patient Assessment

usmc01

usmc01

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I am a student in an EMT-B class and next week we are going to testing on the skills that we learned.
I am confident on all aspects of the Patient Assessment, I am just afraid that anxiety might try to take over.

Does anyone have any suggestions, or is there anything with Patient Assessment that I might want to consider that could possibly help me

Thanks in advance
Eric
 
Your name is USMC and you have the EGA, so I'm going to assume you've been to PI or SD.


Use what the DIs preached at the range: Take it slow, breathe.


You aren't going to kill anyone testing a skill :D
 
Absolutely know inside and out the half dozen or so "critical criteria" at the bottom of your assessment sheet. These are automatic fail in most cases. Make sure cover those and the rest is cake.

Find something that will guide you back to where you need to be.

www.paramedicine.com was helpful for me.

Lots of good mnemonics to make sure you don't miss a step.
 
usmc01 said:
I am a student in an EMT-B class and next week we are going to testing on the skills that we learned.
I am confident on all aspects of the Patient Assessment, I am just afraid that anxiety might try to take over.

Does anyone have any suggestions, or is there anything with Patient Assessment that I might want to consider that could possibly help me

Thanks in advance
Eric
Click to expand...

I've got patient assessment coming up next week, myself. A few hours away from Milwaukee, though.

I keep hearing that anxiety is normal. Dunno how to combat it if I'm someone else, but for me, focusing on what's in front of me and getting a little bit of tunnel vision seems to work. I'm not really recommending this, though, since we're always supposed to be watching the surroundings, BSI, scene safety, go!

Welcome to the forums!
 
Asimurk said:
I've got patient assessment coming up next week, myself. A few hours away from Milwaukee, though.

I keep hearing that anxiety is normal. Dunno how to combat it if I'm someone else, but for me, focusing on what's in front of me and getting a little bit of tunnel vision seems to work. I'm not really recommending this, though, since we're always supposed to be watching the surroundings, BSI, scene safety, go!

Welcome to the forums!
Click to expand...

If it is a skills station, keep talking and don't shut up til the preceptor stops you. :) Go through your SAMPLE histories and everything you learned.
 
I had alot of help by practicing on family members...perform an assesment on someone in front of others. It gets easier as you go trust me...Anxiety is a huge problem for me and I made it threw the class. You will be fine, just go slow, breath, and remember your sample history.
 
This is my first post on EMTLife so I figured why not start here! The best advice I can give is to just be confident in your skills. Lots of EMS assessment is common sense, at least I think so. Wear your gloves if they let you because then you have your BSI taken care of. Check to make sure the 'scene is safe', do your scene size up and general impression and just go with it. Study those sheets, practice on a family member or friend and you will be just fine. Good luck!
 
your name and EGA avatar indicate you have survived PI or SD, remember what your DI"s taught you, as far as testing study your check off sheets, practice, practice and more practice, by the way did i mention practice, use family friends or even pets, try and do a trauma assessment on a pet thats a real challenge, you can easily get through this, as a Marine you have seen much more stress remember the crucible, wear glove and don't be afraid to touch the pt. Remember no one dies during check offs, although some students complain of chest pain, ha
 
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Take a walk before the exam, it'll keep your mind on the job when you get in, and you'll be warmed up already.
 
Good luck.

Remember that the instructors can't read your mind.

Verbalize everything, if you are thinking about it say it out loud.

If you get lost momentarily this also helps put you back on track.
 
(Not yet an E.M.T.)
My Guess is you're not referring to the first three letters of the alphabet, and rather a clever acronym using them.
 
Ansible said:
(Not yet an E.M.T.)
My Guess is you're not referring to the first three letters of the alphabet, and rather a clever acronym using them.
Click to expand...

ABC

Airway
Breathing
Circulation

"Hi, my name is Stan, what seems to be the problem?"
If they respond they're alert and responsive, and have a patent airway.
"How are you breathing?"
Whatever their answer, they get O2 15LPM, at least as far as my stage of training is concerned.
"Mind if I check your pulse?"
While checking the pulse note the skin, the color, temp, and condition of it, and look over the patient for "squirts and leaks."
 
:P Like I said, as far as my training is presently concerned.

Edit: Which should read as, "I have no training".
 
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Asimurk said:
:P Like I said, as far as my training is presently concerned.

Edit: Which should read as, "I have no training".
Click to expand...

Given the recent changes presented in the AHA 2010 Guidelines, we will hopefully see EMS finally moving away from "one size fits all" oxygenation with the realization that oxygen is a drug and that 15 lpm NRB has been shown to increase mortality in certain situations.
 
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That's what one of the instructors was mentioning, that O2 after a cardiac arrest can raise the toxicity of the blood in make it more difficult for the patient to survive. Could be mistaken on what I heard him say about it though.
 
Remember you have 10 minutes to complete the assessment. A lot of people try to rush through it. Take it one step at a time and go straight down the sheet. If you fumble and forget, start back at the top. :) Don't forget to take care of the ABC's and you can't go wrong. All critical fails are in the Scene Size-up and initial assessment. After that You're just accumulating points. :) Good luck. I take mine in April.
 
Whatever you do, don't do what I did. I forgot to turn my cell phone to silent and in the middle of the skill it went off. It had the instructor laughing and it actually calmed me down but took a minute to get back to the assessment.
 
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