603: Medical Cheat Sheets
Basic Life Support Treatment Cheat Sheets
DIFFICULTY BREATHING, LOW RR: Administer O2 (oxygen) with the assistance of an oropharyngeal airway or nasopharyngeal airway if the victim is unconscious. If the victim is conscious and can breathe on their own, a nonrebreather mask is used to administer the oxygen. If the patient cannot breathe on their own or is having severe difficulties breathing, a bag valve mask is used.
NO PULSE: check patient breathing. Administer O2 if patient is not breathing. Complete 30 chest compressions (CPR). Attach patient to AED, allow it to analyze. If patient has a hairy chest, shave the patient before attaching the pads. If no shock is advised, check patient pulse. If no pulse, patient is DOA. If shock is advised, make sure everyone is clear, the patient is dry, and deliver the shock. If the heart rate does not return to normal, continue CPR for 30 compressions and allow the AED to analyze again. Complete until paramedics take over or the AED no longer advises a shock.
TRAUMATIC INJURY-GSW: Pack the patient wound with gauze. If an internal organ is showing or a lung has been punctured, utilize an occlusive dressing. Check and see if the wound goes through, if it does be sure to pack both sides.
TRAUMATIC INJURY-BLEEDING: Pack the wound with gauze. Continue applying gauze to patient wound if the wound bleeds through. If the injury occurs on a limb and the bleeding is heavy, apply a tourniquet.
TRAUMATIC INJURY-IMPALEMENT: Pack gauze around the wound to keep the object stable. Do not remove the object. If the object is attached to something, attempt to move the patient with the item, or remove the object from the item it is attached to, keeping it within the patient.
TRAUMATIC INJURY-AMPUTATION/SEVERING: Apply a tourniquet above the injury. Attempt to recover the missing limb if possible. If the missing part is small, store in a bag with saline solution/salt water during transport.
TRAUMATIC INJURY-SPINAL: In an injury where the head/neck/back was hit with considerable force, check for abnormal eye movement and fluid coming from the ears. If either symptom is present, secure the patient’s neck with a C-Collar. Roll the patient if necessary, using spinal roll techniques such as a C-spine hold and then secure the patient to a spinal board (backboard) or KED.
TRAUMATIC INJURY-BROKEN BONES: characterized by presence of abnormal orientation of limbs/extreme bruising, tenderness, or visible brokenness. If the broken bone is in the arm, treat with a sling and a splint. if the injury is in the leg, splint only. If the injury is in the chest/head, wrap with gauze roll and transport.
CARDIAC EMERGENCY: If the patient is conscious and has a pulse transport ASAP and monitor. If the patient has no pulse but is conscious, hook the patient up to an AED and follow AED instructions, it will likely advise shock. Do not attempt CPR. Transport as soon as the patient shows a pulse. Airlift if in a remote area.
ALLERGIC REACTION: Characterized by hives, difficulty breathing due to swelling airways. Administer O2 to the patient. Check their medical history for information on the allergy if you cannot obtain an oral history. If the patient has an inhaler, medication on them you can administer it for them (EG epi pen, inhaler, medicine).
DIABETIC EMERGENCY: Low energy, unconsciousness, difficulty speaking. Attempt to determine medical history of patients electronically or verbally. Use Insulin test kit and give them orange juice, candy, or oral glucose. Transport.
STROKE: loss of feeling in arm/leg, facial drooping, troubles speaking. Put them in the recovery position on the side not affected and transport.
Advanced Life Support Treatment Cheat Sheets
DIFFICULTY BREATHING, LOW RR: Same procedures as BLS, however you now can also intubate the patient (securing their airway with a tube) using King LT airways, and Endotracheal (ET) tubes if they are unconscious.
NO PULSE: check patient breathing. Administer O2 if patient is not breathing. IMMEDIATELY hook patient up to ECG (have a police officer or bystander do compressions) and assess the patient’s electrical activity. If the patient has injuries incompatible with life AND is asystole, you can pronounce them DOA. If they have minor injuries and have not bled out, but are asystole, administer Epinephrine as well as Ringer’s Lactate, then shock the patient. If no change, do 30 compressions of CPR and shock again. If no change, declare the patient deceased. If the patient has an ‘abnormal’ rhythm, administer Amiodarone, and shock the patient. Check the rhythm if it has not changed shock the patient again. Continue until the patient shows Asystole (deceased) or sinus rhythm.
TRAUMATIC INJURY: Same treatment categorized in BLS procedures, with the usage of normal saline and an analgesic/narcotic. Analgesic/narcotic is omitted if the patient has a suspected spinal injury.
BURN INJURY: give the patient a room temperature IV of D5W. Separate limbs/appendages with gauze. Use saline or water to soak gauze and cool down the burns.
CARDIAC EMERGENCY: If the patient is conscious and has a pulse transport ASAP and monitor, administer aspirin or nitroglycerin. If the patient has no pulse but is conscious, hook the patient up to ECG and follow ECG procedures, administering nitro if possible.
Other emergencies: Refer to BLS guidelines and modify treatments to include IVs and Medications as necessary.
IV Cheat Sheet:
