Chapter 5

Much of what you do as an EMT will require

Clear-cut and exact communication

Prefix: tachy- combiner with pea creates tachypnea

rapid breathing

Prefix

WP added to the beginning of a R or word to modify or qualify its meaning

Suffix

Word part added to the end of a R or word to complete its meaning

Abbreviations and acronyms are commonly used as a short of "short hand" in EMS but the downside is

abbreviated words can lead to communication errors, particularly when you use more obscure or local abbreviations

Anatomy

Study of the body structure

Physiology

Study of body function

If medical message can cause confusion even among trained health care professionals

Revert to simple terms

anatomic position

standard reference position for the body in study of anatomy. Body is standing erect, facing the observer, with arms down at the sides and the palms of the hands forward

midline

An imaginary line drawn down the center of the body, dividing it into right and left halves.

medial

Toward the midline of the body

lateral

to the side, away from the midline of the body

Bilateral

on both sides

unilateral

limited to one side

mid-axillary line

a line drawn vertically from the middle of the armpit to the ankle

anterior

the front of the body or body part

Posterior

back of the body or body part

ventral

referring to the front of the body (a synonym for anterior)

dorsal

referring to the back of the body or the back of the hand or foot (a synonym for posterior)

Superior

towards the head (ie the chest is superior to the abdomen)

inferior

Away from the head, usually compared with another structure that is closer to the head (ie. the lips are inferior to the nose)

proximal

close to the torso

distal

farther away from the torso

torso

trunk of the body, or the body without the head and the extremities

plane

flat surface formed when slicing through a solid object

Abdominal quadrants

Four divisions of the abdomen used to pinpoint the location of a pain or injury; RUQ, RLQ, LUQ, LLQ

supine

lying on the back

prone

lying face down

recovery position

lying on the side. also called the lateral recumbent position

fowler

sitting position