3.2 Biomedical Sciences

Why do emergency responders work in teams?

For efficiency and coordination in assessment, operates under ICS for buddy system

Cross trained: Certified in different roles

Why must you assess scene

Determination of time to stabilize and taking patient away

Primary Assessment

15 secs, form general impression, determine MOI (force of injury), determine responsiveness, stabilize spine, and check for ABCs

ABCs of Emergency Care

Airways (airflow or blockage), breathing (breathing normal or sporadic), circulation (adequate pulse)

Secondary Assessment

Takes 45 sec, rapid physical assessment, vitals, patient history, and appropriate care

How are spinal injuries treated differently?

Patients have to be stabilized, may inlcude more

How are breathing and circulation evaluated?

Breathing evaluated by listening to airflow, circulation evaluated by palpating pulse

How is pupillary response evaluated?

Visual inspection to determine size and shape for equality, shows neurological response

Skin Turgor

Pinching fold of skin, normal turgor would have skin pop into place

Anaphylaxis

Life threatening allergic reaction, multiple body systems react

Different routes of drug delivery

Enteral: Oral absorption

Parenteral Routes: Absorbed by veins (inhalation, injection)

Intravenous vs Intramuscular injection

Intravenous injection directly into vein, shallow angle (crucial but can cause infection)

Intramuscular is into large muscle, rapid but comes with pain

What factors determine appropriate dose for individual?

Body weight, age, organ functionality

Mild dehydration vs severe dehydration

Mild has less fluid lost, fixed with simple water

Severe is when mechanisms start to fail, less oxygen and can cause blood loss

How does blood clot?

Open blood vessels are sealed by incoming platelets (fragments), fibrin weaves them together

ABCs for Hemostasis

Alert (call 911), bleeding (find source of injury) compress (apply pressure)

When is bleeding life threatening

When blood is spouting and pooling, person can be confused and pale

Arterial vs Venous bleed

Arteries spurt (away from the heart), venous has less pressure

How is bleeding stopped?

Direct pressure on all cuts, elevate to lift wound, wound pack (adding gauze)

When are tourniquets used?

If bleed is severe or direct pressure is not enough, tie tightly above open wound

When is hemostat used

Locking mechanism to clamp on bleeding blood vessels, used in surgeries

Triage

Used by medical professionals to prioritize patients, saves lives

Four triage categories

Emergent (sudden, sever threat to life), Urgent (serious but stable) Semi-urgent (painful but non serious injury) Non-urgent (minor issues)

What resources do hospitals need to treat patients

Staff, facilities, medical equipment, medicine

What causes medical surges

Mass casualty, disease outbreak, disaster

What affect’s surge capacity

Staffing availability, resources, supplies

How might coordinators manage resources

Rapid triage and mutual agreements

What might hospitals do over capacity

Expanding or reverse triage

How can gov prevent hospitals

Funding and maintaining stockpiles, maintenance