patient?

Continue resuscitation and monitoring, and perform only additional examinations that inform urgent care or transport.

What examination suits a stable patient with a localized complaint?

For a stable patient with a clear, localized complaint, examine the relevant system or body region while staying alert for unexpected findings.

When should an examination be broadened?

Broaden the examination when the complaint is unclear, mental status is altered, or the mechanism is concerning, because injury may be hard to localize or report.

What can you conclude about an unexamined body area?

Do not interpret an area that was not examined as normal.