VITAMINC mnemonic

[augustHorch]

Im having trouble understanding the real use of this mnemonic.

(pulled from wikipedia)
The patient interview rarely indicates a single diagnosis; rather, usually there is a list of potential diagnoses, called a differential diagnosis. Systematically thinking through a differential diagnosis ensures that all possibilities are considered. The mnemonic VITAMIN C is commonly used to accomplish this:

Vascular
Infectious
Traumatic
Autoimmune
Metabolic
Idiopathic/iatrogenic
Neoplastic
Congenital


I just got hired on with ATCEMS and they want us to be very familiar with this prior to the start of academy (two weeks from now).

I have been an EMT-Basic for almost 4 years, worked in washington state up until now, and have never used this before.

Thanks guys

 

[augustHorch]

After posting this i realized that im being incredibly vague in what i am asking...


Im really wondering if people use this in their assessment and move through the entire mnemonic?

Or is this just a guide if youve done your assessment and get stuck not undertsanding what the cause of specific symptom is?

Or is it just something to help, by process of elimination, narrow in on the assumed cause?

Just wondering if anyone actually pulls this on calls, and when, and how...?

 

[Aidey]

I don't think I've ever heard of this particular mnemonic. I'm dubious of its benefits also, I just don't see it being very helpful.

 

[Flight-LP]

ATCEMS wants you to memorize and utilize this?!?!? WTH for??!!!!!

There is minimal practical purpose for a Paramedic to use this and really none for an EMT-B.

One would think that ATCEMS has higher priorities than this for its incoming field staff.

 

[augustHorch]

I don't think I've ever heard of this particular mnemonic. I'm dubious of its benefits also, I just don't see it being very helpful.

im glad im not the only one...

i was pretty perplexed. I feel like we typically establish the origin naturally...

If someone calls for a broken leg, and we get there, and its a broken leg... we of course would know that that injury is a "Trauma"....

we dont need a mnemonic to establish that.

I am thinking it has to be a process of elimination effort when you are completely stuck... When you cant determine what is causing the said symptoms...?

Hopefully someone will chime in

 

[augustHorch]

ATCEMS wants you to memorize and utilize this?!?!? WTH for??!!!!!

There is minimal practical purpose for a Paramedic to use this and really none for an EMT-B.

One would think that ATCEMS has higher priorities than this for its incoming field staff.

Just to be clear... this is ONE of the things. They did not use the words "memorize". There were plenty of important things they want us to know. They said that these were things we should be familiar with before academy.

 

[JPINFV]

It's about trying to think of all of the causes of a presentation. For example, chest pain there's ACS, anyerysm, PNA, lung CA, GERD, constant cough, trauma, vomiting, PE, costochondritis, etc. The problem with EMTs, and to a lesser extent paramedics, is that the diagnostic options and baseline education makes coming up with a good differential hard because you can't consider anything you haven't heard about before.

The reality is that things like this isn't very useful outside of training/education. Even then, there are multiple different ways of organizing potential causes. Osteopathic medicine, for example, uses the "5 models of Osteopathy" (neurologic, resp/circulator, metabolic, biomechanical, and bio-psycho-social). Personally, I don't use anything specific to remind me to think of different differentials when presented with a complaint.

 

[Trashtruck]

I've never heard of 'VITAMINC'.

I don't see myself ever using it, nor have I heard of anybody using it.

I think Gregory House, M.D. uses it.