Patient Assessment & Decision-Making Flashcards
6 cards from real NREMT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Patient Assessment & Decision-Making flashcards as text
The SAMPLE history mnemonic stands for:
Answer: Signs/Symptoms, Allergies, Medications, Pertinent past history, Last oral intake, Events leading to illness
SAMPLE is a structured history-taking tool: Signs/Symptoms, Allergies, Medications, Pertinent past medical history, Last oral intake, Events leading to the current illness or injury.
A patient presents with chest pain. Which assessment finding would MOST increase suspicion for a cardiac cause?
Answer: Pressure-type chest pain radiating to the left arm with diaphoresis
Pressure-type chest pain radiating to the arm with diaphoresis (sweating) is the classic presentation of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Reproducible pain with palpation suggests a musculoskeletal cause.
When communicating a patient report to the receiving facility, the EMT should provide information in which format?
Answer: A structured format: unit identification, patient age/sex, chief complaint, vitals, history, treatment, ETA
A structured radio report ensures the receiving facility has all critical information organized logically, allowing them to prepare appropriately. A consistent format prevents omissions.
A patient with multiple complaints and an unclear presentation should be treated by the EMT as:
Answer: High priority using a 'treat the worst case scenario' approach
When the presentation is unclear, EMTs should assume the most serious possible cause and treat accordingly. This 'treat the worst' approach protects against underreacting to potentially critical conditions.
What is the purpose of the secondary assessment in the prehospital setting?
Answer: To identify non-life-threatening injuries or conditions not found in the primary assessment
The secondary assessment is a more detailed head-to-toe evaluation performed after life threats are addressed in the primary assessment. It identifies injuries or conditions that need treatment but are not immediately life-threatening.
OPQRST is a mnemonic used to assess a patient's chief complaint. What does the letter 'P' stand for?
Answer: Provocation/Palliation
In OPQRST, 'P' stands for Provocation and Palliation — what makes the symptom worse (provokes it) and what makes it better (palliates it). This information helps characterize the nature of the complaint.