Emergency Assessment Flashcards
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Read the first 7 Emergency Assessment flashcards as text
A patient presents with stridor and drooling after a bee sting. Which intervention is the FIRST priority?
Answer: Administer epinephrine 0.3mg IM into the thigh
Epinephrine IM is the first-line treatment for anaphylaxis with airway compromise, as it rapidly reverses bronchoconstriction and vasodilation.
During a trauma assessment, you note paradoxical chest wall movement on the left side. What injury does this most likely indicate?
Answer: Flail chest
Flail chest occurs when multiple rib fractures create a free-floating segment that moves paradoxically (inward on inspiration, outward on expiration).
A 70-year-old presents with sudden onset severe tearing back pain and BP 180/110. The MOST important immediate diagnostic step is:
Answer: CT angiography of the chest and abdomen
CT angiography is the gold standard for diagnosing aortic dissection, which is the most likely diagnosis given tearing pain and hypertension.
When assessing a patient's disability (D) in the primary survey, which tool is used for rapid neurological status?
Answer: Glasgow Coma Scale
The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) assesses eye, verbal, and motor responses and is the standard rapid neurological assessment in the primary survey.
A patient with suspected carbon monoxide poisoning has a normal pulse oximetry reading. Why is this unreliable?
Answer: Carboxyhemoglobin is detected as oxyhemoglobin by standard pulse oximetry
Standard pulse oximeters cannot distinguish carboxyhemoglobin from oxyhemoglobin, giving a falsely normal SpO2 reading in CO poisoning.
In a patient with a GCS of 8, what airway intervention is indicated?
Answer: Definitive airway via endotracheal intubation
A GCS of 8 or less indicates inability to protect the airway, requiring definitive airway management with endotracheal intubation.
A patient in hemorrhagic shock receives 2L of crystalloid without improvement. What is the next appropriate step?
Answer: Initiate massive transfusion protocol with packed red blood cells
Failure to respond to initial crystalloid resuscitation in hemorrhagic shock indicates the need for blood products via a massive transfusion protocol.
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