NREMT Trigger Words & Meanings EMT Study Aid

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering high-yield NREMT trigger words, definitions, exam clues, and clinical concepts across airway, trauma, shock, cardiology, neurology, obstetrics, and patient assessment.

Stridor

High-pitched sound, usually on inhalation; suggests upper-airway narrowing or obstruction.

Wheezing

Musical whistling, often on exhalation; commonly associated with narrowed lower airways/bronchospasm.

Rhonchi

Low-pitched, coarse airway sounds; often associated with secretions in larger airways.

Crackles (rales)

Popping sounds that may occur with fluid or reopening of small airways.

Gurgling

Fluid or secretions in the airway; suction may be needed.

Snoring respirations

Soft tissue/tongue may be obstructing the airway in a patient with decreased consciousness.

Apnea

No breathing.

Bradypnea

Abnormally slow breathing.

Tachypnea

Abnormally fast breathing.

Hypoxemia

Low oxygen level in the blood.

Hypoxia

Insufficient oxygen reaching body tissues.

Cyanosis

Bluish/gray discoloration; a concerning but late and unreliable sign of low oxygen.

Dyspnea

Subjective difficulty breathing or shortness of breath.

Kussmaul respirations

Deep, rapid breathing; may occur with metabolic acidosis such as diabetic ketoacidosis.

Silent chest

Very little or no audible airflow in a severely distressed patient; can indicate critical airflow obstruction.

Pneumothorax

Air in the pleural space causing partial or complete lung collapse.

Tension pneumothorax

Trapped air under increasing pressure that compresses the lung and can reduce blood return to the heart; respiratory distress and shock are red flags.

Open pneumothorax

Chest-wall wound that allows air into the pleural space; sometimes called a sucking chest wound.

Hemothorax

Blood in the pleural space; may compress the lung and cause blood-loss shock.

Cardiac tamponade

Fluid or blood under pressure in the pericardial sac impairs heart filling.

Beck's triad

Hypotension, distended neck veins, and muffled heart sounds; classic clues for cardiac tamponade, but all may not be present.

Flail chest

Multiple adjacent ribs broken in multiple places, creating a loose chest-wall segment; paradoxical movement may be seen.

Pulmonary contusion

Bruising/bleeding in lung tissue after trauma; breathing problems may worsen over time.

Subcutaneous emphysema

Air trapped under the skin, causing a crackling feel.

Hemoptysis

Coughing up blood.

Hemopericardium

Blood within the pericardial sac; may lead to cardiac tamponade.

Pleural effusion

Fluid collecting in the pleural space around a lung.

Pulmonary embolism (PE)

A clot blocking a pulmonary artery; may cause sudden shortness of breath, chest pain, tachycardia, or collapse.

Shock

Inadequate tissue perfusion; clues can include altered mental status, fast pulse, cool/clammy skin, and weak pulses.

Hypovolemic shock

Too little circulating volume, often from bleeding or fluid loss.

Cardiogenic shock

The heart's pump function is failing.

Obstructive shock

Blood flow is mechanically blocked, as in tension pneumothorax or cardiac tamponade.

Distributive shock

Blood vessels dilate and blood distribution becomes inadequate; includes septic, anaphylactic, and neurogenic causes.

Septic shock

Severe infection causing circulatory dysfunction.

Anaphylaxis

Severe systemic allergic reaction; airway swelling, wheezing, hives, and hypotension may occur.

Neurogenic shock

Loss of sympathetic vascular tone after spinal cord injury; hypotension with possible bradycardia and warm/dry skin.

Tachycardia

Abnormally fast heart rate.

Bradycardia

Abnormally slow heart rate.

Perfusion

Delivery of oxygenated blood to body tissues.

JVD

Jugular venous distention; prominent neck veins, which may occur in obstructive causes or right-sided heart problems.

Pallor

Unusually pale skin.

Diaphoresis

Abnormal or profuse sweating; can accompany shock or cardiac emergencies.

Syncope

Brief loss of consciousness from transient reduced blood flow to the brain.

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS)

Reduced blood flow to heart muscle; may cause chest pressure, shortness of breath, nausea, or sweating.

Myocardial infarction (MI)

Heart attack: damage to heart muscle from prolonged inadequate blood flow.

Radiating chest pain

Pain spreading to arm, jaw, back, or shoulder; can be a clue to ACS but is not diagnostic alone.

Aortic dissection

A tear in the inner layer of the aorta; may cause sudden severe tearing chest or back pain.

Pulseless ventricular fibrillation (VF)

Chaotic ventricular rhythm with no effective pulse; cardiac arrest rhythm treated with CPR and AED/defibrillation.

Pulsus paradoxus

Exaggerated fall in systolic blood pressure during inhalation; may occur in tamponade or severe asthma.

FAST

Stroke assessment mnemonic: Face droop, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, Time to activate stroke response.

