Patient Assessment Flashcards
7 cards from real AEMT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Patient Assessment flashcards as text
The OPQRST mnemonic is used by the AEMT when assessing:
Answer: A patient's pain or chief complaint
OPQRST (Onset, Provocation, Quality, Radiation, Severity, Time) systematically characterizes a patient's pain or presenting complaint.
In the SAMPLE history mnemonic, the letter 'A' stands for:
Answer: Allergies
The 'A' in SAMPLE stands for Allergies, particularly to medications, foods, or environmental agents relevant to treatment.
During a secondary assessment of a trauma patient, when examining the chest the AEMT should assess for all of the following EXCEPT:
Answer: Capillary refill time
Capillary refill is assessed in the extremities; chest assessment focuses on breathing mechanics, breath sounds, and signs of tension pneumothorax or hemothorax.
Which set of vital signs would MOST concern an AEMT assessing an adult patient?
Answer: BP 90/60 mmHg, HR 124/min, RR 26/min, SpO2 91%
Hypotension, tachycardia, tachypnea, and hypoxia together suggest a patient in decompensating shock requiring immediate aggressive intervention.
When assessing pupils, the finding 'PERRL' indicates:
Answer: Pupils Equal, Round, and Reactive to Light
PERRL stands for Pupils Equal, Round, and Reactive to Light, which is the normal expected finding during neurological assessment.
Which component of the SAMPLE history is represented by the letter 'M'?
Answer: Medications currently taken
The 'M' in SAMPLE stands for Medications, including all prescription, over-the-counter, and herbal supplements the patient currently takes.
For a responsive, stable medical patient during transport, how frequently should vital signs be reassessed?
Answer: Every 15 minutes
Standard protocol requires vital signs to be reassessed every 15 minutes for stable medical patients during transport.