Primary Patient Assessment Flashcards
6 cards from real EMR practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Primary Patient Assessment flashcards as text
A 30-year-old female is found unconscious following a vehicle collision. Her airway is open, breathing is present but shallow at 8 breaths/min, and her radial pulse is weak and rapid. What is the priority intervention?
Answer: Assist ventilations with a bag-valve mask
Breathing at 8 breaths/min is inadequate for an adult (normal is 12–20/min). Assisted ventilations via BVM are required to correct hypoventilation, which can lead to hypoxia and worsening shock.
What is the correct rate of ventilations when using a BVM on an adult patient in cardiac arrest?
Answer: 1 breath every 5–6 seconds (10–12/min)
For an adult in cardiac arrest, ventilations should be delivered at 1 breath every 5–6 seconds (10–12 breaths per minute) during 2-rescuer CPR when an advanced airway is in place, or after every 30 compressions during 2-rescuer CPR without an advanced airway.
During the primary assessment, an EMR identifies that a patient has no palpable radial pulse but has a carotid pulse. This finding most likely indicates:
Answer: Hypovolemic shock with systolic BP below approximately 80 mmHg
Absence of a radial pulse with a present carotid pulse suggests significant hypotension. Radial pulses are typically lost when systolic blood pressure falls below approximately 80 mmHg, indicating severe hypovolemic shock.
The 'general impression' formed at the start of the primary assessment is based on which of the following?
Answer: Age, gender, and chief complaint seen from across the room
The general impression is a rapid visual overview formed as the EMR approaches the patient — noting age, gender, chief complaint, overall appearance (sick vs. not sick), and position. It helps guide the remainder of the assessment.
Which skin finding during the circulation check of the primary assessment suggests poor perfusion?
Answer: Pale, cool, and diaphoretic (clammy) skin
Pale, cool, and clammy (diaphoretic) skin is a classic sign of poor perfusion and shock. It indicates peripheral vasoconstriction as the body shunts blood to vital organs.
What is the maximum time an EMR should spend on scene with a critical trauma patient before initiating transport?
Answer: 10 minutes or less — the 'platinum ten minutes'
For critical trauma patients, the goal is a scene time of 10 minutes or less — often called the 'platinum ten minutes.' Definitive care for trauma requires surgical intervention, so rapid transport to an appropriate facility is essential.