#paramedic notes

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Common Medical Emergencies

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Usage of Glucose

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Black Widow Spider Bites

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Cottonmouth Snake Bite Treatment

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Assessment of the Upper Extremity

Mechanism of Injury -- "tell the story" -- who, what, when, where and how? -- type of pain -- symptoms

Previous Medical History -- previous injury -- medical conditions -- surgeries -- medications -- allergies

Inspection -- deformity -- carrying angle -- muscle atropy -- symmetry -- body movement -- scars -- other marks

Range of Motion -- occurs at the joint -- passive = clinician moves -- active = patient moves

Manual Muscle Test -- scale of 0 to 5 -- break test = at end of range of motion -- make test = throughout range of motion

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Hypophysis

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Types of Open Injuries

Abrasion -- damage to the superficial layer of skin -- caused by a body part rubbing or scraping across a rough or hard surface

Laceration -- a deep cut in the skin -- has jagged edges

Incision -- a cut in the skin -- has smooth edges

Avulsion -- soft tissue is torn loose or hanging as a flap

Penetrating Wound -- injury resulting from a sharp, piercing object

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Airway Assessment of the Unconscious Patient

-- immediately assess airway of unresponsive patient

-- patient may have experienced trauma

-- if trauma is possible, use the jaw-thrust maneuver to open the airway

-- if the jaw-thrust maneuver doesn't work, use the head tilt-chin lift maneuver

-- signs of airway obstruction in unconscious patients: -> obvious trauma -> obvious obstruction -> noisy breathing -> extremely shallow breathing -> absent breathing

-- noisy breathing can include: -> snoring -> bubbling -> gurgling -> crowing -> stridor -> other abnormal sounds

-- the tongue could be the cause of airway obstruction -> tongue muscles relax -> tongue falls to back of throat -> airway is blocked -> very common

-- for a tongue obstruction: -> position airway -> place oral or nasal airway

-- possible other obstructions: -> dentures -> blood clots -> vomitus -> mucus -> food -> foreign objects

-- the above objects can be cleared with manual techniques and suctioning

-- only after the airway is clear do you continue your assessment

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