Last known well

The last time the patient was known to be at their usual neurologic baseline; important for stroke decisions.

Postictal state

Confusion or sleepiness after a seizure.

Seizure

Abnormal excessive electrical activity in the brain; protect from injury and assess airway/breathing afterward.

Raccoon eyes

Bruising around both eyes after head trauma; can suggest a basilar skull fracture.

Battle sign

Bruising behind the ear; can suggest a basilar skull fracture.

CSF leak

Clear fluid from nose/ear after head trauma that may be cerebrospinal fluid; do not plug the opening.

Cushing triad

Hypertension (often widened pulse pressure), bradycardia, and irregular respirations; a late warning sign of increased intracranial pressure.

Altered mental status (AMS)

Change from normal awareness or behavior; assess airway, breathing, perfusion, glucose if available, and likely causes.

Hemiparesis

Weakness on one side of the body.

Aphasia

Difficulty producing or understanding language.

Ataxia

Poor coordination or unsteady movement.

Hypoglycemia

Low blood glucose; may cause sweating, tremor, confusion, seizure, or unconsciousness.

Hyperglycemia

High blood glucose; may cause thirst, frequent urination, dehydration, and altered mental status.

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA)

Insulin deficiency causing ketone production and metabolic acidosis; deep rapid breathing, dehydration, and sometimes fruity breath.

Fruity breath

May suggest ketones, as in DKA, but is not definitive.

Hematemesis

Vomiting blood.

Melena

Black, tarry stool, often from gastrointestinal bleeding.

Hematochezia

Bright-red or maroon blood passed in stool; source can vary.

Rigid/board-like abdomen

May indicate peritoneal irritation or another serious abdominal emergency.

Evisceration

Abdominal organs protruding through a wound; do not push them back in; cover with a moist sterile dressing and follow protocol.

Appendicitis

Inflammation of the appendix; often abdominal pain that localizes to the right lower quadrant.

Pancreatitis

Inflammation of the pancreas; often upper abdominal pain that may radiate to the back.

Preeclampsia

Pregnancy-related hypertension with signs of organ involvement; headache, visual changes, or upper abdominal pain are concerning.

Eclampsia

Seizures associated with preeclampsia.

Placenta previa

Placenta covering or near the cervical opening; classically painless vaginal bleeding later in pregnancy.

Placental abruption

Premature separation of placenta; often painful bleeding and abdominal tenderness, though bleeding may be concealed.

Prolapsed umbilical cord

Cord descends ahead of the baby and may be compressed; obstetric emergency.

Shoulder dystocia

Baby's shoulder becomes stuck after the head delivers.

Postpartum hemorrhage

Excessive bleeding after delivery.

Meconium

Newborn's first stool; meconium-stained amniotic fluid requires newborn assessment, not automatic suctioning of every infant.

Open fracture

Fracture associated with a wound that communicates with the fracture; bone need not be visible.

Crepitus

Grating sensation or sound from bone ends or air under the skin; do not repeatedly manipulate to check.

Paresthesia

Tingling or pins-and-needles sensation.

Pallor, pulselessness, paresthesia, paralysis, poikilothermia, pain

Classic warning signs of neurovascular compromise in an injured limb; check distal function before and after splinting.

Impaled object

Object embedded in the body; generally stabilize in place and do not remove in the field unless it prevents essential care.

Mechanism of injury (MOI)

How the injury happened; helps identify possible hidden injuries.

Spinal motion restriction (SMR)

Methods used when indicated to limit spinal movement; not every trauma patient requires a rigid backboard.

Traction splint

A device for selected isolated midshaft femur fractures when no contraindications exist and local protocol permits.

PMS

Pulse, motor function, sensation; check distal neurovascular status before and after splinting.

AVPU

Mental status scale: Alert, responds to Voice, responds to Pain, Unresponsive.

GCS

Glasgow Coma Scale: eye, verbal, and motor responses.

OPQRST

Onset, Provocation/Palliation, Quality, Region/Radiation, Severity, Time.

SAMPLE

Signs/symptoms, Allergies, Medications, Pertinent past history, Last oral intake, Events leading up.

BVM

Bag-valve-mask; used to assist ventilation when breathing is absent or inadequate.

OPA

Oropharyngeal airway; for an unresponsive patient without an intact gag reflex, if appropriate.

NPA

Nasopharyngeal airway; may be used when an airway adjunct is needed and there is no contraindication; avoid with suspected basilar skull fracture per standard EMT teaching/protocol.

NRB

Nonrebreather mask; delivers high-concentration oxygen to a spontaneously breathing patient who needs it.

Nasal cannula

Low-flow supplemental oxygen for a spontaneously breathing patient when appropriate.

Suction

Removes blood, vomit, or secretions obstructing the airway.

AED

Automated external defibrillator; analyze rhythm and deliver shock when advised.