Patient Assessment Protocols
As we all know, agency, local and personal first responder patient assessment protocols can vary across organizations and geographies. As a study aide, it is often helpful to view & study such protocols from other groups.
Thus the purpose of this blog is to hold a collection of Patient Assessment Protocols used by emergency care first responders across the U.S. and world.
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Thursday, August 27, 2015
Sunday, January 4, 2015
Assessment Protocol 2
Assessment Protocol 1
Sub-steps
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General
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The scene is safe. I’m crossing my
skis uphill.
I see one patient, no witnesses. The scene shows that … may be the MOI. I have BSI on. |
Size-Up Scene
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“Hi,
my name is Piotr, I’m with Ski Patrol, may I help you?”
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Introduction & Permission
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First Contact
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“Please
don’t move your head”
Qualitative assessment of:
Pulse is… (strong and steady)
Skin is… (warm, dry, and pink) |
2 Pt Landing
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“Tell
me what happened. Tell me what hurts”
"Does
it feel like it’s bleeding?"
[Go to skin]
>>“Please don’t move your head. Just answer me verbally".
(If they move their head)
>>“Can you point to where it hurts?”
(If they can't clearly identify injury)
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Chief Complaint
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Patient is speaking and has Airway
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A
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ABCs
(<5 min to death)
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Patient is Breathing
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B
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Patient has pulse and is not bleeding
- Circulation
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C
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"I
have my ABCs"
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LOC Questions:
“What is your name?”
“Where
are you?”
“What
day is it?”
“What
happened just before the accident?”
>> Patroller will note: "Patient
is A&O by 3, not responsive to time".
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D1/ Mental Status
(LOR/LOA) PPTE
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Four D’s & Decision
(<1 hr to death)
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(Pause to) Review for signs of shock:
Head – (LOC) - from above LOC
questions
Heart – Pulse is… (pulse & type) -
from 2-point landing check
Lungs – Respiration is… (respiration
& type) - from 2 point landing check
Skin – Skin is… (color, temp, wet) -
from 2 point landing check
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D2/ Shock Signs
(Head, Heart, Lungs, Skin)
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Always Questions:
“Did
you hit your head?”
“Did
you hit your back?”
“Does
your neck hurt?”
“Does
your back hurt?”
“Did
you ever lose consciousness?”
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D3/ Always Questions
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Important Medical Issues Questions:
“Do
you have any medical issues that I should be aware of,
such as Heart Disease, Hemophilia,
Epilepsy, Asthma, Allergies or Diabetes?”
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D4/ Medical Issues HHEADD
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>>Is the situation urgent and thus requires Emergency
Transport?
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Decision
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“I’m
going to do a body survey”
Checking head
Checking cervical spine
Checking anterior neck and trachea
Checking clavicles and shoulders
Checking chest
Checking abdominal quadrants
Checking pelvis by squeezing not
pressing
Checking legs (including CSM &
pedal test)
Checking arms (including CSM &
squeeze test)
Roll patient over & check back
& palpate spine
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Head
C-Spine
Neck
Clavicles / Shoulders
Chest / Sternum
Abdominal Quadrants
Pelvis Squeeze Legs
Arms
Back
Spine
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Rapid Survey
(>1 hr to death)
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Check CSM (can/usually is done during
arm & leg test above)
“Does
this feel numb or tingly?”
“Can you tell me which finger/toe I’m holding?”
“Can
you move your… “
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C – circulation
S – sensation
M – motion
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For medical chief complaints or if you
reason to believe a sign/symptom may be medical:
“When did this start?”
“Does
anything make it worse? Does anything
make it better?”
“Can
you describe the pain?”
“Does
the pain radiate anywhere?”
“On
a scale from 1 to 10, 10 being the worst pain in your life, how much pain are
you feeling?”
“Is
it getting better? Is it getting worse?”
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O – onset
P – provoke
Q – quality
R – radiate
S – severity
T – time
*for medical issue not trauma
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"Pulse
is X Respiration rate is Y"
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15 pulse x 4
15 breathing x4
*after every body survey and in severe
situations on regular basis
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Vitals
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“Dispatch,
I have a…
male,
25
years old,
with
a shoulder injury with compromised CMS.
Patient
is A&O by 3.
We
are skiers right on Big Dipper near tower 10.
I
need a sled and sled bag
Requesting
emergency transportation.”
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S – sex
A – age
I – injury
L – LOC & location
E – equipment needed
R – resources
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Radio Call
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“Do you have any allergies?”
“Do
take medications - prescription, recreational, OTC ?"
“Prior
medical conditions/seeing a doctor for anything?”
“When
was the last time you ate or drank anything?
What was it?"
"One
more time, tell me what happened"
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A – allergies
M – medication
P – prior medical cond.
L – last oral intake
E – events
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SAMPLE
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MOI – Mechanism of Injury
BSI – Body Safe Isolation
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DO: Tell the patient that “We are
getting you the best help we can”
DON’T: Tell the patient that
“Everything is going to be alright.”
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15 second count x2 x2
*
final count divisible by 4
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