Patient Assessment
Patient assessment is the process an EMT or paramedic follows to evaluate an injured or ill patient. The process includes a scene size-up, which is the identification and mitigation of risks, a primary assessment to find and fix life threats and a secondary assessment to perform a focused history and physical exam of the patient. Each step is an opportunity to collect information that will guide treatment and inform a transport decision. In the EMS1 Patient Assessment topic find the latest news about patient assessment and top resources to improve your patient assessment skills.
Steve Whitehead breaks down the critical difference between low blood pressure and inadequate blood flow
Why post-crash care matters: 42% of patients alive at EMS arrival die later
A go-to test for consciousness or a risky habit? The truth about the sternum rub revealed
A UT Southwestern study of 500K cardiac arrest cases finds survival has not returned to pre-pandemic levels, especially in Black and Hispanic communities
For the second time in three months, a vehicle crashed into the roof of the Clay-Ray Veterans Association building in Excelsior Springs
The MEDS Act would fund essential supplies, study EMS workforce needs and formalize EMS in federal healthcare law
A Greyhound bus traveling from Memphis to Nashville collided with another vehicle
A UCSF-led study using ESO data found EMS providers often failed to recognize status epilepticus during prehospital care, leading to treatment delays and reduced benzodiazepine dosing
Learn how to detect pulmonary embolism through clinical symptoms and capnography, ensuring prompt and effective response
A comprehensive guide to evaluating abdominal pain through targeted assessment questions and clinical examination techniques
The International Association of EMS Chiefs calls for national recognition of EMS professionals’ life-saving work and leadership in public safety
An overview of pain and sedation for the prehospital provider
Avoid misdiagnosing atrial flutter as sinus tachycardia by mastering these ECG interpretation strategies
Join leading EMS professionals for powerful sessions on leadership, workforce trends and system sustainability — and walk away with real strategies for change
How has the EMS Scope of Practice changed since the first EMS Week was celebrated 50+ years ago?
Get the right dose to the right place: faster
Assess a patient’s pulse through the radial artery or the carotid artery based on their level of consciousness
“Trauma patients are dying because the systems we have in place aren’t designed to meet the demand for blood products in the field.”
A skydiving instructor had to be rescued after getting stuck in a tree while saving a student whose parachute failed during a jump near Palatka
More than two dozen people were rescued across Southern California during a record-breaking heat wave, including 11 hikers in distress on a Newport Coast trail
Confusion and slurred speech? It might not be what you think
Rain grounded helicopters during a hiker rescue near Deep Creek Hot Springs, forcing crews to hike over a mile into a canyon until skies cleared just enough for a helicopter hoist
Before you grab the naloxone or reach for the benzos, hit play on this toxidrome masterclass
While EMS sees fewer opioid-related emergencies, the report highlights growing concern over mental health incidents in children and repeat 911 usage
Five considerations for patient assessment, scene safety and patient handoff when responding off-duty
A bus veered off both sides of Missouri Highway 100 west of Hermann after the driver overcorrected
The global campaign trains civilians in tourniquet use, wound packing and more — skills that can mean the difference between life and death before first responders arrive
A father and son realize their destiny is assessing and treating blaster and lightsaber wounds in a galaxy far, far away
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