EMT Skills: Trauma Patient Assessment/Management - EMTprep.com

Summary

This video covers the patient assessment and management process for trauma cases in an EMT skill evaluation. The scenario involves a 24-year-old female who was ejected from a motor vehicle. The EMT must assess the scene, the patient’s consciousness, airway, breathing, circulation, and vital signs while providing necessary treatments such as oxygen and spinal precautions. Key findings include decreased breath sounds, a weak pulse, and a leg deformity. The EMT prioritizes transport and ongoing reassessment to manage critical conditions effectively.

Takeaways

• 🚑 The scenario involves a trauma patient assessment of a 24-year-old female ejected from a vehicle during a motor vehicle accident.
• 🔒 The responder prioritizes scene safety and confirms that the scene is secure for assessment.
• 🚨 Full cervical spine precautions are taken due to the mechanism of injury (ejection).
• 👩‍⚕️ The patient's level of consciousness is assessed, and she responds to painful stimuli.
• 💨 The patient's airway is clear, and she is breathing at 30 breaths per minute, but has decreased breath sounds on the left side.
• 💓 Circulation assessment reveals a weak radial pulse at 130 beats per minute, pale, cool, diaphoretic skin, and minimal bleeding from a leg injury.
• ⚠️ Shock is suspected based on pulse rate and skin condition, prompting immediate transport priority.
• 🦵 Deformity is found in the lower leg, but pedal pulses are present, and no fluid is noted from ears or neck abnormalities.
• 📊 Vitals: blood pressure is 92/68, pulse is 108 bpm, and respiratory rate is 22 per minute.
• 🔁 Continuous reassessment of breathing, circulation, and vitals is emphasized, with splinting of the leg and backboard use for transport.

Q & A

What is the purpose of this trauma patient assessment skill evaluation?

The purpose of the trauma patient assessment skill evaluation is to assess the EMT's ability to evaluate a trauma patient, determine the necessary treatments, and verbalize their actions and assessments throughout the process.

What type of incident has the EMT been dispatched to?

The EMT has been dispatched to a motor vehicle accident where a 24-year-old female patient has been ejected from the vehicle.

What are the initial actions the EMT takes upon arriving at the scene?

Upon arriving at the scene, the EMT confirms the scene is safe, requests ALS intercept based on the mechanism of injury, and begins full c-spine precautions due to the patient's ejection from the vehicle.

How does the EMT assess the patient's level of consciousness?

The EMT assesses the patient's level of consciousness by checking her response to painful stimuli, determining that the patient responds to pain but is not fully conscious.

What is the patient's respiratory status and what actions are taken by the EMT?

The patient has a respiratory rate of 30 breaths per minute and decreased breath sounds on the left side. The EMT provides high-flow oxygen via a non-rebreather mask.

What is the patient's circulatory status?

The patient has a weak radial pulse at a rate of 130 beats per minute. The EMT checks for major bleeding and notes that the bleeding on the patient's lower leg is minimal.

What signs of shock does the patient display, and how does the EMT respond?

The patient has pale, cool, and diaphoretic skin, indicating signs of shock. The EMT prioritizes treatment for shock and decides to transport the patient immediately.

What injuries does the EMT identify during the secondary assessment?

During the secondary assessment, the EMT identifies decreased breath sounds on the left side and a deformity in the patient's lower leg. The rest of the patient's body, including the head, chest, abdomen, pelvis, and other leg, shows no major abnormalities.

How does the EMT manage the patient's injuries before transport?

The EMT manages the patient's injuries by providing high-flow oxygen to address the decreased breath sounds, splinting the leg with the deformity, and ensuring full c-spine precautions. Additionally, the EMT checks for further injuries when placing the patient on a backboard.

How does the EMT plan to monitor the patient's condition during transport?

The EMT plans to continuously reassess the patient's breath sounds, leg injury, distal pulses, and vital signs every five minutes during transport because the patient is in critical condition.