23 | Scene Size Up

scene size up

essential first stage of every emergency call

subtle signs of danger

always be alert for … to avoid becoming a patient yourself

when you first receive the call

scene size up begins …

mechanism of injury

in trauma, the crash scene reveals the …

clues at the scene

in a medical emergency, you can sometimes determine the nature of your patient's illness from …

standard precautions

strategy designed to reduce the risk of transmission of microorganisms from both recognized and unrecognized sources of infection

disposable protective gloves

wear … before intiating any emergency care

masks and protective eyewear

should be worn together whenever blood splatter is likely to occur

HEPA or N-95 respirator

should be worn whenever you provide emergency care for a patient with a confirmed or suspected airborne communicable disease

gowns

should be worn when large splashes of blood are expected

disposable resuscitation equipment

primary means of artificial ventilation in emergency care

hand washing

the most important infection control practice

scene safety

doing everything possible to ensure a safe environment for yourself, your crew, other responding personnel, your patient, and any bystanders

your personal safety

top priorty at any emergency scene

evaluate the surrouding area

as you approach the scene, immediately …

reach, throw, row, go

simple water rescue method

chemical hazards

liquids, gases, solids, corrosives, poisons, nerve agents, and toxic industrial material

biological hazards

viruses, bacteria, biotoxins

radiological hazards

nuclear weapons, dirty bombs, nuclear waste products

explosive hazards

gunpowder, TNT, dynamite, pipe bombs

motor vehicle collision on a major highway

most common rescue situation

traffic flow

greatest hazard to any emergency worker during a roadside rescue operation

move patient into a warm environment

simplest way to begin managing a patient suffering from hypothermia

mechanism of injury

combined strength, direction, and nature of forces that injured your patient

how high the patient was

what was landed on

what part of the body was hit first

in a fall injury, determine…

significant mechanisms that suggest life-threatening situations

trauma assessment must look beyond obvious injuries to …

index of suspicion

prediction of injuries based on the MOI

head and neck injuries

a cracked windshield suggests …

chest and abdominal injuries

a bent steering whel suggests …

major multisystem trauma

a major intrusion into the passenger compartment suggests …

lower extremity fractures

a pedestrian struck by a vehicle likely has …

type of gun used

range of the shot

whether there are multiple wounds

for a gunshot patient, determine…

more extensive and severe

expect internal injuries from serious blunt trauma to be … than you see externally

patient who is alert and oriented

best source of information about the problem

family members, bystanders, visual cues from environment

rely on … to obtain information about an unresponsive patient