Year 1 Paramedic Quick Reference: Top 100 Terms

Vocabulary flashcards covering the top 100 key terms, abbreviations, and concepts for Year 1 Paramedic practice across assessment, cardiovascular, respiratory, neurological, metabolic and infection, trauma, pharmacology and medicines, and professional practice.

ABCDE

Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, Exposure; systematic assessment

Observations

Pulse, BP, RR, SpO₂, temperature, GCS, blood glucose

GCS

Glasgow Coma Scale: eyes, verbal, motor ($3\text{--}15$)

AVPU

Alert, responds to Voice, responds to Pain, Unresponsive

SpO₂

Peripheral oxygen saturation measured by pulse oximetry

Capillary refill time

Colour return after skin pressure; $> 2\,\text{s}$ is a concern

NEWS2

National Early Warning Score 2; flags clinical deterioration

SAMPLE history

Signs/symptoms, Allergies, Medications, Past history, Last oral intake, Events

OPQRST

Pain assessment: Onset, Provocation, Quality, Radiation, Severity, Time

Mechanism of injury

How an injury occurred; guides suspicion of hidden injury

Auscultation

Listening to body sounds with a stethoscope

Palpation

Examining by touch

Percussion

Tapping the body surface to assess underlying structures

Primary survey

Rapid assessment to find and treat immediate life threats

Secondary survey

Detailed head-to-toe assessment once life threats are managed

Tachycardia

Heart rate $> 100\,\text{bpm}$ (adult)

Bradycardia

Heart rate $< 60\,\text{bpm}$ (adult)

Arrhythmia

Abnormal heart rhythm

Hypotension

Abnormally low blood pressure

Hypertension

Abnormally high blood pressure

Perfusion

Delivery of blood to tissues

Ischaemia

Inadequate blood supply to tissue

Infarction

Tissue death from lack of blood supply

Cardiac output

Volume of blood the heart pumps per minute

ECG

Electrocardiogram; electrical recording of the heart

Defibrillation

Electric shock to terminate VF or pulseless VT

ROSC

Return of spontaneous circulation after cardiac arrest

STEMI

ST-elevation myocardial infarction; needs urgent reperfusion

Syncope

Transient loss of consciousness (fainting)

Oedema

Fluid build-up in tissues

Hypoxia

Insufficient oxygen at tissue level

Hypoxaemia

Low oxygen level in the blood

Hypercapnia

Raised carbon dioxide in the blood

Tachypnoea

Rapid respiratory rate

Apnoea

Absence of breathing

Dyspnoea

Difficulty breathing / breathlessness

Cyanosis

Bluish discolouration from poor oxygenation

Wheeze

High-pitched whistling sound; narrowed lower airways

Stridor

Harsh sound on inspiration; upper airway obstruction

Crackles

Bubbling lung sounds (crepitations); fluid or infection

PEFR

Peak expiratory flow rate; measures airway narrowing

Ventilation

Movement of air in and out of the lungs

Hyperventilation

Breathing faster/deeper than needed; lowers CO₂

Pleuritic pain

Sharp chest pain worse on breathing in

Respiratory failure

Failure to maintain adequate oxygenation or CO₂ removal

Seizure

Abnormal electrical activity in the brain

Post-ictal

State of drowsiness/confusion after a seizure

Aphasia

Loss of ability to speak or understand language

Ataxia

Loss of coordination or balance

ICP

Intracranial pressure; raised in head injury, bleed, tumour

Photophobia

Pain or discomfort in bright light; seen in meningitis

Paraesthesia

Pins and needles or abnormal sensation

Hemiplegia

Paralysis of one side of the body

Delirium

Acute confusion with fluctuating attention

FAST

Face, Arm, Speech, Time; stroke screening tool

Hypoglycaemia

Blood glucose $< 4\,\text{mmol/L}$; confusion, sweating

Hyperglycaemia

Abnormally high blood glucose

DKA

Diabetic ketoacidosis; high glucose with ketones

Sepsis

Dysregulated response to infection causing organ dysfunction

Pyrexia

Raised body temperature (fever)

Dehydration

Insufficient body fluid

Hypothermia

Core temperature $< 35^\circ\text{C}$

Hyperthermia

Core temperature raised beyond the body's ability to cool

Acidosis

Excess acid in the blood; low pH

Electrolytes

Charged minerals such as sodium and potassium

Haemorrhage

Bleeding; control early

Hypovolaemia

Low circulating blood volume

Fracture

Broken bone

Dislocation

Joint displaced from its normal position

Laceration

Torn or cut skin

Contusion

Bruise

Crepitus

Grating sensation from bone ends or air under skin

Flail chest

Chest wall segment moving paradoxically after rib fractures

Tourniquet

Device to stop life-threatening limb bleeding

C-spine

Cervical spine; protect in suspected neck injury

Partial thickness burn

Burn involving epidermis and part of dermis; blistering

Cardiac tamponade

Fluid around the heart restricting its pumping

Indication

Valid reason to give a treatment

Contraindication

Reason not to give a treatment

Dose

Amount of a drug given at one time

Route

How a drug is given (oral, IV, IM, IO, inhaled)

Side effect

Unintended effect of a drug

Adverse reaction

Harmful or unwanted response to a drug

Analgesia

Pain relief

Antiemetic

Drug that prevents or treats nausea and vomiting

Bolus

Single rapid dose given at once

Titration

Adjusting a dose according to the patient's response

Nebulisation

Drug delivered as a mist for inhalation

IV

Intravenous; into a vein

IO

Intraosseous; into the bone marrow

IM

Intramuscular; into a muscle

Triage

Prioritising patients by clinical urgency

Safeguarding

Protecting people at risk from abuse or neglect

Capacity

Ability to understand, retain, weigh and communicate a decision

Consent

Agreement to treatment, given freely and with information

Confidentiality

Duty to protect patient information

Duty of candour

Duty to be open and honest when things go wrong

Handover

Structured transfer of information (e.g. SBAR, ATMIST)

DNACPR

Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation decision

JRCALC

Joint Royal Colleges Ambulance Liaison Committee clinical guidelines